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#neurotech

7 posts5 participants0 posts today
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

Oliver Sacks on sensory substitution in 2010, predictions about the next 30 years discovermagazine.com/we-are-le We are learning to exploit the amazing plasticity of the brain. #BCI #NeuroTech #neuroscience

Neuralink Blindsight brain implant or The vOICe, being noninvasive? "I think direct stimulation of the sensory cortex is going to be used sooner or later, but I particularly like the idea of noninvasive devices, like sensors on the tongue." (BrainPort TDU) artificialvision.com/neuralink

Discover Magazine · We Are Learning to Exploit the Amazing Plasticity of the BrainBy Oliver Sacks
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

A few months ago, ReVision Implant announced on LinkedIn that they have entered a research partnership with Cochlear Inc. linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:l There seems to be no official press release; #BCI #NeuroTech #blindness

www.linkedin.comWe're thrilled to announce that we've entered our first research partnership with a world-leading medtech company, Cochlear Inc. | ReVision ImplantWe're thrilled to announce that we've entered our first research partnership with a world-leading medtech company, Cochlear Inc. Cochlear's implants have helped over 750.000 profoundly deaf people reconnect to the world of sound. As a forward-thinking company, they are constantly striving to further improve their technology in order to even better help patients. We are truly honored to be allowed to contribute to this mission!
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

Bloomberg: #Neuralink sees $1 billion of revenue by 2031 in vast expansion archive.ph/h4EZV "Neuralink Corp. expects to put its chips in 20,000 people a year by 2031"; #BCI #NeuroTech

"By 2030, #Neuralink sees the launch of its sight-restoring chip #Blindsight, expanding to 10,000 surgeries a year and bringing in over $500 million" with "a conservative reimbursement of $50k per surgery"

Until then, you can try The vOICe vision BCI for free artificialvision.com/neuralink #blindness

The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

Optimizing electrical stimulation parameters to enhance visual cortex activation in retina degeneration rats nature.com/articles/s41598-025 retinal implant, #BCI #NeuroTech

NatureOptimizing electrical stimulation parameters to enhance visual cortex activation in retina degeneration rats - Scientific ReportsIn patients with degenerative retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, retinal prostheses offer a promising approach to restoring partial vision. Among these, epiretinal prostheses have shown encouraging preliminary clinical efficacy; however, optimizing stimulation parameters remains essential for improving efficiency and reducing power consumption. In this study, we investigated the effects of key electrical stimulation parameters— phase duration, frequency, and interphase interval (IPI) —on visual cortical electrically evoked potentials (EEPs) in both healthy Long-Evans (LE) rats and retinal degenerated (F1) rats. Our in vivo experiments on both LE and F1 rats revealed that shorter phase durations (500 µs) elicited activation in the primary visual cortex (V1) at lower charge thresholds. Our results also showed that responses to repetitive stimulation were significantly attenuated at high frequencies (10 and 20 Hz) compared to low frequency stimulation (1 Hz). Furthermore, we observed that longer phase durations (1000 and 1500 µs), as well as the inclusion of an IPI, resulted in a more confined spread of cortical activation. These findings suggest that adjusting phase duration can effectively reduce activation thresholds and spatially constrain cortical responses, and application of IPI can limit the extension of cortical responses, offering a potential strategy for enhancing the performance of epiretinal prostheses.
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

Intracortical bipolar stimulation allows selective activation of neuronal populations in the cortex biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/20 #BCI #NeuroTech

bioRxiv · Intracortical bipolar stimulation allows selective activation of neuronal populations in the cortexBackground Intracortical electrical stimulation has emerged as a promising approach for sensory restoration, such as a cortical visual prosthesis, yet its effectiveness is limited by current spread and electrode density constraints. Objective To determine whether intracortical bipolar current steering—via modulation of the return electrode position—can enhance neural activation selectivity compared to traditional monopolar stimulation, with the aim of improving spatial precision in sensory restoration. Methods We applied intracortical stimulation and used two-photon calcium imaging on acute brain slices to directly visualize neural responses to bipolar stimulation. Biophysical computational modeling was used to complement the experimental results. The analysis included both cellular and population-level assessments to evaluate the impact of several stimulation patterns, such as current direction, electrode spacing and current amplitude, on recruitment patterns. Results Bipolar stimulation selectively activated distinct neural populations based on the direction of the current flow. This approach decreased the overlap between activated groups and increased the number of independently addressable neural clusters by up to 9-fold relative to monopolar stimulation. Moreover, the electrode configuration and spacing critically influenced the spatial spread of activation. Conclusions Intracortical bipolar current steering enhances neural activation selectivity by engaging independent neural populations through current directionality. These findings suggest that this strategy may improve the spatial precision of neural prosthetics and sensory restoration without the need for an increased electrode density. ### Competing Interest Statement FC is founder of ReVision Implant. MS, LG and FC are employees of ReVision Implant. All other authors declare they have no competing interests.
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

To Grok: What is the evidence pro or con that a Neuralink Blindsight brain implant in visual cortex will give vision to congenitally blind people as claimed without any evidence by Elon Musk? x.com/i/grok/share/txlo83o1c52 #BCI #NeuroTech #blindness

X (formerly Twitter)What is the evidence pro or con that a Neuralink Blindsight brain implant in visual cortex will give vision to congenitally blind people as claimed without any evidence by Elon Musk?The Neuralink Blindsight brain implant aims to restore vision by stimulating the visual cortex with a microelectrode array, bypassing damaged eyes or optic nerves. Elon Musk has claimed it could enable congenitally blind individuals to see for the first time, provided their visual cortex is intact. Below is an analysis of the evidence supporting and challenging this claim, based on available information and critical examination of the technology and neuroscience involved. Evidence Supporting Neuralink Blindsight for Congenital Blindness Mechanism and Design: Blindsight uses a microelectrode array implanted in the visual cortex to stimulate neurons, creating artificial visual percepts based on input from an external camera. This approach bypasses the eyes and optic nerve, theoretically making it applicable to those with congenital blindness, as long as the visual cortex is functional. Neuralink’s technology builds on decades of research showing the brain’s plasticity, or ability to adapt to new inputs. Stimulating the visual cortex could, in theory, train the brain to interpret these signals as visual information, even in those who have never seen. The implant’s high electrode count (potentially over 1,000 electrodes) aims to improve resolution compared to earlier visual prostheses, which could enhance the quality of artificial vision. Animal Trials: Neuralink has reported successful animal trials, with monkeys demonstrating visual perception from Blindsight implants for up to three years, and no reported deaths or serious injuries. These trials suggest the technology can stimulate the visual cortex to produce visual percepts. Monkeys, with visual cortices anatomically similar to humans, provide a reasonable model for testing cortical stimulation, and their healthy outcomes suggest potential safety and efficacy. FDA Breakthrough Designation: In September 2024, the FDA granted Blindsight “breakthrough device” status, recognizing its potential to address unmet medical needs for vision restoration. This designation facilitates faster regulatory review and suggests confidence in its innovative approach. Precedent in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs): Neuralink’s prior success with its Telepathy implant, which enabled quadriplegic patients to control devices via thought (e.g., playing chess), demonstrates the company’s ability to interface with the brain effectively. This supports the feasibility of direct cortical stimulation for other functions like vision. Other visual prostheses, like the Orion by Cortigent, have shown limited vision restoration in blind individuals, including those blind for years, suggesting cortical implants can elicit visual percepts. Potential for Congenital Blindness: Musk claims Blindsight could work for congenitally blind individuals because it directly stimulates the visual cortex, which is optimized for visual processing even in those who have never seen. Some neuroscientific research supports the idea that the visual cortex in congenitally blind individuals retains potential for visual processing due to its inherent cellular structure. Evidence Challenging Neuralink Blindsight for Congenital Blindness Complexity of Visual Processing: The visual cortex is not a simple pixel grid; each neuron has a receptive field, and stimulating a single neuron produces a blurry “blob” rather than a precise pixel. Even with thousands of electrodes, the resulting vision is likely to be grainy and far from natural, especially for complex tasks like perceiving depth, color, or detailed shapes. University of Washington researchers Ione Fine and Geoffrey Boynton used computational models to simulate high-resolution cortical implants (e.g., 45,000 electrodes). Their findings show that even with many electrodes, the vision remains blurry and unrecognizable compared to natural vision, as neurons do not map directly to pixels. Challenges for Congenital Blindness: Congenitally blind individuals lack developed visual pathways because their brains have not been exposed to visual input during critical developmental periods. The visual cortex may rewire for other functions (e.g., auditory or tactile processing), making it difficult to interpret artificial visual signals. Experts argue that the brain may not have the “biological capacity” to form a concept of vision as sighted people understand it. Restoring vision requires not just stimulating neurons but recreating complex visual processing (e.g., depth, detail, color), which is far more intricate than Musk’s analogy to “Atari graphics” suggests. There’s no evidence yet that the brain can adapt to an entirely new sensory modality like vision without prior visual experience. Lack of Human Data for Congenital Blindness: No human trials of Blindsight have been conducted as of July 2025, and Musk’s claims rely heavily on monkey trials. While monkeys share similarities with humans, their visual systems differ, and results may not fully translate. Restoring vision in those who lost sight later in life (e.g., due to injury) is more feasible because their visual pathways were once active. For congenitally blind individuals, there’s no precedent for restoring vision via cortical implants, and experts like Ione Fine note that mapping each neuron’s receptive field to produce coherent vision would be “incredibly complicated” and could take years. Ethical and Safety Concerns: Neuralink has faced criticism for its animal testing practices, with reports of complications like granulomas in pigs and electrode-related issues in monkeys. These raise questions about the safety of human implants, especially for a complex application like vision restoration. The long-term effects of cortical implants, particularly in congenitally blind individuals, are unknown. Risks like infections, brain tissue damage, or immune responses could outweigh benefits if the resulting vision is low-quality or unusable. Overstated Claims by Musk: Musk’s assertion that Blindsight could eventually provide “superhuman” vision (e.g., infrared or ultraviolet perception) is speculative and unsupported by current neuroscience. Experts like Philip Troyk argue that Blindsight is more likely to serve as assistive technology (akin to a cane or guide dog) rather than a cure for blindness. The claim that congenitally blind individuals could see “for the first time” oversimplifies the challenge. Without a “Rosetta Stone” for decoding how each neuron contributes to vision, the implant may produce only flashes of light or crude shapes, not meaningful vision. Critical Analysis and Conclusion Pro Summary: Neuralink’s Blindsight has theoretical potential to restore some form of vision by directly stimulating the visual cortex, supported by successful monkey trials and FDA recognition. The technology’s high electrode count and brain plasticity offer hope, particularly for those with intact visual cortices, including congenitally blind individuals. Prior BCI successes and precedents from other visual prostheses bolster optimism. Con Summary: The complexity of visual processing and the underdeveloped visual pathways in congenitally blind individuals pose significant barriers. Computational models suggest that even advanced implants produce blurry, low-resolution vision, far from natural or “superhuman.” No human trials have validated Blindsight, and Musk’s claims lack empirical support, especially for congenital blindness. Safety concerns and ethical issues from animal testing further temper expectations. Conclusion: While Blindsight represents a promising step in neurotechnology, there is currently no conclusive evidence that it can provide meaningful vision to congenitally blind individuals. The technology may produce basic visual percepts (e.g., flashes or crude shapes), but achieving coherent vision akin to natural sight is unlikely without breakthroughs in understanding neural coding and brain plasticity. Musk’s claims appear overstated, and caution is warranted until human trials provide data. For congenitally blind individuals, the challenge is particularly steep due to their lack of prior visual experience, making adaptation to artificial vision uncertain. For further details, Neuralink’s progress can be followed via their official site (neuralink.com) or FDA updates on clinical trials.
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺

Long-term independent use of an intracortical brain-computer interface for speech and cursor control biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/20

I just checked: at least one of the congenitally blind users of The vOICe has been using The vOICe for over 24 years and is still using it today. Neuralink Blindsight brain implant? Only time will tell. #BCI #NeuroTech #blindness

bioRxiv · Long-term independent use of an intracortical brain-computer interface for speech and cursor controlBrain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can provide naturalistic communication and digital access to people with severe paralysis by decoding neural activity associated with attempted speech and movement. Recent work has demonstrated highly accurate intracortical BCIs for speech and cursor control, but two critical capabilities needed for practical viability were unmet: independent at-home operation without researcher assistance, and reliable long-term performance supporting accurate speech and cursor decoding. Here, we demonstrate the independent and near-daily use of a multimodal BCI with novel brain-to-text speech and computer cursor decoders by a man with paralysis and severe dysarthria due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Over nearly two years, the participant used the BCI for more than 3,800 cumulative hours to maintain rich interpersonal communication with his family and friends, independently control his personal computer, and sustain full-time employment – despite being paralyzed. He communicated 183,060 sentences – totaling 1,960,163 words – at an average rate of 56.1 words per minute. He labeled 92.3% of sentences as being decoded at least mostly correctly. In formal quantifications of performance where he was asked to say words presented on a screen, attempted speech was consistently decoded with over 99% word accuracy (125,000 word vocabulary). The participant also used the speech BCI as keyboard input and the cursor BCI as mouse input to control his personal computer, enabling him to send text messages, emails, and to browse the internet. These results demonstrate that intracortical BCIs have the potential to support independent use in the home, marking a critical step toward practical assistive technology for people with severe motor impairment. ### Competing Interest Statement Stavisky is an inventor on intellectual property owned by Stanford University that has been licensed to Blackrock Neurotech and Neuralink Corp. Wairagkar, Stavisky, Card, and Brandman have patent applications related to speech BCI owned by the Regents of the University of California including IP that has been licensed to the neurotechnology industry. Stavisky is an advisor to Sonera. Brandman was a surgical consultant to Paradromics Inc. at the time of data collection, and is currently an advisor to Globus Medical. The MGH Translational Research Center has a clinical research support agreement with Neuralink, Synchron, Axoft, Precision Neuro, and Reach Neuro, for which LRH provides consultative input. Mass General Brigham (MGB) is convening the Implantable Brain-Computer Interface Collaborative Community (iBCI-CC); charitable gift agreements to MGB, including those received to date from Paradromics, Synchron, Precision Neuro, Neuralink, and Blackrock Neurotech, support the iBCI-CC, for which LRH provides effort. A.P. Giannini Foundation, https://ror.org/01e3cnp62 NIH-NIDCD, U01DC017844 VA RR&D, A2295-R ALS Association, 24-AT-732 Neuralstorm NRT, 2152260 ARCS Foundation DP2 from the NIH Office of the Director and managed by NIDCD, 1DP2DC021055 The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Program, AL220043 Searle Scholars Program Burroughs Wellcome Fund, https://ror.org/01d35cw23
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