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Neuralink’s FDA Approval: Elon Musk's brain-chip startup, Neuralink, has received FDA approval for its experimental "Blindsight" device designed to restore vision.
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Vision for the Blind: The device has the potential to allow people who have lost both eyes or their optic nerve to see again, including those who have been blind from birth, provided their visual cortex is intact.
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Initial Low-Resolution Vision: Musk stated that the initial vision provided by the device would be low-resolution, but the technology has the potential to surpass natural vision over time.
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Extended Vision Capabilities: The device could allow users to see in infrared, ultraviolet, and even radar wavelengths in the future, inspired by sci-fi technology from Star Trek.
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FDA Breakthrough Device Designation: The device has been granted the FDA’s Breakthrough Device Designation, speeding up its development for treating life-threatening conditions.
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Neuralink’s Future Plans: Neuralink plans to implant brain chips in eight additional patients this year, aiming to help paralyzed patients and expand applications like vision restoration.
Image Source - X
The company launched by Elon Musk on the brain chip, Neuralink, got a green signal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new device called "Blindsight." This is an experimental type of brain implant that tries to restore vision for people who have lost not just one eye but both or even the optic nerve. According to Musk, if a person's visual cortex is functioning properly, then even a blind person from birth will feel vision for the first time.
The Blindsight device from Neuralink will enable even those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve to see.
Provided the visual cortex is intact, it will even enable those who have been blind from birth to see for the first time.
To set expectations correctly, the vision… https://t.co/MYLHNcPrw6 pic.twitter.com/RAenDpd3fx— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2024
Vision for the Blind
Musk announced the win through social media. He made sure to add that the Blindsight device could give very low resolution at first, kind of like the look of Atari video games. However, with time, it would get much better than natural vision, showing infrared, ultraviolet, or even radar wavelengths.
Inspiration from Sci-Fi
Of course, the comparison was to Geordi La Forge, the iconic Star Trek figure who, because of his blindness, used technology to get around in the world. Musk posted an image of La Forge and how the Blindsight could yield the same ability.
Breakthrough Device Designation
Neuralink gained the FDA's Breakthrough Device Designation for its Blindsight device. Medical devices receiving this designation as providing treatment for serious conditions bring them closer to humans faster than others during the development and review phases.
The Future
This is after Musk made some public remarks regarding the plan that Neuralink has to give eight more patients an implant of a brain chip this year. The technology is primarily aimed at helping paralyzed patients control digital devices from their minds. However, the scope of advances has opened further horizons and now includes restoration of vision for the blind.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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