Vision in Sight for the Blind as World’s First Bionic Eye Waits Human Trial

To eradicate blindness, researchers from Monash University, Australia, are developing the world’s first bionic eye. Named ‘Gennaris Bionic Vision System’, this can provide vision to millions of people suffering from untreatable blindness.

The Gennaris system involves nearly a decade of research and development. It works by bypassing damaged optic nerves that typically transmit visual information from the eyes to the brain. This system sends signals directly to the brain’s vision center, allowing users to perceive images.

It has been successful in animal studies. Now preparations are on for the first human clinical trials of the bionic eye in Melbourne.

Earlier this technology was successfully implanted into the brain of sheep with minimal negative effects. Human trial will show up its real success in restoring vision and its widespread adoption.

The Gennaris system includes a miniature camera worn by the user on custom-designed headgear. High-resolution images captured by the camera are processed by a vision processor unit, which extracts the most essential features from the images. These signals are then transmitted wirelessly to up to 11 devices, or “tiles,” surgically implanted in the brain’s primary visual cortex. Each tile contains its own circuitry, wireless receiver, and 43 microelectrodes that stimulate neurons in the visual cortex.

The system currently provides a 100-degree field of view-slightly less than the human eye’s 130-degree range.