仿生眼球帮助盲人复明
TNW中文站 12月18日报道澳大利亚莫纳什大学的研究团队正在开发一种不需要正常视觉系统的“仿生”眼球。
为了帮助盲人重见光明，研究人员设计了一种系统，将11个“小片”植入与接收处理视觉刺激有关的大脑的不同部位。
每个“小片”包含43个电极，能使用电信号刺激大脑，从而形成类似于屏幕像素的“光点”。
这些“小片”总共可以产生不到500个光点，而健康的眼球可以产生100万至200个这样的光点。
尽管远远不如正常眼球，但这样的视觉也可以使盲人的生活变得更容易。
这一技术依靠一系列镜片。这些镜片包含摄像头、眼球运动传感器、数字处理系统，以及无线发送设备。通过眼球追踪技术，这些摄像头的移动与常人眼球类似。
随后，摄像头产生的信号将得到处理，并无线发送给大脑中的“小片”，产生粗略的图像。
这一技术突破的价值在于帮助盲人或视力障碍人群获得一定的视觉，从而更独立地生活。不过，随着技术的优化，有着正常视力的人群也将从中受益。通过这样的技术，未来或许所有人都将拥有鹰一般的视觉。
目前，研究人员正在寻找志愿者接受试验。（李玮）
A team of Australian researchers from Monash University are developing “bionic” eyes that have no need for the ocular system itself.
In an attempt to restore some semblance of sight to the blind, researchers are working on a system that requires 11 small tiles to be implanted into various parts of the brain that receive and process signals related to visual stimuli.
Each tile will contain 43 electrodes that aim to stimulate the brain with electrical signals in an effort to create dots of light, similar to pixels, that are like those produced by healthy eyes.
These tiles will create just under 500 pixels of vision. Healthy eyes can create 1 to 2 million pixels.
While it’s not akin to having a healthy eyes, it will make life easier for the blind by producing a crude image. Researchers have compared this image to the 1920s images produced by John Baird’s ‘televisor.’
John_Logie_Baird,_1st_Image
Credit: Wikipedia
The technology relies on a set of glasses that contain a digital camera, eye movement sensor, a digital processor and a wireless transmitter. The camera will move similarly to a healthy eye by using eye-tracking within the glasses to detect movement and adjust the camera accordingly.
The signal is then processed and wirelessly transmitted to the tiles within the brain in order to create a rough image from the data.
bionic-eye
Outside glasses – digital camera
Inside glasses – eye movement sensor will direct the camera
Side of glasses – digital processor and wireless transmitter
Brain implant – small implant under the skull will receive wireless signals and directly stimulate the brain’s visual cortex
The primary value of this breakthrough will come in helping the blind or visually impaired become more independent by regaining some notion of sight, but that’s not to say it won’t impact even those with perfect vision as the technology improves. It’s not a leap to imagine a future where all of us have hawk-like vision by augmenting our senses with breakthrough technologies such as this.
Researchers are currently in the process of finding volunteers to undergo the experimental procedure.
➤ Monash Vision: Direct to brain bionic eye [Monash University via Popular Mechanics]
[url=http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/12/17/bionic-eye-could-cure-blindness-by-bypassing-retina-entirely/]http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/12/17/bionic-eye-could-cure-blindness-by-bypassing-retina-entirely/[/url]
how will it work?[align=left]The Monash Vision system will combine state of the art digital and biomedical technology with consumer-friendly glasses.[/align][img]http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/assets/images/bioniceye/tech-1.jpg[/img] [list=1]
[*][b]Outside glasses[/b] – digital camera
[*][b]Inside glasses[/b] – eye movement sensor will direct the camera
[*][b]Side of glasses[/b] – digital processor and wireless transmitter
[*][b]Brain implant[/b] – small implant under the skull will receive wireless signals and directly stimulate the brain’s visual cortex
[/list]
[align=left]A digital camera embedded in the glasses will capture images. As your head turns, the glasses, of course, turn with you. Cutting edge digital processors will modify the images captured by the camera; a wireless transmitter will then present the image that you are "looking at" to a chip that has been implanted at the back of the brain. The chip will then directly stimulate the visual cortex of the brain with electrical signals using an array of micro-sized electrodes -the brain will learn to interpret these signals as sight.[/align]Will it destroy the areas of natural sight I still have?[align=left]With many conditions, patients gradually lose sight in some areas of their visual field but not others. As the MVG approach does not require eye surgery, we believe that existing sight will be retained and supplemented with the direct to brain bionic eye[url=http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/disclaimer.html]*[/url]. The exact effectiveness of the restored sight will be determined through research and clinical programs. This is likely to vary strongly between patients depending on their medical history and individual conditions.[/align]How will the brain implant be inserted?[align=left]Using standard neurosurgery techniques, a small area of the skull will be temporarily removed. A sterile, biologically inert chip will be placed directly on the surface of the visual cortex of the brain. The small area of the skull will then be replaced and eventually heal, providing a natural barrier to protect against infection[url=http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/disclaimer.html]*[/url].[/align]Will the bionic eye work for me?[align=left]The direct to brain bionic eye is being developed for people with vision impairment caused by a number of conditions, including glaucoma and macular degeneration[url=http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/disclaimer.html]*[/url]. It may also help people who have damage to their optic nerves or eyes resulting from trauma or disease.[/align]MVG Technical Advancements and Tools
[list]
[*]Cutting edge biomedical materials that are safe for implanting in the brain
[*]Advanced digital processing technology
[*]The latest in wireless transmission to reduce the risk of infection
[*]Advanced microchips and digital arrays to stimulate the brain
[*]State of the art commercial design and production expertise
[*]http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/technology.html
[/list]
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