Megapixel Cameras Used as Bionic Eyes

Researchers at Bionic Vision Australia have developed a bionic eye prototype called the wide-view neurostimulator that aims to restore vision for patients suffering from degenerative vision loss.

The “eye” is actually a 5 megapixel camera mounted on a pair of glasses. An electrode is implanted in the patient’s eye that connects to the retina. Vision-processing software in an external device wirelessly generates electrical impulses to create images.

The resulting image is a pixelated version of what a human eye would see – think Lite-Brite circa 1970s. The team is already working on a second-generation “eye” with 10x the resolution.

This technology holds great promise for the future of eye care.