❯ Musk says Neuralink’s Blindsight is engineering-ready and awaiting approval

An engineering updateElon Musk said on October 30 that Neuralink’s second product, Blindsight, is ready from an engineering standpoint and awaiting regulatory approval. The product has not yet received approval for commercial sale, according to Drive Tesla.

A different goal from thought-based controlNeuralink’s first product, Telepathy, primarily uses brain signals to control external devices. Blindsight aims to provide artificial vision for people with severe vision loss, potentially including people blind from birth. Musk also said he aims to increase Telepathy’s output speed substantially over the next few years, exceeding the speed of human speech or typing.

An earlier breakthrough designationBlindsight received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in September 2024, providing support for regulatory engagement during development. It remains in development and awaits regulatory approval, with human studies still needed to determine eligible patients, the vision it can provide and its long-term effects.

▮ SIGNALMoving from thought-based device control to artificial vision expands Neuralink’s intended applications, with patient access still dependent on clinical development and approval.