Author Archive
Posted on February 25th, 2010 by Vernon D.
Very interesting stuff. EPAM – Electroactive Polymer Artificial Muscle, is currently working its way to human implantation (within 5 years). From the article:
Surgeons from UC Davis Medical Center have demonstrated that artificial muscles can restore the ability of patients with facial paralysis to blink, a development that could benefit the thousands of people each year who no longer are able to close their eyelids due to combat-related injuries, stroke, nerve injury or facial surgery.
…
For people with other types of paralysis, the use of artificial muscles could someday mean regaining the ability to smile or control the bladder. Reanimating faces is a natural first step in developing synthetic muscles to control other parts of the body, said UC Davis otolaryngologist Craig Senders.
If you have the slightest interest in medical technology or just want to see how hard researchers are working – I HIGHLY recommend reading this article. Go humans!
Read full article HERE.
File under: eye health, Technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: artificial muscle, blink, disabled, eyelid, facial paralysis, mobius syndrome, restoring ability, Technology, UC Davis medical center, wink
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Posted on February 16th, 2010 by Vernon D.
TrueVision Systems, Inc. is helping budding ophthalmologists in the operating room by providing a new tool to help observe surgeries. The Santa Barbara CA based company is offering “3DHD” – a technology that projects a 3D image from an LCD screen (think Avatar the movie – hence the James Cameron reference). Its initial design is most beneficial for instructional purposes. Residents and students are able to observe delicate surgeries enlarged in great 3D detail, of course with the help of polarized 3D glasses.
Check out their page for a video in the operating room. Drew Carey bonus points if you know the bands playing in the background, I’ve got the song titles – Amber and Facedown. I’d like to hang with these MDs, they know good music.
Brought to you via MedGadget and TrueVision.
File under: healthcare, Technology | Tagged: 3D, avatar 3D, James Cameron, medical residents, medical school, medical students, medical technology, ophthalmology, surgery advancements, Technology
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Posted on December 29th, 2009 by Vernon D.
File under: eye health, Technology | Tagged: blinded, bottle in the eye, bus fight, cornea, eyecare innovations, lost vision, new stem cell growth technique, one eye blindness, seeing clearly, sight restored, stem cell transplant, stem cells, stem cells from eyes, stem cells transplant success
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Posted on December 14th, 2009 by Vernon D.
File under: Frames & Lenses | Tagged: contact lenses, contacts, IBN, Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, sunglasses, sunwear alternative, Technology Review, Transitions, ultraviolet, UV
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Posted on October 26th, 2009 by Vernon D.
The device receives wireless data from the camera which it then translates into electronic signals that are sent to the brain, restoring sight. (photo and caption courtesy of NPR)
Technology. Love it or hate it – it continues to shape and change the world. Second Sight Medical Products - a company based in Sylmar CA, is in the process of harnessing technology to help those with macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. On their workbench, a bionic eye.
How it works. The bionic eye was designed to be paired with a special set of frames – frames that contain a small video camera. These frames send visual data to the implanted bionic eye, which in turn activates the eye to create electrodes sent to the brain. The brain interprets these electrodes as visual queues, helping the patient interact with the environment.
Results thus far. Patients can find doors and follow the lines of the door. Most patients cannot read [normal size print], and of those who have the ability to read can only make out large letters. On an interesting side note – there are emotional benefits resulting from these tests, which are probably not on the lab sheets. Brian Mech (VP for Second Sight) notes, “There’s a lot of crying, a lot of smiling,” he says. “It’s a sensory input that they haven’t had in a very long time, and so they’re excited.”
Blogger’s take: Initially I was a bit underwhelmed by the results, but the methodology and implementation of the bionic eye was mind blowing! Albeit in the early stages, I’m sure they are going to have greater results with further testing and development. Now only if they could get the eye to shoot lasers…
Via NPR
File under: eye health | Tagged: bionic eye, eye health, eyecare, innovation, Second Sight, sight, vision, vsp blog, VSP Vision Care
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Posted on September 23rd, 2009 by Vernon D.
Vernon D. is a member of VSP's Provider Services team.
A physics professor at the University of Oxford may have found a unique avenue to help those who don’t have access to eyeglasses in developing countries. Joshua Silver has developed frames with the unique ability to adjust to variable strengths, on-the-fly. One frame with the potential to serve millions without a visit to an optometrist?
Here’s a quick rundown on how those glasses work:
The secret of the self-refractive glasses is their lenses. They consist of clear membranes filled with silicon oil, protected by plastic discs. The wearer can adjust the amount of oil in the lenses using a dial fitted to a syringe on the arms of the glasses.
Read more »
File under: Disaster Relief, Frames & Lenses | Tagged: eyecare, Joshua Silver, lens innovation, lenses, liquid glasses, liquid lenses, optical frames, optics, self-refractive lenses, U.S. Military Humanitarian and Civic Assistance Program, University of Oxford
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Posted on August 27th, 2009 by Vernon D.
Vernon D. is a member of VSP's Provider Services team.
Hot on the heels of some weird guy’s post, EyeWriter allows users to manipulate computer drawing programs with only their eye movements.
The EyeWriter project is on ongoing collaborative research effort to empower people, who are suffering from ALS, with creative technologies. The project began in Los Angeles, Caifornia in 2009, when members of the GRL, FAT, OF and TEG communities teamed-up with a legendary LA graffiti writer, publisher and activist, named Tony 
Quan, aka TEMPTONE. Tony was diagnosed with ALS in 2003. The disease has left him almost completely physically paralyzed… except for his eyes. But, the ALS hasn’t touched Tony’s sharp mind, creative energy or his desire to write graffiti. In August of 2009, artist from around the world: London, Hong Kong, Madrid, Amsterdam and New York City, converged for 10 days in southern California, converted Mick and Caskey Ebeling’s Venice Beach house into a laboratory and began to work with Tony on a low-cost, open source eye-tracking system that would allow ALS patients to draw using just their eyes. Read more.
Though still in the early developing stages, this looks great!
SE2 EP4 – Eyewriter Tempt LA from Evan Roth on Vimeo.
Via Jailbreak
File under: Frames & Lenses, Fun | Tagged: art, eyeglasses, eyewear, graffiti, innovation, TEMPTONE, vsp blog, VSP Labs
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Posted on August 14th, 2009 by Vernon D.
Vernon D. is a member of VSP's Provider Services team.
Will this product reduce eyestrain – yes. Will it also make you look silly while using it – yes. Can you even understand the product page - maybe.
Aimed at reducing stress upon the eye while staring at bright lit, boxy objects that change shapes and colors (some might call these computers, or TV screens), the Wink Glasses will dectect how long you’ve gone without blinking. In order punish these non-blinkers, the device will automatically fog up, forcing the user to blink to clear up the device.
Initially targeting the gaming and computer audience, I’m finding other uses for this product. Imagine these being thrown into the national 
staring contest semi-final rounds, or maybe tossing them on before your 2 hour long lecture on soil & minerals – forcing you to at least seem interested by blinking every once in a while.
Projected to hold up to an 8-hour charge, Wink Glasses can be connected via USB. Product will be released on the Japanese market this month for 15,750 Yen, translating to 7,895 Rupees, or 99.45 Pounds, depending on where you live.
via dvice
File under: Frames & Lenses, Fun | Tagged: eyeglasses, eyewear, Fun, vsp blog
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