[interistinglists] Fw: The bionic eye, helping the blind to see

From: "Blake" <blake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <interistinglists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:37:22 +1000
See below, interesting. Admin. 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Blake 
To: al butler 
Cc: ypear2@xxxxxxxxx ; slong67@xxxxxxxxx ; rshaw25@xxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 6:57 PM
Subject: The bionic eye, helping the blind to see



All, thought you might find this interesting. This was on 7 news on Wednesday 
night, but for those of you that didn't see it, here is quite a good article 
detailing exactly what it is and what it does. Please feel  free to pass this 
on to anyone you feel is appropriate. Cheers, Blake.  Bionic eye will let the 
blind see
Image of the eye
Blind people would ultimately be able to recognise faces with the device
US and German scientists have designed a bionic eye to allow blind people to see
again.
It comprises a computer chip that sits in the back of the individual's eye, 
linked
up to a mini video camera built into glasses that they wear.
Images captured by the camera are beamed to the chip, which translates them into
impulses that the brain can interpret.
The work was discussed at a Royal National Institute of the Blind talk.
This is a revolutionary piece of technology and really has the potential to 
change
people's lives
Anita Lifestone of the Royal National Institute for the Blind
Professor Gislin Dagnelie, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, unveiled 
details
at the conference in London, the UK, on Monday.
Human trials will begin within a year, hopes Professor Dagnelie.
Although the images produced by the artificial eye were far from perfect, they 
could
be clear enough to allow someone who is otherwise blind to recognise faces, he 
said.
The breakthrough is likely to benefit patients with the most common cause of 
blindness,
macular degeneration, which affects 500,000 people in the UK.
This occurs when there is damage to the macula, which is in the central part of 
the
retina where light is focussed and changed into nerve signals in the middle of 
the
brain.
The implant bypasses the diseased cells in the retina and stimulates the 
remaining
viable cells.
See the light
Professor Dagnelie said: "The retinal implant contains tiny electrodes. If you 
stimulate
a single electrode, the person will see a single dot of light."
They have already tested implants containing a handful of electrodes, but the 
end
device will contain 50-100 to give a better overall picture.
"We are hoping this will be enough for the person to be able to make their way 
through
a building, find a door or window and avoid obstacles for example.
"To us, the images look very basic but for someone who was previously blind they
are a massive step forward."
But he added: "There is still quite a bit of work that will be needed to fine 
tune
it. Being able to see faces will be quite a bit down the line."
He said training the individual to learn how to interpret the blurry images 
should
help.
Anita Lifestone of the RNIB, said: "This is a revolutionary piece of technology 
and
really has the potential to change people's lives. But we need to be aware it is
still some way in the future."
[interistinglists] Fw: The bionic eye, helping the blind to see

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