Visually impaired creator Kim Han-sol applied to participate in a clinical trial run by Elon Musk's Neuralink, drawing attention.
On Feb. 7, a video titled "They asked if I could come to the U.S. so I said I could. A clinical trial implanting a chip in the brain (not clickbait)" was posted on the YouTube channel "OneShot Hansol."
In the video, Kim Han-sol said she personally applied for the clinical trial of the vision restoration technology "Blindsight" that Neuralink is developing. Blindsight is a technique that helps the brain, not the eyes, recognize visual information by implanting a coin-sized chip in the brain to stimulate the visual cortex.
Kim Han-sol described the technology as "not making the eyes see, but making the brain see." She said, "I heard the surgery is done by a robot and takes about an hour. The technology is really good, but wouldn't it be terrifying if used badly? I'm also worried that someone might look into my thoughts or that it could be hacked."
She added, "It must not become a world where only people with money can open their eyes and those without money cannot. If I make a lot of money later, I want to help pay for surgeries for people in need. If that doesn't work, I'll grab Elon Musk by the collar."
Meanwhile, Kim Han-sol runs the YouTube channel "OneShot Hansol" as a visually impaired YouTuber. She reportedly noticed abnormal symptoms in her vision on the school bus in 2010, and lost all her sight within two to three months thereafter.
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