In a recent post, Elon Musk linked the SpaceX milestone to Neuralink goals, expressing confidence in restoring hearing through direct stimulation of the auditory cortex, much like BlindSight’s wireless implant transmits images to the visual cortex.
BlindSight earned FDA Breakthrough Device designation in September 2024 and could see its first human implants later this year, starting with low-resolution vision that could eventually surpass human levels this year or early next year.
Neuralink has already implanted its devices in more than twenty paralysis patients, boosting optimism for widespread sensory restoration despite ongoing challenges regarding long-term safety and regulatory hurdles.
In this regard, Musk said: “I believe that Neuralink will restore hearing, just as we will restore vision.”
The implant is designed to provide support to people with conditions such as spinal cord injury. It has been observed that earlier patients had used it to play video games, surf the internet and post on social media. The company was gearing up to begin human trials of its brain implant in 2024 after resolving concerns raised by the US Food and Drug Administration, which had initially put approval on hold until 2022.
Neuralink reached a major milestone in September, announcing that 12 people suffering from severe paralysis globally have received its brain implants to control digital and physical devices. The progress follows a successful $650 million funding round in June. Neuralink remarkably transformed a research-based startup into a large-scale manufacturer.
