Musk's Neuralink joins study working on bionic eye with UC Santa Barbara

By Ike Swetlitz

 

Elon Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink Corp. is collaborating with researchers in California and Spain on a clinical trial to study visual prosthetics. 

Neuralink’s participation in the trial was disclosed in late July on ClinicalTrials.gov, a government website listing medical studies. The study is sponsored by the University of California at Santa Barbara. 

 

The goal of the study is “to address fundamental questions that will allow the development of a Smart Bionic Eye,” according to an online description. Researchers said such a device would use AI and could help blind people identify faces, navigate the outdoors and read, among other things. 

 

It’s not clear what role Neuralink will play in the trial. The study’s description says that researchers will use Neuralink patients “once available.” The trial is currently enrolling patients by invitation, according to the website listing.

 

UCSB and Neuralink didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

Neuralink is developing a brain chip that aims to restore vision to blind people, and grant superhuman vision, called Blindsight. It’s been tested in monkeys, and there have been no known human patients. 

 

Musk’s company aims to roll out Blindsight by 2030, Bloomberg News reported. By 2031, it hopes to be bringing in $1 billion a year in revenue from at least three different types of brain implants.