Bionic eye seen closer to reality

William Atkins
Monday, 04 April 2011 23:31

Science - Biology

Australian researchers at Bionic Vision Australia have brought new microchip technology a step closer to actually implanting its wide-view bionic eye into a patient.

The research team, lead by Australian neuroscientist and medical engineer Gregg Suaning (University of New South Wales), is preparing for the first patient tests of its wide-view bionic eye.

Dr. Suaning states, 'This is a remarkable new microchip that has brought an Australian retinal implant much closer to reality.'

He adds, 'At only five square millimeters, the device is tiny, but represents a significant advance in nerve stimulation technology. It has 98 precisely-controlled stimulation channels and numerous features that allow for the delivery of electrical stimulation that can restore some sense of vision.'

The research team at Bionic Vision Australia hopes to have a bionic eye in operation so that vision impaired people can better see and function in this world.

A microchip within the wide-view bionic vision system (its bionic eye) stimulates the retinal cells to produce vision.

The bionic eye system being developed by the Australian team consists of a camera, which is attached to a pair of glasses. The camera receives images and sends them to a processing unit that is worn by the user.

A wireless transmitter then sends the data to a microchip in the retinal implant. Further, the microchip decodes this data and produces the electrical stimulation in the retina.

These signals are then sent along the optic nerve to the brain where they are interpreted as sight.

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