Seeking Artificial Vision At HFCC

Soon, the phrase "seeing things eye to eye" could take on a new meaning during a global conference on the campus of Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn this September.

The Sixth Biennial International Congress on the relationship between neurobiology and nano-electronics, titled "The Eye and The Chip," will bring together the world's leading researchers involved in advancing artificial human vision at Henry Ford Community College Sept. 13-15.

Event organizers and sponsors include the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, Henry Ford Health System, Alcon, The Alliance for Vision Research Inc., the Friends of Vision, Higher Education Publications Inc., IMRA American Inc., JEDMED, Leica Microsystems, the Macular Degeneration Foundation, the Michigan Ophthalmic Personnel Society, Nidek and the Oliver Dewey Marcks Foundation.

This event studies the validity of the "bionic eye," which could help sight-impaired people see again. Philip C. Hessburg, president of the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, said the goal of this important conference is to "engage in discussion regarding visual neuro-prosthetic devices and applications for devices within the eye vs. those that interface directly with the brain's visual cortex."

About 180 million people throughout the world suffer from visual impairment. In the U.S., approximately 100,000 people have an inherited blinding disease called retinitis pigmentosa. These people are good candidates for implants inside the eye because they once had good vision.

For registration, contact Sheila Bell of Henry Ford Health System at (313) 916-8354, or email sbell13@hfhs.org.

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