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Elon Musk's brain-chip startup has just received its first big win, the breakthrough device, experimental implant, Blindsight got approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.
The setup is meant to restore vision, even for those who have lost both eyes and their optic nerve. Under its breakthrough designation, the FDA accelerates the development and review process of medical devices that handle life-threatening conditions.
For Neuralink, this is a giant leap ahead toward getting a cure for blindsight shared by Musk in a post on X. The device will help those who have lost their sight.
The Blindsight device will change the lives of many who lose their vision. According to Musk, such an implant could see for people with both eyes and optic nerves lost. Although the timeline for human trials hasn't been disclosed, the tech is already considered revolutionary in terms of offering a new vision.
Getting the "breakthrough device" designation from the FDA has allowed Neuralink to accelerate the development of Blindsight. Such a designation is conferred to devices that can provide innovations in life-threatening or irreversible conditions, hastening their path to market.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink sets the goal of developing brain-chip interfaces by restoring functions lost. The Blindsight device works through the processing and transmission of neural signals that can eventually be conveyed to devices like computers or a smartphone. According to Musk, the implant would provide sight even for those severely affected by blindness.
In addition, another implant that Neuralink is in the process of developing can control digital devices according to the thoughts of paralyzed patients. Such brain-chip technology could restore control over the environment of patients with spinal cord injuries. This is currently in its trial phase with three patients and is hoped to be fully ready in years.
Neuralink's brain-chip technology has promised some promising signs already, with the second patient having been implanted with the device earlier this year. He is said to have been playing video games and designing 3D objects. With the FDA's recent designation for Blindsight, the company seems on its way toward the new face of treatment for vision loss.
