Elon Musk claims that Neuralink can restore sight in monkeys.
On this X platform, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO stated that his other business, Neuralink, has enabled blind monkeys to see using brain chip technology. “The Blindsight implant is already working in monkeys,” he announced on Thursday.
Neuralink’s next technology, “Blindsight,” intends to help the blind regain their vision. According to Musk, this follows the development of “telepathy,” a gadget that allows individuals to control computers with their minds, as reported by The Independent.
Elon Musk argues that blindsight technology has already demonstrated potential in animal studies. He stated that while the initial resolution may be modest, similar to early Nintendo visuals, it may eventually “exceed normal human vision.”.
No monkeys were harmed.
In response to concerns over animal welfare, the tech entrepreneur stated that no monkeys used in Neuralink’s study had perished or sustained major injuries.
The fundamental purpose of Neuralink is to restore neural networks from the brain to the body, which, according to Musk, will include eyesight. A Neuralink surgical robot inserts 64 tiny wires into the brain’s visual cortex, allowing for visual experiences without the use of an eye.
Users would wear a digital camera to facilitate this procedure, wirelessly providing a live visual feed to a mobile device via Bluetooth. According to the Daily Star, the phone would transform the visual input into brain signals and transmit them back to the Neuralink chip, allowing the person to experience the visuals.
Elon Musk’s announcement was welcomed with enthusiasm, as was Neuralink’s promise to revolutionize vision restoration for the visually impaired.
Neuralink recently aired a live broadcast featuring Nolan Arbaugh, the first test patient to receive the brain chip implant. Researchers acquired insight into the surgical technique and Arbaugh’s capacity to control a computer with his thoughts, making this the first public use of Neuralink’s technology on a human subject.
Neuralink Offers Hope to the Physically Handicapped
The live webcast was a watershed moment for Neuralink since it gave verifiable evidence of the brain chip technology’s potential in human trials, bolstering Musk’s previous statements.
The mercurial CEO’s suggestion that a Neuralink implant may someday “exceed normal human vision” is a typical extravagant idea. Remember, he promised in the past that Teslas would be self-driving and that humans would have been sent to Mars?
In conclusion, as always, the billionaire should never be accepted at his word, and our assessment of Neuralink’s progress should be based on scientific facts and expert review.
However, if validated, the startup could be making significant progress, which could one day be a game changer for both quadriplegic patients and people who have lost their vision.