Australian University makes World’s First Bionic Eye that can fully restore vision in blind individuals
Researchers at Monash University in Australia’s capital city of Melbourne have revealed the world’s first bionic eye.
Melbourne: In a pioneering leap towards alleviating the challenges faced by the visually impaired, researchers at Monash University in Australia’s capital city of Melbourne have revealed the world’s first bionic eye. This bionic eye will serve as a breakthrough innovation offering the potential to fully restore vision through a brain implant.
Over nearly a decade of meticulous development, the “Gennaris Bionic Vision System” has emerged as a beacon of hope for those living with blindness, bypassing damaged optic nerves and enabling the transmission of signals from the retina to the brain’s vision center.
The essence of this ground-breaking solution lies in its simplicity. A specialized headgear, housing a camera and wireless transmitted, is worn by the user. A set of 9 millimeter titles implanted in the brain acts as receivers, capturing signals from the headgear.
“Our design creates a visual pattern from combinations of up to 172 spots of light (phosphenes), which provides information for the individual to navigate indoor and outdoor environments, and recognize the presence of people and objects around them,” said Arthur Lowery, a distinguished professor at Monash University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering.
The potential applications of this technology extend beyond vision restoration, offering hope to individuals with untreatable neurological conditions such as limb paralysis and quadriplegia.
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The Monash Vision Group envisions a future where this groundbreaking technology transforms the lives of those grappling with paralysis, stating, “If successful, the MVG team will look to create a new commercial enterprise focused on providing vision to people with untreatable blindness and movement to the arms of people paralyzed by quadriplegia, transforming their health care.” Promising outcomes have been observed in sheep during extensive testing, showcasing minimal side effects.
