[gps-talkusers] The Passing of Doctor William Dobelle

While this doesn't specifically discuss GPS systems, I believe this has
peripheral importance to this list.

I'm sorry to report that Doctor William Dobelle passed away two days
ago. As many will know, Dr. Dobelle was the developer of the first
commercially available
artificial vision system for the blind. At the time of this writing,
over a dozen patients have received one of Dobelle's visual prosthetics,
and all have
regained light perception and very limited visual discrimination. Rumor
has it that the project may be transferred to the University of Utah,
who also
has been working on visual prosthetics under Dr. Dick Normann. I had the
pleasure of meeting Dr. Dobelle in New York two years ago, and found him
to be
intense, highly intelligent, and very down to earth. I was fortunate
enough to publish a science fact article in Analog Science Fiction and
Fact Magazine on Dobelle and other artificial vision systems in the
July/August 2004 issue. Doctor Dobelle was a pioneer in every sense of
the word. I've met few men of his caliber in my life, and he will
be missed. It is my sincere hope that his work will continue for the
benefit of mankind. Doctor Dobelle, you will be missed but not
forgotten, and you have made a contribution
that may represent the beginning of the end of blindness. The Dobelle
Institute web site is
www.ArtificialVision.com

Other related posts: