Google
Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

ARTIFICIAL EYE


It is possible that in the next 10 years, millions of blind people (that conserve intact remainders of their optic nerves), will recover the vision. The good news doesn't come on the part of stem cells, but for combined knowledge of eye physiology/nanotechnology/informatics and physics. To previous substitutions of corneas and crystallines it is added now, the substitution of absent retinal photoreceptors by hereditary causes (retinitis pigmentosa) or due to age (macular degeneration).
The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System (USC/Second Sight Medical Products), is a device that captures images by means of a digital camera stuck to glasses, the same ones that after being processed (microchips), are forwarded to the glasses that retransmit them in wireless electric pulses to receivers located in the skin (above the ear or external to the ocular globe). From there a receiver send them again to a retinal implant composed for 60 electrodes contained in a chip of 1 by 1 mm, that after excite the optic nerve, finishes impressing with lights and shades the brain visual center. 15 patients of 5 countries (Los Angeles, Mexico, Geneve, Paris, London), will receive the implants. 2 of them (Britons), have just been operated in the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London 7 days ago, the same ones that refer already be seeing patterns of dark and clear spots. The inventors hope to reduce the size of the digital camera so that it fits inside the eye and to increase up to 1000 the number of electrodes, in order to recognize faces. When this happens, it will be easy add to digital minicameras: telescopic vision, bionic fotoshop, infrared vision, etc., doubling the size of the visual brain lobe.


OJO ARTIFICIAL

Es probable que en los próximos 10 años, millones de ciegos (que conservan remanentes intactos de sus nervios ópticos), recuperarán la vision. La buena nueva no viene por parte de células madre, sino por conocimientos combinados de fisiologia óptica/nanotecnologia/informática y física. A los reemplazos anteriores de corneas y cristalinos se agrega ahora el reemplazo de fotoreceptores retinales ausentes por causas hereditarias (retinitis pigmentosa) o por la edad (degeneración macular).
El Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System (USC/Second Sight Medical Products), es un dispositivo que capta imágenes mediante una cámara digital adherida a anteojos, las mismas que tras ser procesadas (microchips), son reenviadas a los anteojos que las trasmiten en forma de pulsos eléctricos inhalámbricos a receptores ubicados en la piel (encima de la oreja o externamente al globo ocular). De allí un receptor las reenvia a un implante retinal compuesto por 60 electrodos contenidos en un chip de 1 mm x 1 mm, que excita al nervio óptico, el mismo que termina impresionando con formas claroscuras al centro visual cerebral. 15 pacientes de 5 paises (Los Angeles, Mexico, Genova, Paris, Londres), recibirán el implante. 2 de ellos (ingleses), acaban de ser operados en el Moorfields Eye Hospital en Londres hace 7 dias, los mismos que refieren estar viendo yá, patrones de manchas clarooscuras. Los inventores esperan reducir el tamaño de la cámara digital para que quepa dentro del ojo e incrementar hasta 1000, el número de electrodos, a fin de reconocer caras. Cuando esto suceda, será facil premunir a las minicámaras digitales de : vision telescópica, fotoshop biónico, visión infrarroja, etc, duplicando el tamaño del lóbulo visual cerebral.

Labels:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home