Neuralink to Test Vision-Restoring Eye Implant in 2026

Neuralink, the company founded by Elon Musk, is preparing for its first trials of a neuroimplant designed to restore vision.

According to Musk, the device — named Blindsight — will begin implantations within the next 6 to 12 months. It’s built to transmit visual information directly to the brain’s visual cortex.

“The Blindsight implant will enable its users to see ultraviolet rays, infrared, and radar — like a superpower situation,” Musk said. He noted that the technology will work even for people with no optic nerve at all.

The implant has already been tested on a monkey for three years and, according to Musk, has shown stable performance. Initially, it will deliver low-resolution visuals, but the image quality is expected to improve over time. Eventually, Musk believes the technology could not only restore sight but even surpass the capabilities of the human eye — enabling perception of infrared and ultraviolet spectrums.

Neuralink previously launched clinical trials of Telepathy, a brain chip that lets paralyzed individuals control a computer using only their thoughts. Blindsight is expected to be the company’s next major step toward next-generation neural interfaces.