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Elon Musk’s Neuralink is working on a chip that will solve blindness

Credit: Steve Jurvetson/Twitter

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Elon Musk’s Neuralink will have a vision chip that will be released in “a few years,” and it will solve eye conditions that cause blindness.

Musk said this morning on X, the social media platform he purchased, that his company Neuralink is developing a chip that will solve issues with vision. He revealed this after responding to an X user who detailed a rare eye condition that a family member has.

Neuralink is Musk’s neurotechnology company that has been developing implantable brain-computer interfaces for several years. Moving toward its first human tests, Neuralink has detailed its v0.9 chip, which aims to fix various ailments, including patients who have quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Neuralink gained approval to begin recruiting humans for the first clinical trials in September, and could be moving closer to initial testing for this chip.

Elon Musk details Neuralink’s imminent human trials

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However, there are many more things that Neuralink hopes to solve with future products, and it seems that vision issues are among the things in development.

Eye health issues are on the rise, and there are plenty of solutions, such as LASIK or SMILE procedures, that can solve problems with vision. I had SMILE surgery in January and went from terrible vision, wearing contacts and glasses for the past twenty years since I was in third grade, to 20/20 with it, and I’d recommend it to anyone.

According to the National Eye Institute, 1.3 million Americans are blind, and that number is expected to swell to 2.2 million by 2030. 2.9 million Americans have low vision, and that statistic is expected to grow to 5 million by the end of the decade.

Neuralink’s initial human trials may lead to more confidence among those who are dealing with health issues, and hopefully, they will be widely successful so people can have access to a surefire way to solve ailments.

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Vision issues are incredibly unfortunate, and Neuralink’s development of a chip to solve them would add another option for patients with bad eyes.

Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla Semi spotted with ground truth validation equipment as launch looms

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Credit: Tesla

The Tesla Semi was spotted mounted with ground truth validation equipment as the company nears its looming launch. The Semi is Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, and has been utilized in its earlier stages by many companies like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, who have been using it in a pilot program.

The Semi was spotted in Sunnyvale, California, and sports a typical ground truth validation unit that Tesla routinely uses on its vehicles. Ground truth validation is essentially the process of training supervised algorithms to ensure they can perform reliably. Tesla typically performs this on vehicles that are being released soon:

The Semi being spotted with this type of validation rig is important because it means the company is working on solidifying a Full Self-Driving model for its commercial vehicle offering. This would be a massive development for not only Tesla but also the logistics industry as a whole.

There are strict regulations on driving hours for commercial truck drivers, and autonomy is a way to potentially combat these issues. FSD is already a widely effective way that owners of typical passenger vehicles take stress out of travel. Even launching a semi-autonomous platform for truck drivers to use to increase safety, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity would be a huge development.

Tesla Semi gets strange-but-understandable comparison from Jay Leno

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The Semi has already proven to be an ideal solution for companies that use commercial logistics. It has increased efficiency and reduced operating costs for many companies that have been able to use it in pilot programs.

There are expected to be some bumps along the way. Tesla saw some challenges with FSD on the Cybertruck, as it had never had a vehicle with cameras at that height, so some of the features with FSD were not immediately available. Just a week ago, Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon (ASS) for Cybertruck, nearly three years after the vehicle was first delivered to customers.

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President Trump touts new Air Force One with Musk technology

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Credit: Air Force

President Donald Trump unveiled an upgraded Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, describing the Qatar-gifted aircraft as an interim Air Force One equipped with advanced communications systems, including Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.

The plane, valued at around $400 million and modified for presidential use, serves as a bridge until the delayed VC-25B replacements arrive. Trump highlighted its luxury features and new technology during remarks to service members.

Trump stated:

“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before. It’s the highest level and, uh, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy, but, uh, Starlink and we have, uh, four or five different sets of double and triple communications like people haven’t seen.”

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He added:

“And it represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines because we did this quickly and yet there’s never been communication like is on this plane.”

The aircraft features a redesigned red, white, and blue livery and has been outfitted with Starlink satellite connectivity alongside other secure systems.

Trump praised the plane’s uniqueness, calling it among the world’s most luxurious. The gift from Qatar and subsequent modifications have drawn attention, with the jet positioned as a solution for presidential travel. It is expected to support operations, including potential ceremonial roles such as Fourth of July flyovers.

The event marked the formal introduction of the converted jet, which will help maintain capabilities while the primary Air Force One fleet undergoes modernization. Defense observers note the inclusion of commercial satellite technology like Starlink as part of efforts to ensure resilient communications, crucial to keep the country running as the President is in the sky.

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President Trump’s comments underscored appreciation for rapid upgrades and innovation in equipping the aircraft. The plane remains a U.S. government asset and is slated for eventual transfer related to presidential library purposes after its service.

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Tesla Cybercab launch is imminent after latest sighting at Giga Texas

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.

The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.

Today, things were a bit different.

Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.

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Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:

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Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.

The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.

Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more

The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.

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It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:

Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality

We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.

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