Elon Musk’s brain-chip company, Neuralink, has achieved a significant milestone with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting its “breakthrough device” designation to the company’s experimental vision-restoring implant, Blindsight. This device is designed to restore sight to individuals with partial or complete blindness, including those with damaged optic nerves.
Neuralink shared the news on its X page, inviting people to join its patient registry and career opportunities. The FDA’s breakthrough designation is reserved for devices that address life-threatening conditions, accelerating their development and review process. Musk also highlighted Blindsight’s ability to help individuals who have lost their vision, even from birth, offering them low-resolution vision initially, with the potential to evolve into more advanced capabilities like seeing in infrared or ultraviolet wavelengths.
Neuralink, co-founded by Musk in 2016, focuses on developing brain-computer interfaces to treat neurological disorders. In addition to vision restoration, the company is developing implants to help paralyzed individuals control digital devices with their thoughts, and is conducting trials to assess the effectiveness of these devices for spinal cord injuries.