Elon Musk stated that Neuralink's second product, Blindsight, aims to "enable even those who are completely blind or have never seen to see." Musk reported that the technology is "ready from an engineering standpoint" and awaiting regulatory approval. Neuralink, founded in 2016, began human trials in 2024, initially allowing the first implantee to move a mouse cursor using only thought.
The company previously launched a product called Telepathy, which Musk wrote "enables high-speed communication with computers or humans simply by thinking." Blindsight differs from other Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technologies by aiming to create an artificial visual pathway. This process would allow a patient to use a camera to capture visual images and then convert those signals into a format the brain can interpret via a BCI.
While other BCI technologies, such as cochlear implants, send signals from sensors into the brain to restore senses like hearing or touch, Blindsight focuses on vision. Other entities are developing similar technologies; Meta is reportedly developing a non-invasive magnetoencephalography scanner that allows users to turn thoughts into keypresses, and Chinese outfit NeuroXess, established in 2021, is reportedly accelerating toward human trials this year. The medical applications of these advancements could assist individuals with limited movement in regaining independence by controlling machines with thought.
Musk's comments regarding high-speed communication via thought also suggest potential applications beyond medical rehabilitation.
