MEET THE BIONIC EYE ; CARNEGIE MELLON RESEARCHERS ARE DEVELOPING A COMPUTER CHIP THAT COULD TRANSMIT TO THE BRAIN DIRECTLY

 


Carnegie Mellon researchers have developed a computer chip that can transmit images to the brain nerves that can interpret vision. 

This could be the first step to restore vision for those whose eyes are still viable, but whose nerve impulse no longer transmit to the brain from a damaged eye. 

The computer chip in essence captures the data trasmitted from a tiny camera attached to a pair of glasses.  Those 'pass' through the computer chip, which is mounted behind one of the eyes, between the sclera and the retina and then are conveyed to the brain cells that process them.  

The electrical signals generated by the chip are then 'read' by the retinal nerves, and that allows the patient to see.

There is no voltage involved. The current is a minor flux that passes via induction to the brain.  It does not require a lot of current due to the short distance between the device and the brain cells that 'read' the signals. 

The tiny camera then, takes the place of the rods and cones in the damaged eye. 

The device has been tested on a number of patients successfully.  The pictures only have 256 pixels resolution, which is a far cry from the eye's own resolution, but it would go a long way towards affording blind people a limited amount of vision.  

The research group has received a 1.1 million dollar grant from the Veterans' affair office to continue its work in retinal prosthesis. 

 


Source : Daily Mail  5.14.13

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