Karin Kloosterman of the Jerusalem Post
Published only a few weeks ago, on October 16, 2009, this article from the Jerusalem Post highlights a new and exciting discovery in the field of artificial vision. Israeli researcher Dr. Amir Amedi sought to discover a way to harness the well-known capability of bats to “see” vis-à-vis sounds and in doing so, develop a way for blind humans to “see” by hearing. This fascinating article describes the process of teaching the blind to use their brain in a unique manner. The idea is that visual information is transformed into audio signals by creating an auditory soundscape, which acts like a new language for the blind. To create this soundscape, the individual essentially creates a new alphabet by playing a sound and handing the blind individual an object. The shape of that object is therefore correlated to that sound. Later, a webcam is used to transform what is seen into a sound, which the blind person can understand. Interestingly, Amedi discovered that when these individuals began to learn this new language, their auditory cortexes were activated. Soon after they began learning, however, their visual cortex actually began to be activated (or re-activated)!I discovered this article from LexisNexis. I think that it adds a new element to the conventional perception of “artificial vision.” Amedi approached the problem of blindness from a new angle, and in doing so, discovered a new way to give blind individuals the chance to “see.” I think that Amedi’s research is fascinating and reminds readers of the importance of innovative and creative thinking, especially in the field of scientific research.
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