I heard of an organization called the Dobelle Institute that is trying to develop artificial vision. Basically, there’s some kind of computer that your hooked up to, and it is supposed to “stimulate” the visual areas of the brain.
I haven’t been able to find any studies of the effectiveness of their device, though, (other than the information that they supply. I have a blind relative who thinks that this might help her if she can come up with the funds to have it done.
Are they on to something, or is this just another organization promising great things if they can just get more money?
I remember hearing about this somewhere. I believe some wealthy person had tried and and said it did work to a degree. I’d be interested in info about it too. If i ever go blind I’d like to think I’d be able to see again someday.
IANA engineer, but it sounds to me like it might work, although it probably depends on the original cause of your blindness, and it would be extremely limiting, producing only
20/400 is exactly as horribly nearsighted as I am. (An optometrist once told me, “You know, you’re legally blind without your glasses.” I said, “Tell me about it.” :rolleyes:
They don’t sound like a “quick cash-in” snake oil company.
And you have to have electrodes and a “connecting pedestal” implanted in your brain, so it’s not just a $19.95 “hang on your face” gadget.
I seem to remember seeing a demonstration of this on TV at some point. They showed the output on a screen, and it was pretty pathetic. Just a few white dots here and there. But as the persons head moved, you could tell there was some information there. Enough to maybe perceive some walls and/or doorways.
In other words, 20/400 is pretty awful, but compared to blind as a bat, it’s damn good.
I saw TV footage of this chap who was one of the first to get this treatment, and he was able to do activities like approaching a table and picking up an object and walking through doors without guidance. The man was previously unable to do this.
This was a BBC programme, not just one put together by the Dobelle Institute, so I was convinced. The resolution of the picture is very low however. The person just gets a vague image. Better than nothing, but hardly enough to witness a beautiful sunset. The technology is getting better all the time, but it is amazing what can be done.
I also looked on behalf of a relative, they sent me loads of info, but havn’t totallt pestered me. Email them your postal address at: inquiries@dobelle.com tell them what your interest is and they’ll send you a useful info pack no doubt.
I saw TV footage of this chap who was one of the first to get this treatment, and he was able to do activities like approaching a table and picking up an object and walking through doors without guidance. The man was previously unable to do this.
This was a BBC programme, not just one put together by the Dobelle Institute, so I was convinced. The resolution of the picture is very low however. The person just gets a vague image. Better than nothing, but hardly enough to witness a beautiful sunset. The technology is getting better all the time, but it is amazing what can be done.
I also looked on behalf of a relative, they sent me loads of info, but haven’t totally pestered me - so quite good. Email them your postal address at: inquiries@dobelle.com tell them what your interest is and they’ll send you a useful info pack no doubt.
I saw a similar piece on 20/20 or some such b.s. here in the states a few months ago. I recall the doctor saying something to the effect that after a tenfold or so increase in the number of signal wires going to the neural interface, it would be conceivable that the patient would be able to drive a car.
Even with low resolution I think this would be very useful to people who had been able to see at one time in thier lives. People need remarably little information to recognize objects. I would think that people whoose brain had been ‘programmed’ in child hood would be able to make much better use of this.