Wireless Implants Promise Superior Vision Restoration

ananyo writes, quoting Nature: "The development of retinal implants has been dogged by problems of unwieldiness since the first implantable stimulator for vision restoration was developed in 1968. Now researchers have come up with a solution that overcomes many of the problems by the use of special glasses that fire infrared signals into the eye and onto an implanted array of silicon photodiodes. The system, tested in rats, simplifies what needs to be implanted and both transmits visual data and power directly to the implants, eliminating the need for any bulky external power source (abstract)."

Comments

I won't be impressed...

[seanzig]

until they make them like Laforge's visor.

Re:I won't be impressed...

[amicusNYCL]

...the use of special glasses that fire infrared signals into the eye and onto an implanted array of silicon photodiodes. The system, tested in rats...

I won't be impressed until they show us pictures of rats wearing tiny eyeglasses.

Re:Implanted array of silicon photodiodes

[Anonymous Coward]

Short term this is the best you can do. Medium-term regenerative medicine seems better. Long-term implanted devices should surpass biological eyes so you'd want them even if you had normal eyesight. We need this kind of research for both the short term and the long term.

Implanted tech

[girlintraining]

I've already heard of diabetic pumps failing when exposed to airport scanners, and those have less sophisticated electronics. I imagine if these were ever approved, we're going to have a lot of people going blind everytime they fly. The problem with wireless medical technology is part 16 of the FCC rules: It's perfectly legal to overload them with high energy RF, with potentially lethal results.

Works for me

[willworkforbeer]

Implants always cause my vision to suddenly improve.

Re:Implanted array of silicon photodiodes

[dmbasso]

Interesting fact of the day: the retina is actual brain tissue that during development migrates, forming the optic nerve and back of the eye.

Re:More control

[dmbasso]

Yeah, reading the summary I instantly remembered Ghost in the Shell - Standalone Complex, where augmented people could easily have their eyes hacked. Too bad it is infrared, imagine the possibilities if it was wifi. :)