In 2005, Tanya Vlach lost an eye in a car accident and has since worn the prosthetic pictured above. While the artificial eye is "an excellent aesthetic replacement," Tanya notes that she is "interested in capitalizing on the current advancement of technology to enhance the abilities of my prosthesis for an augmented reality." In other words, she is calling out to skilled DIY'ers across the internet to help her build a high-tech "eye-cam." But this isn't just about helping people—what she has in mind is just plain cool. The eye-cam, as she sees it, is extremely ambitious. The modification of her current prosthetic would be able to capture and record video and maybe even assist with her own vision down the line. The list of proposed specifications are as follows:
Specifications: * DVR * MPEG-4? Recording * Built in SD mini Card Slot * 4 GB SD mini Card * Mini A/V out * Firewire / USB drive * Optical 3X * Remote trigger * Bluetooth wireless method * Inductors: (Firewire/USB, power source) External Mobile Application: * Acts as remote * Power source * Feed Other Advanced options: * Wireless charger * Sensors that respond to blinking enabling camera to take still photos, zoom, focus, and turn on and off. * Dilating pupil with change of light. * Infrared / Ultraviolet
Tanya's finances are currently tied up in trying to pay off her medical bills, so she cannot fund the development of such a device herself. However, if you think you are up to the task of building a piece of art/medical history, by all means head on over to her website and drop her a line. [One-Eyed via KK via Boing Boing]