Braille pattern sent to retina to help blind read?
Researchers for the first time have streamed braille patterns directly into a blind patient’s retina, allowing him to read four-letter words accurately and quickly with the help of a device. Braille is a tactile writing system used by the blind and the visually impaired. The device, the Argus II, has been implanted in over 50 patients, many of who can now see colour, movement and objects with the help of a an ocular neuroprosthetic device.
It uses a small camera mounted on a pair of glasses, a portable processor to translate the signal from the camera into electrical stimulation, and a microchip with electrodes implanted directly on the retina. The study by researchers at Second Sight has been published in Frontiers in Neuroprosthetics.
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Gangnam Style becomes most watched video
Seoul; South Korean pop sensation Psy’s Gangnam Style on Saturday became YouTube’s most-watched video of all time, registering more than 803 million views to overtake Baby by Canadian heartthrob Justin Bieber.
The 34-year-old rapper has rocketed to fame since his Gangnam Style video — in which he performs his now famous horse-riding dance — became a worldwide hit following its release. Earlier this month the song ousted Jennifer Lopez’s dance hit On the Floor from second place on YouTube, and on Saturday it overtook Bieber’s hit. In the evening, it had racked up 803,761,928 views against 803,658,345 for Baby. — AFP
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