The Digital Divide jan. 2013 | Page 8

Also bionic eyes with high resolution are commercially available. Following years of trials, high-resolution bionic eyes are becoming available for persons with degenerative vision loss. The first prototypes of this technology were somewhat crude and pixelated, with less than 100 dots of resolution. However, these new versions provide over 1000 dots, allowing the patient to recognise faces and read large print.

Bionic eyes continue to gain in sophistication over subsequent decades, making rapid progress in resolution and visual quality. Fully artificial eyes are eventually developed that can actually provide better vision than normal eyes. This leads even healthy people to "upgrade" their sight.

The previous technologies are only a couple examples of things that are already out there. They have changed the lives of the disabled immensely. It can return many functionalities and performance of someone’s life. And the innovations of these products will go on and on. The prosthetics will become more real over time. But until what point do we have to stop innovating? Should the prosthetics become even better than the human body?

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As device resolution improves, so does the patients quality of life

The first avanced prototype will allow patients to contrast light from dark, providing them with mobility. This prototype will be futher developed. As device resolution improves, the number of patients who could benefit from the technology increases.

Quality of life

Resolution of electrode array

No vision

No system

Today's

system

First

advanced

prototype

Second

prototype

Future

posibilities?

16 electrodes

- motion

detection

100 electrodes

- Unaided

navigation

- Object

discrimination

1000 electrodes

- Face and emotion

recognition

- Letter recognition