Neuralink’s Blindsight BCI Targets Blindness, as Musk Teases “Superpower Situation”

On June 19, Elon Musk revealed that Neuralink will begin human trials focused on the first vision implants within the next year.

During a recent interview with Y Combinator, Musk said, “In the next six to 12 months, we’ll be doing our first implants for vision, where even if somebody is completely blind, we can write directly to the visual cortex.”

The recent company announcement marks a major leap forward for Neuralink, which has been developing brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to treat a range of neurological conditions. This new technology, called Blindsight, is quickly developing and would help millions with vision challenges worldwide. 

Since its launch in 2017, Neuralink has unveiled brain-computer interfaces connected to the mind, robotics, and vision. Musk explained that the first version of the Blindsight implant will offer only low-resolution sight. However, the technology is designed to improve over time.

“Long term, it’ll be very high resolution and you’ll be able to see multi-spectral wavelengths,” Musk said. 

The potential implications of Neuralink’s vision implant are promising, but also raise several questions, as some experts, and even Musk himself, have noted the potential military, medical, and consumer applications that could emerge from developing what some liken to being “superhuman” vision.

The implant was designed primarily to assist individuals with vision impairments. Still, over time, Musk has stated that the implant will enhance perception, including the ability to see ultraviolet, infrared, and even radar signals.

Musk said of such possibilities that in a “superpower situation,” humans might be capable of attaining advanced vision and other capabilities that surpasses natural human vision. Further hinting at this possibility, earlier this year Musk said that as the technology improves, its capabilities “will exceed the best human eyes.”

Neuralink has come a long way since the first BCI was implanted first within monkeys, and eventually in human patients. Noland Arbaugh became the first human and quadriplegic man to use The Link, and his ongoing success with the BCI technology has laid critical groundwork for the next generation of implants.

However, the Link has not come without challenges. Last year, Neuralink reported that Arbaugh experienced medical problems due to the retraction of several threads connecting the interface to his brain. The company quickly addressed this issue, recently stating that adjustments were made to Arbaugh’s chip algorithm which resolved the problem.

Despite the past changes, Neuralink still faces regulatory hurdles. Before human trials can proceed at scale, approval from the FDA and other health bodies will be required. 

As Musk puts it, Neuralink’s visionary technology may one day “exceed the best human eyes.” Whether the company will achieve this or not in the near term remains to be seen, as ethical concerns surrounding neurotechnology and its long-term effects remain a topic of public and academic debate, as well as within the BCI community. 

Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com.