Remember Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip? After its successful launch with the pigs, another group of scientists may have discovered another brain implant that could possibly beat Musk's company. Compared to the billionaire, their new device could make blind people see.

Here's a new way to heal the blind 

Visual impairment is one of the diseases that, once not cured immediately, can turn to total blindness. The report said 20% chances that any therapy or medicine could not treat visual impairment. 

For those who are totally blind now, stem cell therapy is a common solution. But not anymore. 

Daily Mail UK reported on Wednesday, Sept. 15, researchers from Monash University have developed a device that could cure human blindness. 

Through the headgear they developed that applies the Gennaris bionic vision system, scientists prepare to do the 'bionic eye' experiment to a human subject. 

This is the first time in the world that scientists develop a brain chip device that targets to cure the blindness of a person. 

The custom headgear includes the following: a camera with the wireless transmitter, a vision processor unit and software, and a set of 9x9 millimeter tiles that are implanted into the brain. 

How does it work

Here's how it works: the attached camera in the device will capture the user's environment or surroundings. Once it's done, the camera will send the images to the vision processor, where the technology extracts data from the transmission. 

It will then flow to the complex circuitry in each of the implants-- that was first put inside the person's brain-- and is converted into a pattern of electrical pulses that stimulates the brain using microelectrodes. 

"Our design creates a visual pattern from combinations of up to 172 spots of light (phosphenes) which provides information for the individual to navigate indoor and outdoor environments, and recognize the presence of people and objects around them," Arthur Lowery, professor at Monash University's Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, said in a statement.

Scientists are not only seeking a cure for blindness, but they also want to find a treatment for untreatable neurological conditions, such as limb paralysis, to be able to function using the same device. 

Looking for funding

Last year, the Monash researchers were able to receive $1 million as funding for their experiment. 

Now, this year, the scientists are seeking to have another round of funding that is expected to end before the end of 2020. The fund that will be collected will soon be used for the manufacturing and distribution of the implant. 

An answer to Elon Musk's Neuralink?

On Aug. 28, Elon Musk unveiled the much-awaited and controversial brain chip Neuralink. Unexpectedly, the demo video of the product included three pigs in the picture. 

Those pigs were said to be implanted with the Neuralink brain chip. As previously reported by Tech Times, this brain chip could let you hear things other humans can't hear, listen to music inside the brain, etc. 

So, do you think Monash researchers can beat Elon? One thing's sure, and this may be the year of brain implants. 

ALSO READ: Top 5 Fears About Elon Musk's Neuralink: Mind Control, Hacking, Malfunction, Etc.

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Jamie Pancho