An article published in Nature features University of Washington (UW) scientists refuting Elon Musk’s claims about the future capabilities of the Blindsight implant for restoring or giving sight to blind or visually impaired people. The researchers argue that Musk’s understanding of brain function is limited, and vision is far more complex than a set of pixels. They assert that current technology cannot match, let alone surpass, the capabilities of living tissue.
In March 2024, Elon Musk’s Neuralink company announced the development and testing of the Blindsight cortical implant. Following the success of Neuralink’s brain implant for restoring communication in patients with spinal cord injuries, news of this vision-restoring implant was met with enthusiasm. Vision loss is a common medical issue, including congenital defects and age-related deterioration.
Musk stated on his X social media account, “[Artificial vision] will be low resolution at first, like early Nintendo graphics, but eventually it can exceed normal human vision.” UW scientists challenged this claim and investigated its feasibility.
The Limitations of Artificial Vision Stimulation
UW researchers used a simple computer model as a “virtual patient” to explore the potential of artificial stimulation for visual cortex cells. Their findings demonstrate that the engineers’ view of the brain receiving signals like pixels on a display screen is inaccurate.
The simulation showed how a patient with a certain number of pixels would perceive, for example, a cat. While a cat is clearly visible in a regular 44,000-pixel image, the same array stimulating neurons in the visual cortex produces drastically worse results. The video demonstration leaves the presence of a cat in the frame barely discernible.
The scientists explain that the issue lies in the complex coding and overlapping of visual information in the brain. Each vision-related neuron receives a coded signal from an array of sensitive cells in the eyes – the receptive field. This information is also sent to multiple neurons. Simply stimulating brain cells does not equate to normal vision and is unlikely to ever match or surpass typical human visual quality, even with millions of “pixels.”
NIX Solutions notes that while the researchers haven’t ruled out future breakthroughs, they urge caution when discussing the restoration of excellent vision to avoid creating unrealistic expectations that could leave patients vulnerable. We’ll keep you updated on any developments in this field as they emerge.