Max Hodak, the 36-year-old CEO of Science Corp., a California-based startup, has made a groundbreaking announcement in the field of vision restoration. In a recent interview, Hodak revealed that patients with severe eyesight problems have regained the ability to read letters and numbers after receiving the PRIMA ocular prosthesis. Some patients have even read entire pages of a book, a remarkable achievement that was reported in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Hodak, a biomedical engineer by training, is no stranger to the field of brain-computer interfaces. He co-founded Elon Musk's company Neuralink, where he served as president, and later founded Science Corp. after ending his partnership with Musk. The startup focuses on restoring vision through brain-computer interfaces, and Hodak's personal interest in the topic dates back to his childhood.
In the interview, Hodak explains that the brain is the seat of one's entire experience. He believes that brain-computer interfaces can achieve effects that are not possible in traditional medicine. One of the most remarkable examples he provides is the case of patients who, after receiving the PRIMA retinal prosthesis, can play video games and read every letter on an eye chart, a significant improvement from their previous state of near-blindness.
The PRIMA system works by placing a small chip under the retina, behind the eye. This chip, which resembles a set of tiny hexagonal cells, acts as a solar panel. It works in conjunction with glasses that have a camera and a laser projector. The camera records videos of the patient's surroundings, and the infrared emitter projects the images onto the implant, behind the eye. This process stimulates the retina, allowing the patient to see.
Hodak emphasizes that the PRIMA system is designed for patients who have grown up with sight and have an intact optic nerve. The light-sensitive cells in the retina, known as cones and rods, have died due to various diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, or diabetic retinopathy. The chip bypasses the dead cones and rods, stimulating the retina directly.
The CEO also discusses the potential of brain-computer interfaces to treat various eye diseases. He mentions that the system can be used to regenerate the connection between the retina and the brain, which is not possible with traditional medicine. Hodak also highlights the potential of the technology to restore motor functions in patients who have suffered strokes.
When asked about the timeline for the device's approval and availability, Hodak states that the review process in Europe is underway, and the device is expected to be on the market next year. However, the approval process in the United States with the FDA is slower, and patients in Europe may have access to the device before those in the US.
Throughout the interview, Hodak maintains a serious, fast-paced, and technical tone, reflecting his background as a scientist and startup founder. He also addresses the controversy surrounding the field of brain-computer interfaces, acknowledging that the technology is still in its early stages and that the vision achieved with PRIMA is not as good as natural vision. However, he remains optimistic about the future of the technology and its potential to cure blindness in the next five to seven years.
