Post by WitchBoy on Aug 30, 2002 9:51:05 GMT -5
Australian inventors say they will soon be looking for volunteers to start human trials of a 'bionic eye'.
The device consists of a silicon chip inserted into the eyeball and a pair of 'camera glasses' worn by users.
Images from the glasses are broken down into pixels and passed to the tiny chip, which acts like a retina.
The chip simulates the images and transmits a message to the retinal cells along a series of small wires.
ABC reports tests on animals have been successful and designer Gregg Suaning now wants to begin trials on a group of about five human volunteers.
It says volunteers must be profoundly blind as people with partial sight will be excluded because of the potential risk of visual damage.
Mr Suaning, of Australia's University of Newcastle, has been working on the project for five years. He said: "The principle of a bionic eye is very similar to that of the bionic ear. It is a silicon chip which decodes the radio signals and delivers simulations.
"The chip sends message to the retinal cells through small wires. We broadcast basically into the body. It's like a radio station that only has a range of 25 millimetres."
A separate processing unit makes 'sense' of the camera images by looking for certain features, such as doorways of light. Current technology means the unit is only able to send 10x10 pixel images, but Mr Suaning hopes this will improve with time.
The device consists of a silicon chip inserted into the eyeball and a pair of 'camera glasses' worn by users.
Images from the glasses are broken down into pixels and passed to the tiny chip, which acts like a retina.
The chip simulates the images and transmits a message to the retinal cells along a series of small wires.
ABC reports tests on animals have been successful and designer Gregg Suaning now wants to begin trials on a group of about five human volunteers.
It says volunteers must be profoundly blind as people with partial sight will be excluded because of the potential risk of visual damage.
Mr Suaning, of Australia's University of Newcastle, has been working on the project for five years. He said: "The principle of a bionic eye is very similar to that of the bionic ear. It is a silicon chip which decodes the radio signals and delivers simulations.
"The chip sends message to the retinal cells through small wires. We broadcast basically into the body. It's like a radio station that only has a range of 25 millimetres."
A separate processing unit makes 'sense' of the camera images by looking for certain features, such as doorways of light. Current technology means the unit is only able to send 10x10 pixel images, but Mr Suaning hopes this will improve with time.
