Researchers close to creating bionic eye
Scientists at the Boston Retinal Implant Project recently developed an implant that will help those with degenerative blindness see again.
Although not a complete bionic eye, this implant is a huge step forward in that direction. It works by being implanted at the back of the eyeball and transmitting light to the brain via a tiny nerve.
Unfortunately, there are still limitations - the technology will only give vision to those who had it previously, and those who were born blind or suffer glaucoma are still without a cure. For those who do get it, vision will not be great. The technology is only capable of giving them a sense of their surroundings and not much detail.
The researchers hope to continue improving on their eye in the future, giving users the ability to recognize finer detail. In time, hopefully they can give sight to those born blind as well. Until then, though, this eye is a step in the right direction.
Tags: bionic, bionic eye, boston retinal implant project, eye, vision
March 11th, 2008 at 1:56 am
This work emerged some time last year. But then, it was just a slither of silicon at the back of a rats eye.
So they’re clearly making good progress.
Dealing with people who’ve never seen will be a much bigger challenge…
March 11th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Giving site to those born blind is NOT a limitation of the technology, or really any current technology. It a limitation by those people’s brain. Those who have never seen would have no use for images. It would be like an English speaking person to listen to Chinese, you would be unable to comprehend any of it. Image that, times 100. Even those who HAD vision don’t get 10% of the usage of sight as a non blind person. It takes almost 9 years to be able to have a full understanding of what are eyes show us, image what it would take for an impressionable adult mind.
March 11th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
So what’s worse? Not being able to see, or taking the time to let your brain associate Pictures and colors with words. If I was an english speaker, and I was to be stuck with Chinese speakers all the time, well then I’d try to learn Chinese by listening to them, a lot.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Good call by Cody on that,
I would much rather prefer to learn something gradually, than to be completely confused by it constantly.
March 12th, 2008 at 6:32 am
Learning Chinese is easy because you already speak a spoken language. This is an entirely new sense. I am not saying that I personally would not want it done, but even people who lost sight in their childhood keep their new found eyes closed a lot because they do not trust them, and they can only recognize a few things.
March 15th, 2008 at 10:54 am
brian sure does asume alot about what blind people should or shouldnt do
April 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am
A step in the right direction indeed. However, I do disagree with Brian. Now you’re just making shit up.
March 11th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
April 16th, 2008 at 6:00 am