Cyborgs and Stem Cells

Eyesight is one of our most valuable senses - if it's damaged in any way it has a major impact on life.

Two exciting new developments from the South West of England could make a major difference to the lives of many sight-impaired people around the world. Researchers from the University of Bristol have recently reported the first evidence of progenitor cells, also known as stem cells, in the retina. They are now looking at the conditions needed to turn them into nerve cells or photo receptor cells. If they can achieve this, then they are well on the way to controlling eye disease by helping the injured retina restore itself.

And for those suffering from colour blindness, the "Eyeborg" offers a way to accurately distinguish colour. A prosthesis that enables the wearer to identify different colours by a series of sounds associated with colour frequency, the "Eyeborg" has been developed by a lecturer in cybernetics, working with an artist suffering from achromatopsia - a condition that means he can only see in black and white!