Bionic eyes: Restore blurred vision or blindness
Some surgeons at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital successfully completed the UK’s first bionic eye transplant at the start of this year. The patient whose transplant was done was an 88-year-old woman with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Let me tell you that AMD is a condition that affects the middle part of the visual field and can cause either blurred vision or blindness in that area of the eye. As a part of the transplant, a two-millimeter microchip was implanted in her retina, after which she was fitted with glasses equipped with a camera connected to a small computer. The camera helps to scan her surroundings and transmit the information to the chip, which then sends it to her brain via electrical signals. The fact is that the bionic eye is still in the research stages.
VR Tumor Map: A whole new way to study tumors
Tumors have actually three-dimensional nature, however, we have been using 2D imagery to study them. professionals believe that 3D scanning can unlock more of cancer’s secrets, so, a team of researchers at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute developed an innovative VR tumor map. No doubt, VR Map is one of the 2022 tech breakthroughs that will help to advance medicine.
Bioprinting: Plays a role in donor transplants
Have you ever heard of printing human organs instead of waiting for donors? We explored the amazing development of bioprinting and its potential role in the future of donor transplantation back in April. The interesting part is that from a life-sized hand printed in just 19 minutes to a model liver, to a coin-sized lung air sac, bioprinting has already achieved a lot.
Prosthetics
In 2022, a tech startup Esper Bionics developed a self-learning bionic arm that aims to connect the human body with prosthetic limbs in a more seamless way. It is lighter than a human arm and the Esper Hand uses AI to gather information from individual user behavior. It helps to better detect muscle activity and react to external stimuli.
Bionic exoskeletons for children
The first-ever bionic exoskeleton was created specifically for children by the Spanish tech company Marsi Bionics. It helps children with neuromuscular conditions, such as muscular atrophy and cerebral palsy. The exoskeleton can also support a child’s whole body from the torso all the way to their feet, moreover, there’s also an option to add head support. The exoskeleton is equipped with joints that can work together with the system’s sensors in order to recognize the user’s movement intentions by transforming them into actions.
