Technology to see again

Technology to see again

Bionic implants, glasses, smart gloves are the tools to help people with visual impairments

   Blindness is a disease that affects 0.7% of the world population. In Spain, the ONCE has about 71,736 with pathologies related to vision, eight out of ten members have visual impairment, while the rest can not perceive the light, according to data from last June.

Problems with vision, experts say, has grown with the arrival of technology, but it also appears to solve many problems. The investigations around the eyes and the vision are continuous.

  The latest finding is the work of the University of Sydney. Researchers at this center have managed to develop a bionic eye that could partially restore sight to blind people. "The system has been designed to stimulate the cells of the retina and help the brain to interpret them to offer a sense of vision to the user," he says. Gregg Suaning, professor of Biomedical Engineering. "The users of the bionic eye would see pixelated images that offer shapes and edges that would allow them to walk around their surroundings and help them carry out activities of daily life," he adds.

Phoenix 99 Bionic Eye consists of the implantation of a microchip in the upper part of the eye with a small camera mounted on a pair of lenses that deliver the images to the microchip wirelessly for processing.

The Australian project is in the testing phase. "If we succeed, we can work to move the device to a point where regulatory approvals can be obtained in the global market."

Where if they are already working on patients is in France with the PRIMA Bionic Vision system. The company Pixium Vision has successfully activated the third generation of its artificial vision system IRIS.

PRIMA is an implant under the retina that acts as a tiny solar panel that is powered by infrared light pulsed through a miniaturized projector that is integrated into the glasses worn by the patient.

These glasses incorporate a micro camera together with an infrared light projector, a pocket processing / control unit that is connected to the glasses by means of a cable, and the chip that is implanted inside the eye. The camera captures the visual information of the environment, this information is processed by the processor and then transmitted back to the glasses, from where it is projected wirelessly in the form of infrared (IR) light on the implant, which receives infrared light and stimulates electrically the nerve cells of the retina, where the light patterns corresponding to the image captured by the camera are perceived.

In this line they also work at the University of Oxford with the creation of smart glasses to help people with a reduced percentage of vision. Researchers try to take advantage of this residual vision to improve their orientation and walk. The glasses use a system of cameras and software to detect nearby objects and present them recognizably to the user.

Spanish bet

Virtual reality is also among the tools to help people with some vision deficiency. The Spanish NeuroDigital together with Geometry and Leontika have created an experience that allows these people to enjoy art through the five senses.

Thanks to special gloves with haptic feedback allow the user to feel the works of art with their own hands and they do it through a series of sensors that capture the movement. A record that transforms into vibrations by reacting with the image that is "suggested". This way you can recreate a sculpture in three dimensions and it does not necessarily have to be in the same place.

However, the biggest advances are related to the world of applications and the market is broad. One of the most famous is Soundscape, developed by Microsoft, which allows people with visual disabilities to explore the world around them through a 3D audio experience. The app enriches your perception of the city as you walk, helping them to reach their destination as well.

Another Spanish bet is e-Glance from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). Through augmented reality that helps the blind to improve their autonomy by creating a virtual map of interior enclosures, aided by appropriate interfaces, of the environment, beyond the immediate reach of the cane or the ear.