Blinds Can See Again: World First Bionic Eye Developed In Australia, Claims Monash University

Melbourne, Australia:

All of the thrilling and gripping wonders of science fiction are slowly taking shape in the real world. The invention of the world’s first ever ‘Bionic Eye’ is yet another milestone in the journey.

The Monash Vision Group at Monash University, Australia built a revolutionary solution to make the blind see again. As opposed to previous bionic developments by Melbourne based Bionic Vision Technologies, only for a rare genetic eye disorder, Degenerative Retinitis Pigmentosa. This condition is one of the most common causes of inherited blindness and affects more than 1.5 million people worldwide.

The clinical trials to treat Degenerative Retinitis Pigmentosa have been on a run since 2018. All the four patients with the implant were successfully able to restore their vision. The technology is unlike the portrayed picture of the bionic eye being very similar to the human eye. It is a combination of external input from a pair of glasses connected to an implant in the eye.

With the world changing invention of the first ever human ‘Bionic Eye’ dubbed as Gennaris bionic vision system by the researchers of the Monash University team. The dream to cure blindness is no longer a scientific utopian island. This technology unlike the one invented to treat only Degenerative Retinitis Pigmentos is aimed at helping those living with untreatable neurological conditions. The invention works through a bunch of brain implanted micro electrodes and which are capable of bypassing the damaged optic nerves by allowing signals to be transmitted from retina to the vision center of the brain.

The system design consists of a custom- headgear, which encloses a camera and a wireless transmitter. A processor unit looks after data crunching, whereas a sheet of tiles of brain implants deliver signals.

The research team now looks forward to helping people living with untreatable neurological conditions as limb paralysis, paralyzed by quadriplegia, thereby transforming their health care.

It’s interesting to take a look at Neuralink’s announcement of testing its coin sized interface prototype in live pigs that also aims at treating brain tissues to cure blindness and paralysis. Also, the “Visual Prosthetic” developed by scientists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston which allowed the blind and sighted participants to “see” the shape of letters. We thus can expect a massive change in how we view possible treatment methods for blindness in the near future.

Aurther Lowery, a professor at Monash University’s Department of Electrical and Computer System Engineering said, “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.”

He further said, “If successful, the MVG [Monash Vision Group] team will look to create a new commercial enterprise focused on providing a vision to people with untreatable blindness and movement to the arms of people paralyzed by quadriplegia, transforming their health care.”