FutureWire - futurism and emerging technology

Monday, January 30, 2006

Nano Battery Could Power "Bionic Eye"

Researchers at New Mexico's Sandia National Laboratory are exploring the possibilities of a nano-sized battery that could power an artificial retina.



Being in its very early stages, the project first needs to develop a battery small enough to be implanted in the eye, perhaps using the human body's natural electrical current for a charge. The project would also leverage an artificial retina that has been developed by the Doheny Eye Institute at the University of Southern California. If successful, the project could yield a treatment for certain types of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the US for those aged 50 or over.

Source: AiKnowledge