Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, announced on Tuesday, September 17, that its experimental implant, designed to restore vision even for those born blind, has been granted “breakthrough device” designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
USA Govt Approves Elon Musk’s Neuralink ‘Breakthrough’ Implant That Could Cure Blindness
Date: 18-09-2024 8:19 AM | Author: Onuigbo Felicia
Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup, Neuralink, announced on Tuesday, September 17, that its experimental implant designed to restore vision—even for those born blind—has received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “breakthrough device” designation.
The FDA’s breakthrough designation is given to medical devices that offer treatment or diagnosis for life-threatening conditions and aims to expedite the development and review process.
The experimental device, called Blindsight, is expected to allow individuals who have lost both eyes and their optic nerves to see. Musk stated in a post on X that the Blindsight device could enable sight even for those who have been blind from birth, provided their visual cortex is intact.
Initially, vision from the device may be low resolution, akin to Atari graphics, but it holds potential for better-than-natural vision and the ability to perceive infrared, ultraviolet, or radar wavelengths, similar to the fictional character Geordi La Forge.
Neuralink expects the Blindsight device to advance to human trials soon. Founded in 2016 by Musk and a team of engineers, Neuralink aims to develop a brain chip interface to help disabled patients regain movement, communication, and vision. The startup is also testing an implant designed to enable paralyzed individuals to use digital devices through thought alone, offering hope for those with spinal cord injuries.