27-07-2012, 12:19 PM
ppt BIONIC EYE (Electronically powered eye)
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ABSTRACT
Researches working for the Boston Retinal Implant Project have been developing a Bionic eye implant that could restore the eye sight of people who suffer from age related blindness. The implant is based on a small chip that is surgically implanted behind the retina, at the back of the eye ball. An ultra-thin wire strengthens the damaged optic nerve; its purpose is to transmit light and images to the brain’s vision system, where it is normally processed. Other than the implanted chip and wire, most of the device sits outside the eye. The users would need to wear special eye glasses battery-powered camera and a transmitter, which would send images to the chip implanted behind the retina. The new device is expected to be quite durable, since the chip is enclosed in a Titanium casing, making it both water-proof and corrosion-proof. The researches estimate that the device will last for at least 10years inside the eye.
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the report is to provide an accurate and detailed description of the Bionic eye(Optoelectronic Retinal Prosthesis System) and its function. The new technology tested by Mrs.Moorfoot uses an external camera worn on a pair of dark glasses that sends images to a radio receiver implanted near the eye that transmits the signal on to a tiny silicon and platinum chip that sits on the retina. This information then goes down the optic nerve into the brain. The team lead by Dr. Mark Humayun, professor of ophthalmology and Biomedical engineering at the Doheny eye institute in Los Angeles, California have now developed a small and powerful camera that could be implanted inside the patient’s eye, rather than worn on a pair of glasses.
THE HUMAN EYE
We are able to see because light from an object can move through space and reach our eyes. Once light reaches our eyes, signals are sent to our brain, and our brain deciphers the information in order to detect the appearance, location and movement of the objects we are sighting at.
The whole process, as complex as it is, would not be possible if it were not for the presence of light. Without light, there would be no sight.
The human eye is the organ which gives us the sense of sight, allowing us to learn more about the surrounding world than any of the other five senses.
New Bionic Eye Could Restore Sight
Researchers working for the Boston Retinal Implant Project have been developing a bionic eye implant that could restore the eye sight of people who suffer from age-related blindness. The implant is based on a small chip that is surgically implanted behind the retina, at the back of the eyeball. An ultra-thin wire strengthens the damaged optic nerve; its purpose is to transmit light and images to the brain's vision system, where it is normally processed. Other than the implanted chip and wire, most of the device sits outside the eye. The users would need to wear special eye glasses containing a tiny battery-powered camera and a transmitter, which would send images to the chip implanted behind the retina. The new device is expected to be quite durable, since the chip is enclosed in a titanium casing, making it both water-proof and corrosion- proof. The researchers estimate that the device will last for at least 10 years inside the eye.
Overall System Functionality
The MARC system, pictured in Figures 1-4 will operate in the following manner. An external camera will acquire an image, whereupon it will be encoded into data stream which will be transmitted via RF telemetry to an intraocular transceiver. A data signal will be transmitted by modulating the amplitude of a higher frequency carrier signal. The signal will be rectified and filtered, and the MARC will be capable of extracting power, data, and a clock signal. The subsequently derived image will then be stimulated upon the patient’s retina.
As shown in Figures 1-5, the MARC system would consist of two parts which separately reside exterior and interior to the eyeball. Each part is equipped with both a transmitter.
Advantages
Although the device will not be able to restore the eye sight of the entire blind community, researchers are certain many people will benefit from the technology. For instance, age-related macular generation is the leading cause of blindness in the industrialized world, with about 2 million Americans currently suffering from the condition. The new technology will hopefully assist people suffering from this condition, and individuals suffering from retinitis pigmentosa (a genetic condition), but will not help glaucoma patients.
The researchers note the device has some limitations, and it will not restore perfect vision. However, they are sure it will give people the advantage of having a general sense of their surroundings. Hopefully, the technology may enable people to recognize faces and facial expressions.
Disadvantages
The scientists explain that the bionic eye will be affective for individuals who once had sight, since their brain knows how to process visual information. The unfortunate people who were born blind do not have the neurological capability to process the data received via the wire. Furthermore, the optic nerve must be at least partly functional. Otherwise, the data will not be fully processed. For many individuals that were born blind, this is a problem as well, since their optic nerve has never been used. This new technology will not be helpfull for glaucoma patients.
CONCLUSION
Its been 40 years since Arne Larsson received the first fully implanted cardiac pacemaker at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.Researchers throughout the world have looked for ways to improve people's lives with artificial, bionic devices.Bionic devices are being developed to do more than replace defective parts. Researchers are also using them to fight illnesses.Providing power to run bionic implants and making connections to the brain's control system pose the two great challenges for biomedical engineering.We are now looking at devices like bionic arms, tongues, noses etc.