The best way to communicate with someone is undoubtedly to speak in the same language, and that's exactly what a new prosthetic eye (which we saw last year) is designed to do in people with some retinal diseases. Neuroscientist Shelia Nirenberg of Cornell University explained her solution at a TEDMED talk recently, saying that by understanding and using the brain's code, sent in the form of electrical signals, her prosthetic eye produced far more accurate images (when tested in blind mice) than other prosthetic solutions. Her encoder and transducer are able to mimic photoreceptor cells to pick up the image, and then hook into the brain by sending code that it is accustomed to receiving. Beyond vision, Nirenberg says that they should be able to find other codes to "speak" with the brain to address problems like deafness and motor disorders.

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I see what they did there.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:14 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
No, I see what you did there.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:23 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
I don’t see what either one of you are saying. Just sayin.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 8:27 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Then you’re blind. Ba Dum Ching!
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 11:15 PM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
Poor mice – I hope they didn’t blind them intentionally just to try this on them.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:23 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Um…. I think that’s exactly what they did….
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:24 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
They did it for science. The poor mice will be remembered for their sacrifice.
Oh wait, they won’t. Because they’re friggin’ mice.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:30 PM EST reply Recommend (10) Flag actions
But sooner or later it’s onto monkeys.
And then homeless people.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:42 PM EST reply Recommend (6) Flag actions
Then Republicans.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 8:27 PM EST reply Recommend (5) Flag actions
I’m sure a blind homeless person wouldn’t mind having vision.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 8:32 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
But this is pretty cool.
Figuring out the brains comms protocols.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 7:43 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
The encoder alone image looks MUCH better. They just wasted time on adding the transducer portion.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 8:19 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
According to what she presented in the video, the transducer is sometimes necessary depending on how many layers of the retina have stopped functioning normally.
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 10:24 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I wonder why dante took this one to write an article about when there are literally thousands of tedtalk videos out there that are just as interesting as this..
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 8:43 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Is no one thinking what I’m thinking? Even at a shitty resolution, this could have 3d images sent DIRECTLY TO YOUR BRAIN! Anyone else think how awesome that would be? The neural link up tech is starting! Soon, people will be able to play video games through a cable directly connected to your brain! Input and output! Not saying it won’t be insanely hard. But this is starting to prove it could happen!
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 8:53 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
My world is already in 3d, what word do you live in?
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 11:04 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Paper Mario?
Posted on Dec 21, 2011 | 11:52 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
its like having gameboy cameras for eyes
Posted on Dec 22, 2011 | 12:48 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
So you’ll essentially be seeing the world in 240p all the time.
Posted on Dec 22, 2011 | 2:06 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Better than a blank screen.
Posted on Dec 22, 2011 | 9:08 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
They better be careful how they use the words “retina” and “display”..
Posted on Dec 22, 2011 | 9:04 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wow, this is fascinating science. Glad to see that like technology, science is also making leaps forward, with the help of technology. It’s amazing.
Posted on Dec 22, 2011 | 10:13 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
This is actually something similar what I want to do in the future, but with more like wires to use as nerves and tendons.
Posted on Dec 25, 2011 | 11:41 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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