Bionic eye to help the blind see

[M1GU31]

The Monash Vision Group at Australia’s Monash University is developing a direct-to-brain bionic eye system that allows blind people to see.

read the article here : Bionic eye to help the blind see | SmartPlanet

 

[seekermeister]

Sounds like a worthwhile ambition...at least at first sight, but were I blind, I would never let anyone implant a chip in my brain, regardless of the quality of sight it might provide, because someone would hack it and have me seeing pink elephants.

 

[ripbox]

sound like fantastic new and i cant think of anyone better to be the 1st to test it other than the brutaly attacked Tina Nash
for those who dont know who im on about here is the article Tina Nash: Tears of mother blinded by boyfriend who GOUGED her eyes out | Mail Online

 

[seekermeister]

It kind of reminds me of Geordi La Forge on Star Trek, except his glasses required contacts which were implanted in the side of his head, rather than being wireless. Since these are wireless, even if no one hacked a person's mind, they could intercept the signals and be able to track a person where ever they went.

 

[FuturDreamz]

It kind of reminds me of Geordi La Forge on Star Trek, except his glasses required contacts which were implanted in the side of his head, rather than being wireless. Since these are wireless, even if no one hacked a person's mind, they could intercept the signals and be able to track a person where ever they went.

... providing they're within range.

Worst case scenario is that they hijack your sigh, so you see what they want you to see.

 

[seekermeister]

The thing is, that things such as this always start out sounding worthwhile, but after a time, they will find reasons to plant chips in everyone's brain. Instead of worrying about computer security, it will be mind control, without any means of security.

 

[FuturDreamz]

Then we have to make sure we know how to secure the system. If it's dedicated it should be fairly simple, but then again even pacemakers can be hacked

 

[seekermeister]

Secure system...no such thing. Obviously, this is not a DIY job that the person involved has any control over, any "security" that was placed in the chip would be subject to being hacked by the powers that be. If a computer can't be secure, then I definitely don't want a system in my head that can be tampered with, by hackers or anyone else.

 

[M1GU31]

yeah but would you rather be able to see or be blind forever to your death wondering what's going on visually in the world?

 

[seekermeister]

I would rather be blind than be forced to "see" things as someone else decided. I don't see a problem with technical items implanted for other medical purposes, like a pacemaker, but that is about the limit of it.

 

[Fantail]

Just thinking, black & white 8-bit clevage is better then nothing.


Wondering if there would be anything down the road, I mean if they can send visual signals, what about other stimulus such as touch. Someone may be able to control a robotic arm for example but not feel a hot cup of coffee.

 

[seekermeister]

I haven't had much experience with the blind, but what little that I have had, they were not all that limited in what they could do. I had a couple in one of my rent houses a few years ago, in which the husband was not only blind, but also deaf, but that did not prevent him from having a good relationship with his wife, and being able to do a great deal as far as work and hobbies. He even had a rather elaborate computer setup, at which he was quite expert. None of us would choose to do without our eyes, but if that befell one, it would not be the end of enjoying life.

I think back to when I was a child, and before we had television, and relied on the radio for amusement, the imagination painted a lot more interesting picture than any TV ever did.

 

[M1GU31]

Here in this article talks and shows a blind man who just got a bionic eye to help him see after 10 years of being a blind man, you can read more here
The 'eye-borg': First successful implant of a 'bionic' eye could restore sight to the blind | Mail Online