Related Sections: Future Tech
Bionic Eyes 2.0: Retinal implants go high-def
In the spring, we told you about an extremely promising technology that restored some limited sight to the blind. Still in the experimental stage, the artificial eye, developed by the Doheny Eye Institute at the University of Southern California (USC), works by using a small camera attached to a pair of glasses, which sends signals to electrodes implanted in a patient's eyes. Six patients received the implant, letting them distinguish light from dark as well as make out the outlines of objects so they could tell, say, a knife from a cup.
Now cybersight is getting an upgrade. The new version of the system, called the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis, jacks up the number of pixels from 16 to 60. Researchers at USC wouldn't speculate about what patients with the new implant would be able to see, but with almost four times the resolution, we suspect the dinner-table distinctions might extend to telling a steak knife from a butter knife or a glass of water from a flute of champagne. If progress continues apace, we might soon be able to jump right to Geordi's ocular implants (shown in the pic), skipping over that silly visor. And let's put in an infrared mode — you know, just for fun.
The Register, via Übergizmo
By murcielago05 at 1:58 AM ON 02/19/07
I've seen this on a show a bit back...they showed that this blind person was seeing...it showed the 16 pixel version...it was crap...I'm sure a blind person would rather be blind. But then they showed off how it will look with the 64 pixel one...that was a vast improvment...but no, you wont be able to tell the steak knife from a butter knife....but still. the world through those glasses was all jaggy, but you could clearly tell between virtuall all objects (not small ones though).
Good to know they are still working on it.
probably in 30 years or more we will have bionic eyes that are better then normal eyes...crazy to think about.
By SciFiCharley at 6:12 AM ON 02/19/07
As with all new "techie" intro's, there'll be quirks to work out, so it's not expected to be perfect the first time out, as "murcielago05" pointed out. But at least it's a starting point to help the blind to see and that's a technologicial breakthrough that is astronomical in compare to what the blind have to go through in life! Bravo to the team of technologists and scientists for developing this so needed tool, in the wake of 911, too!
I bet the military will get a hold of these guys in the future!
By Jean at 10:18 PM ON 01/04/08
As one suffering from macular degeneration, I hope technology such as this advances quickly. I think, however, that the real future for the treatment of blindness lies in stem cell research and possibly being able to regenerate retinal cells.
By xenawarriorsnail at 9:49 PM ON 01/17/08
to the person who says a blind person would rather be blind than use these eyes. I think that is a bunch of crap. My grandma was blind she went blind when she was around fifty years old and I know she would have been happy to have even the smallest amount of sight back. Even if was only to see light and a few fuzzy shapes. Now perhaps if someone had been blind all their life this might not be the right thing for them but anyone who lost sight later in life i think this would be something they would definitely be interested in.
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to the person who says a blind person would rather be blind than use these eyes. I think that is a bunch of crap. M...More »