The Rise of Bionic Eyes

A new look at trying to restore vision in people blinded by injury or disease may be to bypass the eyes entirely. A team from the Harvard Medical School has been researching and trying a new approach to restoring vision. They have done this by establishing a connection between a video device and the part of the brain that receives visual stimuli. Research shows that the brain can interpret electronic signals the same way it interprets light waves. They have done experiments that used monkeys and put 2 small electrodes in the thalamus. They used the electrodes to make artificial signals seen by only the monkeys. In the experiment the monkeys responded to the real and artificial visual signals in exactly the same way. Eventually, the procedure could lead to a full-fledged artificial vision system comprising twin digital video cameras worn as a pair of glasses that transmits signals wirelessly to an implanted neural stimulator, which in turn connects to micro-electrodes planted in the brain.

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2007/424/2