Groundbreaking FDA Approval: Elon Musk’s Neuralink Vision Implant Offers New Hope for the Blind | Tech News

Elon Musk’s brain-chip company, Neuralink, has achieved a major milestone by securing the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ‘breakthrough device’ designation for its innovative vision-restoring implant, Blindsight. This designation is granted to medical advancements that offer treatment for life-threatening or severely debilitating conditions, aiming to expedite their development and review processes.

Blindsight is designed to help individuals who have lost both eyes and their optic nerves regain vision. Musk announced on social platform X (formerly Twitter) that this device will allow people who have been blind since birth to see, provided their visual cortex is intact. Nonetheless, Neuralink has not yet specified when human trials will commence.

Founded in 2016 by Musk and a team of engineers, Neuralink is focused on developing brain-chip interfaces that can be implanted within the skull. These chips aim to assist patients with disabilities in moving, communicating, and now potentially restoring vision by processing and transmitting neural signals to external devices like computers and smartphones.

In a parallel venture, Neuralink is also working on another implant designed to help paralyzed patients control digital devices merely through their thoughts. This is set to be tested in a trial involving three patients over several years. Earlier this year, the company successfully implanted a brain-chip in a second patient, who is now using it to play video games and learn 3D design—offering a tantalizing glimpse into the future applications of brain-computer interfaces.

[With agency inputs]

First Published: Sep 18, 2024 | 10:40 AM IST

Original Story https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/elon-musk-s-neuralink-gains-fda-breakthrough-tag-for-vision-implant-124091800250_1.html
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