Elon Musk's brain chip company Neuralink has received “groundbreaking device” status for an implant that aims to help blind patients regain their sight, the company announced Wednesday.
An experimental brain implant called “BlindSight” has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to participate in the voluntary program. According to the FDA, it is one of 58 devices designated so far this year.
Musk — who is known for making bold announcements about his companies' products long before they hit the market — celebrated the FDA's decision by sharing a photo of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” actor LeVar Burton, whose character Geordi La Forge used a futuristic visor to see.
“Neuralink’s Blindsight device will enable people who have lost both eyes and optic nerves to see,” Musk wrote on X“Provided the visual cortex remains intact, this would also enable people who are born blind to see for the first time.”
The FDA did not immediately respond to the Post's request for comment.
According to the agency's website, the “Breakthrough Device” program aims to “accelerate the development, evaluation, and review for pre-market approval” for medical devices that treat life-threatening or permanent conditions — as long as they meet safety standards.
“To set expectations correctly, vision will be low resolution at first, like Atari graphics, but eventually it has the potential to be better than natural vision and enable you to see in infrared, ultraviolet or even radar wavelengths, like Geordi La Forge,” Musk said.
Musk co-founded Neuralink in 2016. It is one of several projects by the tech giant, who also owns X and artificial intelligence startup xAI as well as serving as CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.
Neuralink is also developing an implant aimed at Giving paralyzed patients the ability to use digital devices with their brains.
In January, Noland Arbaugh, a 30-year-old Arizona resident who was paralyzed from the neck down after a diving accident, became the first person to receive a Neuralink implant.
Last month, Musk said Neuralink has successfully performed the implant The brain chip was implanted in a second human patient.
post with wires
