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The Blind Shall See Again, But When?

Posted by timothy on from the better-repaint-their-room dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Restoring hearing with cochlea implants that replace the inner ear with an electronic version has become standard procedure for many types of deafness. Now it looks like the same thing might happen for many types of blindness. With five national labs funded by the Department of Energy, this third-generation artificial retina promises to enable the blind to see again soon. Already it has been successful in over a dozen test patients, but at resolutions too low for doing much more than proving the concept. However, if the DoE can perfect this larger version of an artificial retina, then the company Second Sight promises to commercialize the implant, aiming for VGA resolution within the decade."

11 of 226 comments (clear)

  1. Great! by Ziest · · Score: 1, Funny

    Who says the age of miracles is over?

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  2. Whoa by MrEricSir · · Score: 4, Funny

    Keanu Reeves approves of this idea.

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  3. Re:nevermind the blind -- bring on the androids by Rei · · Score: 3, Funny

    the company Second Sight promises to commercialize the implant, aiming for VGA resolution within the decade.

    And, if they achieve VGA resolution, you can just get the next upgrade in software!

     

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  4. Re:nevermind the blind -- bring on the androids by natehoy · · Score: 4, Funny

    If they achieve better than VGA resolution, it's a steady road to needing HDMI cables, and I'm not convinced they will fit. ;)

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  5. Re:nevermind the blind -- bring on the androids by flaming+error · · Score: 4, Funny

    Make sure you include some kind of tuner, because I don't want to have to see Radio Disney nor the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. But full-body scans at the airport might be a fun channel - those x-ray glasses I ordered when I was 12 didn't work.

  6. Re:nevermind the blind -- bring on the androids by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    those x-ray glasses I ordered when I was 12 didn't work

    You must have had a defective pair.

    The ones I had when I was living in southern France worked perfectly.

  7. Re:Optical nerve still needed. by HeckRuler · · Score: 2, Funny

    and millimeter wave vision options

    Pervert.

  8. Re:nevermind the blind -- bring on the androids by jellomizer · · Score: 2, Funny

    320x200 8 bits. Life would be a game of Doom.

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  9. In the land of the blind... by f8l_0e · · Score: 4, Funny

    the man with 640x480 is king.

  10. Re:You think the HDMI cables are bad? by bjourne · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's when they finally plug the analog hole for good.

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  11. Re:nevermind the blind -- bring on the androids by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wow, what thorough and informative rebuttal.

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