LinkNotes: Bionic Eye Technology

2009-12-06

Bionic Eye Technology

Visual prosthesis

A visual prosthesis or bionic eye is a form of neural prosthesis intended to partially restore lost vision or amplify existing vision. It usually takes the form of an externally-worn camera that is attached to a stimulator on the retina, optic nerve, or in the visual cortex, in order to produce perceptions in the visual cortex.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

Trials for 'bionic' eye implants

BIONIC EYE TECHNOLOGY
1: Camera on glasses views image
2: Signals are sent to hand-held device
3: Processed information is sent back to glasses and wirelessly transmitted to receiver under surface of eye
4: Receiver sends information to electrodes in retinal implant
5: Electrodes stimulate retina to send information to brain

clipped from www.youtube.com

This is a clip from The Human Body: Pushing the Limits documenting a bionic eye. A blind woman has been implanted with devices inside the visual cortex. Electrodes transmit information from a video camera directly to her brain allowing here to see images.

clipped from www.fightingblindness.ie

Retina Implant Technology

Retina impant technology involves the use of microelectronics and microchip electrodes surcigally implanted into the back of the eye (retina) to restore the function of the damaged light-activated cells found there (photoreceptors).

clipped from www.youtube.com

Artificial Retina Project

clipped from www.unsw.edu.au

Australian bionic eye can be reality by 2020

The bionic eye was identified as a key health goal for Australia at the 2020 Summit, held in Canberra on April 19-20, and Professor Nigel Lovell, from the UNSW Australian Vision Prosthesis Group (AVPG), said a functional device can be a reality within 12 years with a concerted national effort.