New nanotechnology augments vision, optic blasts not included

It wouldn't be as much of an icebreaker as saying you have a bionic eye, but University of Colorado Hospital's Jeffrey Olson has developed a procedure for improving eyesight that involves injecting nano-sized semiconductors called "quantum dots" into the retina. These dots stimulate electrical activity in working parts of the eye and slows degradation in the rest, and early tests on rats have been shown to successfully increase perception. Although intended for those with damaged vision, this might be just the thing for watching your neighbors' HBO from the comforts of your windowsill -- hey, we won't judge you.

[Via New Scientist]

[Anonymous @ Dec 25th 2008 12:16AM]

One of these days, one of the many tests on rats will go exceptionally well, and they will develop some super skill, and take over the world!



Sigh, I've read too many Engadget posts.

[Zarifus @ Dec 25th 2008 12:55AM]

You mean Brain will actually succeed one of these days?

[Ayman @ Dec 25th 2008 12:59AM]

how do they test their eye sights?

Add the their swiss cheese 2km away, making them put one hand on one eye and try to spell what they see?, put a cat in their line of sight and bring it closer every time they dont notice here...........

P.s. i read to much engadget too.................sigh I am Ayman and I am an Engadget-holic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EvOlJp5KIY
Roborat

[who? @ Dec 25th 2008 1:00AM]

@Zarifus

He had an aneurysm... It's all up to Pinky now.

[STINK @ Dec 25th 2008 12:41AM]

It's going to come down to cyborgs vs. mutants, isn't it?

[Craig @ Dec 25th 2008 12:48AM]

And here I was betting on robots vs. aliens.

[who? @ Dec 25th 2008 12:49AM]

I always figured it would be PCyborgs vs. Macyborgs. The mutants could just wait it out...

[Flashpoint @ Dec 25th 2008 12:59AM]

actually, I think robots vs Cyborgs vs. mutants is more likely

Humans will make robots and computers too smart and they will learn to kill humans.

Then humans will augment their bodies with weapons in order to have a fair chance at destroying the robots - thus becoming "cyborgs".

Unfortunately, someone will get the idea that simple augmentation isn't enough and humans need genetic advances in order to fight the robots. Experiments must go horribly wrong and then, suddenly, we will have mutant humans with just enough powers to heal quickly, but not enough to pose a real threat to the robots.

I for one don't mind being transformed into a blood thirsty cyborg. Then I can kill without morality getting in the way. I'm going to start with C.E.O's

[Ayman @ Dec 25th 2008 1:00AM]

no Alien Vs Monsters ... no wait thats a movie

[Nunkistein @ Dec 25th 2008 12:48AM]

Judgement day is comming!!

[Bill @ Dec 25th 2008 12:52AM]

Hopefully Judgement Day will arrive replete with spellcheckers of Doom.

[who? @ Dec 25th 2008 12:54AM]

Yeah, and it'll be just as bad as getting your eyesight checked.

"Which one looks better, number one or number two?"
"Uhhh.."
"Number one (pause), or number two?"
"Mmm... Hmmm..."
"About the same?"
"Ehh.. yeah. About the same"

"MmmK. Which one looks better, number one or number two?"
"Uhhh.."
"Number one (pause), or number two?"
"Mmm... Hmmm..."
"About the same?"
"Ehh.. yeah. About the same"

"MmmmmHuh. Which one loo-"

Oh, God, make it stop!

[??? @ Dec 25th 2008 12:50AM]

Merry Christmas.

[w0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 @ Dec 25th 2008 12:50AM]

I felt like I have to get this out. didn't iEye and clak get banned like RIGHT before the note on commenting?i kinda miss their invisible comments.

[Jinto @ Dec 25th 2008 12:57AM]

Note on commenting? Where is this, I would like to read. A reply from Engadget to one of them?

[who? @ Dec 25th 2008 12:58AM]

There's no way to ban them really. Delete the account? They'll make a new one. Ban the IP? It takes a whopping 30 seconds to get a new one. In the end, it's up to them to do the appropriate and responsible thing, and it seems that they have. Seems...

[Joshua Gore @ Dec 25th 2008 12:50AM]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!
god bless!

[Papa Midnight @ Dec 25th 2008 1:00AM]

This means I can't go eye to eye with Scott Summers? :(

[Ayman @ Dec 25th 2008 1:03AM]

At Flashpoint

Learn to Kill Humans? ( Robot Father and son moment... okay son now take the human and rip it in half or try to pop the head open like a bottle of champagne )

[Ayman @ Dec 25th 2008 1:10AM]

Don't you just love it when the systems screws up...

this is mean to reply to
Flashpoint @ Dec 25th 2008 12:59AM
"actually, I think robots vs Cyborgs vs. mutants is more likely....................................."

[lowdef @ Dec 25th 2008 1:40AM]

OCULAR PENETRATION.

[David Z @ Dec 25th 2008 2:08AM]

HBO is no good without sound. Where's my nano-semiconductor ear injection!?

[Ayman @ Dec 25th 2008 2:24AM]

its called an ear piece or aide

[Papa Justify @ Dec 25th 2008 4:49AM]

I guess We'll have to keep an eye out for this sort of thing heh?

...I lol'd

[Hackettman @ Dec 25th 2008 9:31AM]

Sadly I thought the same joke......

[leo @ Dec 25th 2008 5:38AM]

Reading Engadget on Christmas day just shows 1) How geeky we are and 1.1) How we have no friends / life.

[dale1v @ Dec 25th 2008 9:19AM]

Nah, I have a party to go to.

[Jared @ Dec 25th 2008 10:52AM]

Who goes to a party at 9 in the morning? I'm just waking up!

[artie Lange @ Dec 25th 2008 9:16AM]

Unfortunately, those who would find this information useful are unable to read it. What cruel irony.

[Al Bundy @ Dec 25th 2008 2:39PM]

time for DEUS EX upgrades! I could really use the ultra zoom! very nice.

[blackfeather @ Dec 25th 2008 6:23PM]

Obligatory "More DOTS!" comment.

[lorenzo @ Dec 25th 2008 11:23PM]

I could really use something like this.. I had my right eye optic nerve damaged as a kid, hit by a car at the
age of 15. The optic nerve was shattered when my head hit the cars windshield, which has left me with
2 to 5% of sight. Mostly dark shadows, but I'm blind basically in one eye. Only my optic nerve was damaged
so I hope they will someday repair it.. would be nice..

Lorenzo

[Twitchy @ Dec 26th 2008 5:23AM]

"It wouldn't be as much of an icebreaker as saying you have a bionic eye"

You had me at "New nanotechnology".

[RhysAronson @ Dec 28th 2008 7:16PM]

Hey this is pretty cool, it something which might actually be able to help with my Nystagmus.

Then I will have perfect vision and will be able to take over the world. Or I dunno drive or something