A general interest piece from PhysOrg.com: "Tests of a relatively crude artificial retina [called Argus One] began on six patients in 2002. With the aid of these devices, people who'd been totally blind were able to read foot-high letters, tell a plate from a cup, find doors and windows, and navigate around large objects ... Argus One is still in use, but it's being succeeded by Argus Two, a smaller, more sophisticated device with an array of 60 electrodes, providing a much sharper image to its users. The newer device is being tested on 17 blind people in the U.S. and Europe, and more patients are being enrolled. At a retina conference in October, patients reported improvements in orientation and mobility. They were able to find a door from 20 feet away and to follow a line on the floor for 20 feet ... Meanwhile, researchers [are] creating a third-generation artificial retina. Much smaller than its predecessors, the device will contain 200 or more electrodes on a thin, flexible film that curves to fit the shape of the retina. Human tests are scheduled to begin in 2011. ... We're aiming for a 1,000-electrode array ... Such a device would 'let a blind patient recognize objects and read large-scale newsprint.'"

Link: http://www.physorg.com/news149841853.html