What Happens When a Bionic Body Part Becomes Obsolete?: Blind People with Second Sight's Retinal Implants Found Out
Abstract
Barbara Campbell was walking through a New York City subway station during rush hour when her world abruptly went dark. For four years, Campbell had been using a high-tech implant in her left eye that gave her a crude kind of bionic vision, partially compensating for the genetic disease that had rendered her completely blind in her 30s. “I remember exactly where I was: I was switching from the 6 train to the F train,” Campbell tells IEEE Spectrum. “I was about to go down the stairs, and all of a sudden I heard a little ‘beep, beep, beep’ sound.”
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A patient implanted with the Argus II estimated that the total cost of device, surgery and rehabilitation was 497 000 USD.
“A patient implanted with the Argus® II estimated that the total cost of device, surgery and rehabilitation was 497 000 USD [228].”
From Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges (2022) · cites this paper as [228]
So far, retinal prostheses have been implanted in end-stage RP patients which are not enough to make a profitable market.
“So far, retinal prostheses have been implanted in end-stage RP patients which are not enough to make a profitable market [228].”
From Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges (2022) · cites this paper as [228]
The Argus II device is now obsolete, and users declared not having technical support if their implant will stop working.
“The device is now obsolete, and users declared not having technical support if their implant will stop working [228].”
From Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges (2022) · cites this paper as [228]
The citation lists haven’t been fetched yet
Cited by 19
- Authors
- Strickland, E., & Harris, M.
- Venue
- IEEE Spectrum
- Published
- 2022-03
- Volume
- 59
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 24-31
- ISSN
- 0018-9235 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-9340
- OpenAlex
- W4220674806
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2
- FWCI
- 1.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- IEEE Spectrum (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility
- Keywords
- retinal prosthesis, bionic vision, blindness, visual prosthesis, technological obsolescence, assistive technology, blind people
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