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Aussie Government Offers $40M To Build a Bionic Eye

Posted by timothy on from the the-6-million-dollar-man-should-cash-in dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Australian Government is keen to replicate the success of the Cochlear Implant (bionic ear) by throwing AU$50M (US$40M) of funding at the development of a bionic eye. Bionic eyes have been trialed with some success in the UK — with recipients able to detect senses of shape and space, but very little detail."

4 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. $50M for an Eye...Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Wow, and a car that gets 100 MPG is only worth $10M. Someone may have their priorities mixed up.

    1. Re:$50M for an Eye...Really? by 91degrees · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well, this would be of direct benefit to potentially millions of blind people, even if it's very crude. Fuel efficient cars are of benefit to many times more people but in a less direct way.

    2. Re:$50M for an Eye...Really? by Ukab+the+Great · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Supposedly there are 50,000 blind people in Australia.

      http://www.bca.org.au/natpol/statistics/2005_Blind_Stats_num_and_perc_by_State_Territory_CERA.htm

      $50,000,000 breaks down to $1000/blind person.

      I'd guess that the cost in social services to help blind people probably exceeds $1000/yr per person (i.e. well over $50,000,000). Therefore it would make economic sense to cure blindness.

    3. Re:$50M for an Eye...Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Would you swap one of your eyes for a car that went 100 MPG? Didn't think so.