Neuralink Says Blindsight Implant Is Ready, Awaits Regulators

Neuralink has completed development of Blindsight, its brain implant designed to restore vision, according to company head Elon Musk. Writing on social media, Musk said the device is technically ready and that the company is now waiting for regulators to allow trials to start.

Blindsight is aimed at people who have lost their sight entirely. Musk claimed it could also help people who were born blind. That claim comes from Musk himself: no trial results supporting it have been presented, and testing of the device has not yet begun.

Telepathy and the road ahead

Musk also pointed to Neuralink's other product, the Telepathy chip, introduced in 2024. The device lets users control computers and smartphones with thought alone. He predicted that within a few years, the data rate of a neural implant will far exceed that of speech and manual typing.

In a conversation with followers, Musk added that Telepathy devices already available may help with certain types of epilepsy, despite what he called their "slight roughness." No further details were given.

Other Musk companies

The announcement follows an October reveal by Tesla, another Musk company, of an electric Roadster that it describes as able to fly. The car uses a system of nozzles releasing compressed gas to control its position in flight. During a demonstration at a SpaceX test site, it drove up a curved ramp and ended up inverted, held in place by fans generating downforce.

Tesla says the Roadster can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in under a second and reach a top speed of 370 km/h. The company plans to begin series production in 2028.

For Neuralink, the next step is regulatory clearance. Until trials are approved and carried out, the claims about Blindsight remain unverified.