Retinal Implants Powered by Onboard Flexible Solar Cells
27 December 2009 | Green Technology, Solar Power | 5 Comments
Recently, I have read on the internet about a very interesting device and I couldn’t refrain to post about it on MyGreenTreasure. It’s about a photovoltaic chip, able to improve human eyesight (especially for those with damaged photoreceptor cells). These cells are able to capture the light, forming on the retina, the image we look for. Due to the growing in age, or often even from birth, these cells are weaker than it should be and that’s why the problems appear.
This optical device is equipped with some mini solar cells that power the processing retinal chip. But that’s not all! It’s also equipped with a pocket PC and a bright near-infrared LCD,in order to process the image and to produce the necessary light to recharge photovoltaic cells. The chip has 3 layers but even so it’s veryy small (3mm width). Each of these layers have three flexible photovoltaic cells and are mounted on the retina. This chip is actulally a self-powered implant, wich will be successful because nowadays are many blind people or with a damaged eyesight. For those wich are seriously affected, the device can improve their eyesight with 20%, wich means that they will see large fonts and images. If this technology will be improved, I think that we deal with the most important application of solar cells ever. What dou you think about this chip? Please leave a comment!
Tags: capture the light, damaged eyesight, flexible photovoltaic cells, human eyesight, light, mini solar cells, optical device, photoreceptor cells, photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic chip, process the image, retina, retinal chip, self-powered implant, Solar cells, weaker cells
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[...] The resolution is higher, and improved software highlights the edges of objects, making them …Retinal Implants Powered by Onboard Flexible Solar Cells …This optical device is equipped with some mini solar cells that power the processing retinal chip. [...]
Putting solar stuff into eyes sound a bit scarry. Don’t we currently have reliable technology to improve eyesight such as contact lens and even laser surgery?
It may sound scary, but I’m sure that researchers took into account the safety problem.