bioniceyes - Gizmodo

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Tiny Telescopes Help the Blind See Again
Bionic Eyes Get One Step Closer to Reality
Cats Getting "Bionic Eyes;" Humans Next

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FrankenPC
07/20/09

In reply to Tiny Telescopes Help the Blind See Again
I imagine there wil come a day not too long from now when a multi-spectral image enhancer with long lasting nano batteries will be the size of a BB. I'll be the first one to line up for that enhancement.

As long as I have enough Adam (TM)...
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craig_16
07/20/09

In reply to Tiny Telescopes Help the Blind See Again
I wonder if there will ever be a day when bionic eyes will be able to add functionality to an already perfectly healthy eye. The way things are going, in a few decades we could have people with zoom lens night vision eyes, all solar powered and integrated into their eyeball. Ah, the future.

On a side note, being in Europe, this Monday morning lul means I have no Gizmodo to read... I guess I should do some actual work!
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GitEmSteveDave_ My Brute Dojo Code CDIAFIFE
07/20/09

@craig_16: Sir, Lieutenant La Forge's eyes are far superior to human biological eyes. True? Then why are not all human officers required to have their eyes replaced with cybernetic implants?
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Mikekearn says hello
07/20/09

@Summermodoin'_GitEmSteveDave:
Wasn't there a chance of the operation totally not working and screwing up his ability to ever see anything again, visor or not? That was what I seem to recall, and if such was the case, I'd imaging they'd be reluctant to force it on everybody.
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GitEmSteveDave_ My Brute Dojo Code CDIAFIFE
07/20/09

@mikekearn: IIRC, he was born blind, as i seem to recall him talking about pre-VISOR days where he was caught in a house fire.

@jake712 There was a scene like that in the cold opening. He explained just like you can pick a voice out of many in a crowd, or a musician can pick one song/instrument out of a cacophony, he could sort through all the "noise" and "see" what he needed.

Actually, this was a scene from "Measure of a Man" where Data's status was in question, and Picard was querying weither it was not worth the risk to subject himself to dis-assembly/re-assembly if it meant they could have an android on par with him on every ship.
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frigg
07/20/09

@craig_16: I think the answer is unequivocally yes. Already, artificial replacements for worn out body parts like hearts and hips are common. This past year a prosthetic leg almost disqualified an olympic contender because it was thought to give him an advantage.

Increasingly, people are becoming cyborgs and it will only continue, with artificial enhancements incorporated into every physical system, from respiration to metabolism, blood to brain.
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Edited by frigg at 07/20/09 8:46 AM frigg was starred frigg was unstarred

kagekiri
07/20/09

@frigg: I'm not sure the heart or hip joints are the best examples. Hip implants only work okay because they're usually for older people, so they don't have time to wear out and tend not to be used as vigorously as a younger patient might use them. Otherwise, the hardness of the titanium leads to bone adaptations that aren't exactly ideal. The bone around the titanium no longer receives the same compressive force (since the titanium is harder and doesn't compress as far under load), so it adapts and lowers its own hardness, which means your implant is sitting in softer bone.

Also, the heart may be replaceable by artificial means for short periods of time, but there's a reason why they don't just give every coronary artery disease patient an artificial one instead: you have to take tons of anti-rejection medication and blood thinners, even if you just replace a heart valve, let alone your entire heart. Also, open-heart surgery will probably always be one of the most taxing procedures you can have, and the idea of having to replace your artificial parts every decade or so (because of protein buildup, mechanical wear, etc) means you get to be taken out of your life for a few months every 10 years or less to recover from it. Not exactly fun or convenient.

Obviously, this may change in the future, but I'm not sure it's within our lifetimes. I think the idea of growing replacement organs is much closer than bionic parts, and probably much easier to live with, requiring little medication or follow up.
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mocax
07/20/09

In reply to Tiny Telescopes Help the Blind See Again
i've always been bad with faces....
wonder if they'll make one that can add tags to people's faces...
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Jake712
07/20/09

@mocax: Wow, with a little briefing card, "Bill. Has two kids in high school. Wife left him don't ask about her. Likes fishing and golfing. Met him at Frank's wedding summer '07 (link to Frank's wedding).
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GitEmSteveDave_ My Brute Dojo Code CDIAFIFE
07/20/09

@Jake712: Hello Bill, Brat, Lisa, Expecting....Oh, the cards need to be updated.
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dalejrfanfreak
07/20/09

In reply to Tiny Telescopes Help the Blind See Again
My grandpa has macular degeneration and it is a devastating thing to see him go through that. He used to love playing golf and he was so social when I was younger but now that he's almost lost his sight he can barely do anything. Late last year he fell, hit his head, and almost died all because he couldn't see a small step. I wish this technology was out years ago so he wouldn't be a slave to immobility. Anytime I get down about stuff I realize at least I have my health. Luckily it seems technology will let more people have their health back up to par.
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InsidiousTuna
07/20/09

In reply to Tiny Telescopes Help the Blind See Again
I'm lucky to be blessed with standard 20-20 vision, and hope to never have a need for ocular augmentation. That being said, when it becomes standard procedure for people to receive computer chip implants for crazy HUD shit, I'll be first in line.
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