Science Corporation's vision-restoring chip receives EU approval

Science Corporation, a startup developing novel brain-computer interfaces (BCI), has secured approval from Europe's medical device regulator for its vision-restoring chip. The system, named PRIMA, is designed to help individuals who have lost sight due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The company also noted that the device has received a designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, marking a step towards an expedited regulatory review that could potentially allow its use in treating two rare forms of blindness.

Age-related macular degeneration affects millions globally, damaging the light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye and impairing the ability to read and recognize faces. The PRIMA procedure involves a one-hour outpatient surgery where a small chip is implanted in the eye.

Following implantation, patients wear glasses equipped with a camera that transmits a view of the world to the chip. Max Hodak, founder and CEO of Science Corporation, stated that the technology provides functional vision to those who have lost it, citing examples of patients reading books and completing puzzles.

Hodak, also known as a co-founder and former president of Neuralink, Elon Musk's BCI startup, launched Science Corporation in 2021. The company's objective is to create advanced BCI solutions by integrating technologies from silicon chips and other implantable devices.