Recently, Neuralink, a brain computer interface company, announced that it has obtained the breakthrough medical device certification for the Blindsight project from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Neuralink was founded by Elon Musk in 2016, with a research focus on brain computer interface technology. Brain computer interface is the process of implanting extremely small electrodes into the brain, using electrical currents to "interact" between the computer and brain cells, achieving "human brain machine interaction".
It is reported that the "Blind" project is used to help blind people restore their vision and regain sight. Medical devices that have been granted breakthrough certification can receive FDA support earlier, thereby accelerating their research and market approval process. These devices can typically treat or diagnose life-threatening illnesses.
Musk stated on social media that this experimental setup, known as "blindness," will enable people who have lost their eyes and optic nerve to see. If the visual cortex is intact, it can even allow those born blind to see things for the first time
Looking back at the research progress of Neuralink, in 2020, Neuralink announced its plan to implant a coin sized, battery powered N1 chip; In April 2021, Neuralink demonstrated a video of a monkey implanted with a device playing the game "Ping Pong"; In May 2023, the FDA approved the Neuralink device for human trials, and the company launched its first human clinical study.
Blind Vision "is Neuralink's second product, and the company's first product is" Telepathy ", which allows people to control their phones or computers with just their minds and control almost any device through them. In August of this year, Neuralink announced that it had completed its second human transplant of a brain computer interface device. The transplant surgery progressed smoothly, and the recipient's ability to control the cursor and play electronic games with their mind was enhanced after the surgery.
Neuralink explained that the second transplant surgery was performed in July at the Barrow Neurological Institute in the United States, and the recipient Alex was discharged on the second day after the surgery, and the recovery process was also smooth. With the help of brain computer interface devices, Alex's ability to play electronic games has been improved, and he has begun to learn how to use computer-aided design software to design 3D object models.
In the long run, we may also be able to repair the gaps between damaged or broken neurons, spanning the gaps between the motor cortex and the spine, allowing people to reuse their bodies, "Musk said.
In a recent video livestream between Musk and Neuralink executives, Musk mentioned that Neuralink's ultimate goal is to highly connect the brain and computer, establish a symbiotic relationship between "human intelligence and digital intelligence," and reduce the civilizational risks of AI.
Neuralink will launch two products. The first one is Telepathy, which helps people with damaged neurons regain their physical function; The second type is brain care devices, similar to the Apple Watch with tiny electrodes that can rewrite electrical signals after implantation into the brain, helping people better use their brains.
In Musk's vision, future users can use Neuralink's devices to control Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus with their minds. Even if someone loses their language ability, they can still communicate with Optimus. They can use Bluetooth for telepathy with Optimus, and they can still control Optimus, computers, or phones, "Musk said.