Artificial sight

How does it work?

Retinal prosthetics come in various forms. One type is a tiny square with thousands of microscopic electrical pads that touch the cells in the back of the eye. Natural light comes through the lens of the eye , falls on this square and is transformed into electrical impulses that stimulate the healthy retinal cells. This produces small points of light that can be seen by a blind patient and help them recognise objects.

Another type of retinal prosthetic that is under development is a non-invasive and low cost prosthetic that may be useful for some people with very low vision. This device is worn like a pair of glasses and uses a small sophisticated computer to understand what is in front of the user. The computer behaves like a small robot, seeking out things of interest and presenting them in a simplified way.

Both these prosthetic techniques work because the human brain is incredibly good at making sense of the world with very little information. To hear Dr Stephen Hicks talk about the science behind this exhibit listen to this podcast and the University of Oxford Science Blog - Bionic Glasses for poor vision.