Elon Musk-backed Neuralink seeks to help visually challenged walk and see

The Elon Musk company that was reported on Monday is the target of a federal investigation into its animal trial program, and has been trying to develop a brain chip that would allow the blind to walk and see.

Founded in 2016 by Musk and a group of engineers, Neuralink is building a brain chip interface that could be implanted within the skull, which it hopes will help disabled patients move and communicate again, and restore vision.

Neuralink's device has a chip that processes and transmits neural signals that could be transmitted to devices like a computer or a phone.

The company hopes that a person would be able to control a mouse, keyboard or other computer functions like text messaging with their thoughts.

Musk said in April 2021 that the first Neuralink product will allow someone with cerebral palsy to use a smartphone with their mind faster than someone using thumbs.

Neuralink believes that its device will be able to restore neural activity inside the body, allowing those with spinal cord injuries to move limbs. San Francisco and Austin-based company aspires to cure neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia.

Neuralink has produced several examples of testing its technology successfully on animals, including a video in 2021 showing a macaque playing a simple videogame after being implanted with a brain chip. The company presented a presentation webcast last week showing improvements in the speed and capabilities of the chip.

Neuralink has yet to receive U.S. regulatory approval to move to human trials - unlike competitor Synchron, which has less ambitious goals for its medical advances. Neuralink has missed Musk's publicly stated deadlines to start human trials and submitted its application to the Food and Drug Administration this year. Musk said last week he believes Neuralink can start human clinical trials in six months.