[blindza] Re: Fw: On brain implants: Monash researchers in race to restore sight

Hi list,

Just my two cents worth.

I did some research on this subject when I was blinded about four years ago.
There has been instances where the electrodes has been implanted into the
brain in a electrode array, but never worked too well. Main reason being
that the electrodes electrical stimulation causes the brain to malfunction
and performing weirdly, better known as " epilepsy". 

My wife is a Biomedical engineer and works with similar products regularly
but obviously different applications. She and the whole medical field is
fast moving to bio engineering (it is amazing what is done at the moment)
and I firmly also believe that bio eyes in not 15 years away.

Anyone saw the movie from Bruce Willis called "surrogate"? Very good concept
movie, same as Matrix which makes one look forward to the future and what we
will know and can do.


Thanks,

Carel Ewald

-----Original Message-----
From: Jacob Kruger [mailto:jacobk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 9:03 AM
To: BlindZA
Cc: NAPSA Blind
Subject: [blindza] Fw: On brain implants: Monash researchers in race to
restore sight

Now this would specifically be something I could benefit from if it ever 
reaches production.

Stay well

Jacob Kruger
Blind Biker
Skype: BlindZA
'...fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...'

----- Original Message ----- 

Monash researchers in race to restore sight.

17 December 2009.

Sight could be restored to hundreds of thousands of people around the world 
with
the invention of a bionic eye, developed by Victorian researchers led by a 
team
of scientists from Monash University.

The project will develop a human implant within four years.

The Monash based team, made up of engineering and computer scientists, 
together
with a team of medical researchers from the Department of Physiology and 
Alfred
Hospital in Melbourne, and Victorian companies Grey Innovation and MiniFab 
will
begin work immediately on the $8 million dollar project.

The funding was announced by the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science 
and
Research, Senator Kim Carr and is one of two projects to receive support 
under
the Australian Research Council's Research in Bionic Vision Science and
Technology Initiative, which was developed in response to the Australia 2020

Summit.

The team aims to develop a device that is implanted directly on the region 
of
the brain that processes vision signals (the visual cortex). This will 
provide
treatment for the majority of forms of blindness, including partial 
blindness.

Head of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering at Monash University
Professor Arthur Lowery said the funding will allow the team to take their
concept to the next level.

"We will develop a device that stimulates the brain using hundreds of
electrodes. This electrode array can be placed conveniently on the surface 
of
the brain, so the implant is not overly intrusive - a relatively simple and
safe procedure," Professor Lowery said.

"The electrodes stimulate the vision areas of the brain mimicking the
stimulation they would normally receive through the optic pathway. An 
advantage
of this approach is that it bypasses damaged or dead parts of the visual 
pathway
including the retina and optic nerve. This means that it can cure up to 90 
per
cent of cases of blindness.

"Also, because the brain has a larger surface area than the retina it is
possible to get a much higher resolution image than with retinal implants. 
It
does not destroy the patient's residual vision, it enhances it," Professor
Lowery said.

Monash University Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor,
Research Professor Edwina Cornish said the successful finding bid reflects 
on
the university's expertise in bioengineering

"We are deligted to have been given the financial backing to develop this
concept with our partners," Professor Cornish said.

The team includes Director of Neurosurgery at the Alfred, Professor Jeffrey
Rosenfeld, world renowned visual pathways expert Professor Marcello Rosa,
founder of micro-manufacturing company MiniFab Dr Erol Harvey, Former CEO of
Dynamic Hearing Elaine Saunders, mechanical and aerospace Engineer Professor
James Friend and head of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering 
Professor
Arthur Lowery.


Source URL:
http://www.monash.edu.au/news/newsline/story/1558


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