Elon Musk and DR discuss Neuralink's ambitions for vision restoration
In a groundbreaking development, neural implant technology is poised to revolutionise vision restoration, surpassing human capabilities and opening up new dimensions of sight. This ambitious project, spearheaded by Neuralink, is currently in its developmental stages, with human trials planned for late 2025.
The flagship of this innovation is Neuralink's "Blindsight" brain implant, designed to restore sight in the totally blind by implanting microelectrode arrays into the visual cortex. These arrays directly stimulate neurons to create visual perception. The U.S. FDA has granted this implant "Breakthrough Device" status, accelerating its development.
Beyond restoring normal human sight, Neuralink's long-term vision is far more ambitious. Elon Musk, the company's CEO, has publicly expressed ambitions for the implant to enable infrared vision, ultraviolet vision, and radar-like sensing, potentially perceiving objects through walls or smoke.
Currently, the implanted vision starts at low resolution, resembling early video game graphics, and initially shows simple shapes or points of light (phosphenes). However, as the technology advances, these phosphenes could provide increasingly detailed vision. The system for restoring sight captures visual input through an external camera, converts it into electrical stimulation patterns, and creates phosphenes - dots of light - in the user's visual field.
This technology is not just about restoring lost function, but expanding human capabilities. By preprocessing visual information before it reaches the brain, we could enhance object detection, add new sensing modalities, and potentially unlock entirely new ways of seeing the world.
The challenges in developing these implants include miniaturizing circuitry, managing power consumption, and protecting electronics in the harsh environment of the brain. These tests are conducted in warm salt water with specific chemical properties, simulating the conditions within the human body.
With a goal to scale up the technology, the number of electrodes is expected to increase significantly. Currently, implants interface with around 1,000 neurons, but the goal is to increase this to 3,000 to 6,000 channels by the end of the year, and potentially 16,000 next year.
Over 1 million people in the US are legally blind, making this technology a beacon of hope for many. As the technology advances, it seems inevitable that we will witness a profound leap in sensory augmentation technology, paving the way for augmented human vision capable of detecting infrared, ultraviolet, and radar signals.
Beyond Neuralink, similar initiatives like the Smart Bionic Eye are employing similar technology, underscoring a broader trend in bionic vision enhancement research. This exciting field of study is set to redefine our understanding and experience of sight, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and transforming the lives of many.
- Neuralink's long-term goal for the "Blindsight" brain implant extends beyond restoring sight, aiming to endow users with infrared, ultraviolet, and radar-like sensing capabilities, transcending human visual limits.
- The advancements in medical-conditions treatment and health-and-wellness through technology, such as the Neuralink's "Blindsight" implant, are not just focused on restoring lost functions but also on expanding them, with potential for augmented human vision incorporating various sensing modalities like infrared and ultraviolet.
