Subretinal implant uses light instead of batteries, shows promise in initial testing
By Anthony Verrecchio posted May 15th 2012 4:32AM
There’s been significant progress in bringing sight to the blind in recent years, and this looks set to continue that miraculous trend. Scientists at Stanford University have invented a subretinal photodiode implant for people who have lost their vision due to degenerative retinal diseases. Existing tech involves batteries and wires, but the new implant works without such crude appendages. Instead, it’s activated by near-infrared beams projected by a camera that’s mounted on glasses worn by the patient. Those beams then stimulate the optice nerve to allow light perception, motion detection and even basic shape awareness. The glasses also have an onboard camera that records what the patient sees. It hasn’t actually been tested with humans just yet, but the first few rodents volunteers have yet to lodge a single complaint.
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