A small square of silicon the size of a grain of rice is rewriting the future of artificial vision. It's called Fine, and it is a microchip that, once implanted under the retina, can restore central vision to the blind. The first patients who are testing it report surprising results: They can read, play cards and distinguish the details of objects.
The Technology Behind Artificial Vision
The heart of innovation is a chip square of only 2 millimetres on each side, developed by the Science Corporation. This tiny device is surgically implanted under the patient's retina. through a procedure that takes approximately 80 minutes. Next, the chip pairs with a special pair of glasses equipped with cameras. The glasses capture images of the surrounding environment and transform them into patterns of infrared light. These are then projected onto the chip, which houses 378 photosensitive pixels, creating a sort of microscopic display directly inside the eye.
La artificial view This generated vision allows patients to recover a significant part of their central vision, which allows us to recognize faces and read words on the page.
From clinical trials to real life
The preliminary results of the clinical trials are very encouraging. Patients who have received the implant, while still technically “legally blind” by medical standards, are reporting significant improvements in their daily lives.
I am particularly struck by how these people are rediscovering activities that many of us take for granted: reading a book, playing cards with friends, recognizing the faces of loved ones. These are simple gestures that, however, contain a world of meaning for those who had lost them.
The working principle
The chip converts infrared light into electrical stimulation that triggers the eye's normal electrical impulses. These signals are then sent to the brain, which interprets them as images, mimicking the natural process of seeing. It's important to note that this technology is distinct from other approaches to artificial vision that we've seen in the past. While some researchers are exploring the use of stem cells or other types of bionic eyes, Prima seems to offer a more immediate and practical solution.
Artificial vision, future prospects
This development fits into a broader context of innovations in the field of neurotechnology. The Science Corporation is positioning itself as a serious competitor to companies like Neuralink di Elon Musk, demonstrating that there are several possible approaches to the interface between technology and the human body.
The success of Prima in clinical trials opens up promising scenarios for the future. If these results are confirmed on a larger scale, we could be facing a significant breakthrough in the treatment of certain forms of blindness.
Artificial vision is increasingly becoming a tangible reality, no longer confined to science fiction. What excites me most is seeing how this technology is already concretely changing people's lives, giving them back precious parts of their daily autonomy. We can expect further developments in this field. The Prima chip could be just the beginning of a new era in ophthalmological medicine, where vision loss will no longer be a definitive condition but a problem that can be solved through technological innovation. More details in this document.
