

Woman recieves world's first bionic eye - Jaigus
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/bionic-eye-goes-live-in-world-first-by-australian-researchers-20120830-251nu.html

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beambot
Slight nitpick about HN title: This isn't the _world's first bionic eye_. The
article was surprisingly good about not making this assertion: _Australia's
first bionic eye seeing shapes_ and _recipient of the first bionic eye
developed in Victoria_. Sorry... it just always bothers me when people claim
"firsts" without sufficient research or qualifications (ie hedging) -- it
tends to marginalize others' groundwork... "shoulders of giants" and all that.

~~~
rrreese
I came here to write the same thing, bionic eyes have been in testing for well
over a decade now. More can be read about the various attempts here:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_prosthesis>

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Jaigus
Wow. I wish more "tech media companies" reported on real tech news like this,
instead of all the hyperbole and media gossip of pseudo celebrities in the
tech sphere. I feel happy for this woman.

~~~
eckyptang
Try this: <http://www.newscientist.com/>

Refreshingly content filled.

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jofo25
Its steps like these that really make me feel like we're living in such an
incredible and unprecedented time in human development.

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mikecuesta
As someone who lost vision in their left eye during their teenage years from a
paintball accident, this kind of news is really, really exciting. It sounds
like we're a bit far from this being viable as the patient can only see
certain lights and shapes, but it's certainly a great stride.

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maeon3
Slap a computer screen on one, patch it in to a 3rd optic nerve that you
install, and where do I sign?

The blurring of man and machine begins here today, the bionic eye is just the
beginning. I want a bionic GPS system as well.

~~~
randallsquared
In a situation where upgrading might be effectively impossible, I think I'll
wait for better gear before installing something in myself.

~~~
dsr_
The Geek Code used to have a line about "I'll be the first person in line to
get a T3 installed directly into my brain."

My actual position is "I'll be waiting for the development of an effective
firewall and a few hardware revisions before getting the direct brain
interface, thanks."

On the other hand, I'm not blind. That could change my opinion pretty quickly,
I think.

~~~
thebigshane
A bit of a tangent, but this awesome song started popping up on Pandora
Radio...
[[http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jonathan_coulton/the_futu...](http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jonathan_coulton/the_future_soon.html)]

    
    
      [...]
      Here on Earth they'll wonder
      As I piece by piece replace myself
      And the steel and circuits will make me whole
      But I'll still feel so alone
      Until Laura calls me home
    
      I'll see her standing by the monorail
      She'll look the same except for bionic eyes
      She lost the real ones in the robot wars
      I'll say I'm sorry, she'll say it's not your fault
      Or is it?
      And she'll eye me suspiciously
      Hearing the whir of the servos inside
      She will scream and try to run
      But there's nowhere she can hide
      When a crazy cyborg wants to make you his robot bride
    
      Well it's gonna be the future soon
      And I won't always be this way
      When the things that make me weak and strange get 
        engineered away
      It's gonna be the future soon
      I've never seen it quite so clear
      And when my heart is breaking I can close my eyes and 
        it's already here

~~~
pydave

        When the things that make me weak and strange get 
        engineered away
    

Cory Doctorow wrote a story based on that lyric:
<http://www.tor.com/stories/2008/08/weak-and-strange>

I like Jonathan Coulton (especially "Re: Your Brains", but I actually read (or
started...) the story before I heard of that song.

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sproketboy
Yeah but doesn't make the du.du.du.du sound. :(

