http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/ Engadget Comments for UPenn scientists create replacement retina on a chip http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Dec 23rd 2008 11:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 12:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 12:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/
Errrm.... are we forgetting about X-ray vision? Come on Engadget, where's the inner geek?]]>Oct 21st 2006 12:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 1:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/
- John]]>Oct 21st 2006 4:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/

I CAN FIANLLY SEE!
*waits 3 seconds*
*goes to strip club*]]>Oct 21st 2006 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 4:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 2:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/
But all I can think of is Ghost in the Shell. :p]]>Oct 21st 2006 3:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 4:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/
After being disqualified from Combat Arms trades in the Canadian Forces due to my terrible eyesight, I can't help but dream about having cybernetic implants for eyes like Batou's Ranger-specific modifications. Throw on top of that all sorts of new complications like visual interceptors or "getting your eyes stolen"... it's a whole new digital world.]]>Oct 21st 2006 4:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 4:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 21st 2006 11:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 22nd 2006 12:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 22nd 2006 4:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/Oct 22nd 2006 9:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/21/upenn-scientists-create-replacement-retina-on-a-chip/
First is simply the resolution. We'd have to come up with a chip with essentually cellular sized receptors to come close to matching the resolution of the human eye.

Second (and perhaps most challenging) is the tweaking of the electrical impulses generated by such a device so as to simulate the immensely complex levels and degrees electro-chemical impulses generated by retinal cells when stimulated by light. Simulating brightness and color seems quite difficult.

Third is peripheral coverage. A single chip may be able to provide five to ten degree coverage (okay for ambulatory sight), but to get seamless 180 degree coverage will require many separate implants or a single, large, contact lense shaped implant. Possible, perhaps.

Fourth, of course, is power. Solar is a possibility, but for low-light scenarios would seem to be difficult to get enough sensitivity in the solar cells to be able to generate sufficient power to stimulate the optic nerve.

I think that perhaps these can all be overcome eventually. However, I personally believe that more biological solutions will precede a technological one.

Oh, and for those of you with rapidly failing eyesight, it is much more likely that you are experiencing problems with your lense than with your retina. An artificial retina probably won't help most people much. Lasik, permanently implanted contact lenses, and other fore-eye solutions are likely to be much more helpful and certainly more practical given today's technology.

That said, this is a very positive step forward in this line of research, and it is exciting to watch. If I lose my sight fully before better, full-sight restoring solutions are devised, I'll be first in line to sign up for trials.

Paul]]>Oct 22nd 2006 4:25PM