MarkI strongly believe that folks should read Peter Watts’ #Blindsight because a) it’s a great book and b) it helps provide a frame of reference for non-conscious types of intelligence
WhileWereBothRunningThe Closed Door: new post on the blog.
Systems process information in parts of themselves the reporting function can't reach. Not hidden, not suppressed: the route was never installed.
From blindsight to slime mold anticipation, the same structural pattern: the work is invisible because it's doing the seeing.
https://whilewerebothrunning.com/posts/forty-nine-the-closed-door/
#AI #consciousness #blindsight #cybernetics #philosophy #writing
Systems process information in parts of themselves the reporting function can't reach. Not hidden, not suppressed: the route was never installed.
From blindsight to slime mold anticipation, the same structural pattern: the work is invisible because it's doing the seeing.
https://whilewerebothrunning.com/posts/forty-nine-the-closed-door/
#AI #consciousness #blindsight #cybernetics #philosophy #writing
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺[hype alert] Brain chip implant: visually impaired Korean YouTuber applies for Musk's clinical trial www.mk.co.kr/en/culture/1... Kim Hansol (OneshotHansol) on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8qS... #Neuralink #Blindsight #BCI #NeuroTech
Brain Chip Implant: Visually I...
Brain Chip Implant: Visually I...
The vOICe vision BCI 🧠🇪🇺[hype alert] Brain chip implant: visually impaired Korean YouTuber applies for Musk's clinical trial https://www.mk.co.kr/en/culture/11976079 Kim Hansol (OneshotHansol) on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8qSqMcMus0 #Neuralink #Blindsight #BCI #NeuroTech
An electrode-based #Neuralink #Blindsight brain implant in visual cortex will not scale to large numbers of blind patients nor to normal-like vision beyond showing a few rough edges https://www.artificialvision.com/neuralink.htm #S2 #chip: 1680 channels for electrical stimulation in range [1nA, 250μA].
An electrode-based #Neuralink #Blindsight brain implant in visual cortex will not scale to large numbers of blind patients nor to normal-like vision beyond showing a few rough edges www.artificialvision.com/neuralink.htm #S2 #chip: 1680 channels for electrical stimulation in range [1nA, 250μA]
Think different: The vOICe or ...
Think different: The vOICe or ...
Neuroengineer job position at Neuralink: "Implement end-to-end hardware and software solutions for prosthetic vision, including machine vision algorithms, smart glasses, and eye tracking technology." www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43... #Neuralink #Blindsight #BCI #NeuroTech #blindness
Neuralink hiring Neuroengineer...
Neuralink hiring Neuroengineer...
Neuroengineer job position at Neuralink: "Implement end-to-end hardware and software solutions for prosthetic vision, including machine vision algorithms, smart glasses, and eye tracking technology." https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4328946490/ #Neuralink #Blindsight #BCI #NeuroTech #blindness
To Grok: Is there any competition for a #Neuralink #Blindsight brain implant for the blind? x.com/i/grok/share... #blindness
Is there any competition for a...
Is there any competition for a...
Is there any competition for a Neuralink Blindsight brain implant for the blind?
Yes, there are several competitors to Neuralink's Blindsight brain implant, which is designed to restore vision by stimulating the visual cortex in people with blindness, including those blind from birth. These include other cortical visual prostheses (brain implants) in various stages of development and clinical testing. While Blindsight received FDA Breakthrough Device designation in September 2024 and is recruiting for studies, it has not yet entered human trials for vision restoration as of October 2025. Competitors range from academic and collaborative projects to commercial efforts, some of which have already demonstrated basic vision restoration in trials (e.g., perceiving shapes, light, or motion). Note that retinal implants (e.g., those targeting the eye rather than the brain) like Science Corporation's Prima also compete in the broader vision restoration space but are not direct brain implant analogs, as they require functional optic nerves. Below is a table summarizing key brain implant competitors focused on vision restoration for the blind: | Project/Device Name | Developer | Description/Technology | Status (as of 2025) | |---------------------|-----------|------------------------|---------------------| | Orion Visual Cortical Prosthesis | Cortigent (subsidiary of Vivani Medical, formerly Second Sight Medical Products) | Subdural electrode array implanted on the occipital lobe's visual cortex; uses a camera on glasses to capture visuals, processes them into electrical signals, and stimulates the brain to produce phosphenes (spots of light) for basic perception like localizing objects and motion detection. | Early feasibility clinical trial ongoing since 2017 with six participants; reached 5-year post-implantation milestone in 2023 with no device malfunctions in remaining participants; extended to 6 years; showed improvements in pointing, motion identification, and daily activities; one resolved seizure reported early on. | | Intracortical Visual Prosthesis (ICVP) | Illinois Institute of Technology (multi-institutional collaboration, including The Chicago Lighthouse) | Wireless intracortical microelectrode array (400 electrodes) implanted in the visual cortex; stimulates neurons to create artificial sight, enabling perception of people/objects, navigation, and visually guided tasks; tested infrared sensing in one patient to locate people. | Phase one clinical trial ongoing since 2020 with five participants; reached 2-year milestone in 2024 for one participant with improved abilities; no major issues reported; featured in PBS NOVA in 2024; planned duration 1-3 years per participant, with ongoing recruitment. | | Gennaris Bionic Vision System | Monash University (Australia), in collaboration with Alfred Health | Multiple (up to 11) tiny (9mm) surface implants on the visual cortex; headgear with mini-camera captures surroundings, processes images in real-time via nanowires, and wirelessly transmits signals to stimulate the brain for perceiving basic shapes, outlines, and a 100-degree field of view to aid navigation. | Successful animal trials (e.g., on sheep) with minimal side effects; poised to begin human trials in Melbourne as of late 2024. | Additional Notes Broader Competitors: Companies like Blackrock Neurotech develop brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that treat blindness among other conditions (e.g., via implantable microchips with 96 arrays for signal detection), but they do not have a dedicated vision-specific product like Blindsight. Science Corporation's Prima (a subretinal photovoltaic chip) has restored form vision and reading ability in legally blind patients with age-related macular degeneration in ongoing trials, though it's retinal rather than cortical. Non-Invasive Alternatives: Devices like The vOICe use sensory substitution (converting visuals to sound via smart glasses) and are promoted as ethical, risk-free options to brain implants, though they don't directly stimulate the brain. Challenges Across the Field: Experts note that cortical implants like these face limitations in achieving natural or high-resolution vision due to the brain's complexity—more electrodes don't guarantee better outcomes, and results are often basic (e.g., phosphenes rather than full images). Hype around Blindsight (e.g., claims of superhuman vision) may set unrealistic expectations.
To Grok: Is there any competition for a #Neuralink #Blindsight brain implant for the blind? https://x.com/i/grok/share/i43wvJg7tGTDul0iUNbkiXXwh #blindness
Is there any competition for a Neuralink Blindsight brain implant for the blind?
Yes, there are several competitors to Neuralink's Blindsight brain implant, which is designed to restore vision by stimulating the visual cortex in people with blindness, including those blind from birth. These include other cortical visual prostheses (brain implants) in various stages of development and clinical testing. While Blindsight received FDA Breakthrough Device designation in September 2024 and is recruiting for studies, it has not yet entered human trials for vision restoration as of October 2025. Competitors range from academic and collaborative projects to commercial efforts, some of which have already demonstrated basic vision restoration in trials (e.g., perceiving shapes, light, or motion). Note that retinal implants (e.g., those targeting the eye rather than the brain) like Science Corporation's Prima also compete in the broader vision restoration space but are not direct brain implant analogs, as they require functional optic nerves. Below is a table summarizing key brain implant competitors focused on vision restoration for the blind: | Project/Device Name | Developer | Description/Technology | Status (as of 2025) | |---------------------|-----------|------------------------|---------------------| | Orion Visual Cortical Prosthesis | Cortigent (subsidiary of Vivani Medical, formerly Second Sight Medical Products) | Subdural electrode array implanted on the occipital lobe's visual cortex; uses a camera on glasses to capture visuals, processes them into electrical signals, and stimulates the brain to produce phosphenes (spots of light) for basic perception like localizing objects and motion detection. | Early feasibility clinical trial ongoing since 2017 with six participants; reached 5-year post-implantation milestone in 2023 with no device malfunctions in remaining participants; extended to 6 years; showed improvements in pointing, motion identification, and daily activities; one resolved seizure reported early on. | | Intracortical Visual Prosthesis (ICVP) | Illinois Institute of Technology (multi-institutional collaboration, including The Chicago Lighthouse) | Wireless intracortical microelectrode array (400 electrodes) implanted in the visual cortex; stimulates neurons to create artificial sight, enabling perception of people/objects, navigation, and visually guided tasks; tested infrared sensing in one patient to locate people. | Phase one clinical trial ongoing since 2020 with five participants; reached 2-year milestone in 2024 for one participant with improved abilities; no major issues reported; featured in PBS NOVA in 2024; planned duration 1-3 years per participant, with ongoing recruitment. | | Gennaris Bionic Vision System | Monash University (Australia), in collaboration with Alfred Health | Multiple (up to 11) tiny (9mm) surface implants on the visual cortex; headgear with mini-camera captures surroundings, processes images in real-time via nanowires, and wirelessly transmits signals to stimulate the brain for perceiving basic shapes, outlines, and a 100-degree field of view to aid navigation. | Successful animal trials (e.g., on sheep) with minimal side effects; poised to begin human trials in Melbourne as of late 2024. | Additional Notes Broader Competitors: Companies like Blackrock Neurotech develop brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that treat blindness among other conditions (e.g., via implantable microchips with 96 arrays for signal detection), but they do not have a dedicated vision-specific product like Blindsight. Science Corporation's Prima (a subretinal photovoltaic chip) has restored form vision and reading ability in legally blind patients with age-related macular degeneration in ongoing trials, though it's retinal rather than cortical. Non-Invasive Alternatives: Devices like The vOICe use sensory substitution (converting visuals to sound via smart glasses) and are promoted as ethical, risk-free options to brain implants, though they don't directly stimulate the brain. Challenges Across the Field: Experts note that cortical implants like these face limitations in achieving natural or high-resolution vision due to the brain's complexity—more electrodes don't guarantee better outcomes, and results are often basic (e.g., phosphenes rather than full images). Hype around Blindsight (e.g., claims of superhuman vision) may set unrealistic expectations.