July 5, 2012

SOUND RATHER THAN SIGHT CAN ACTIVATE ‘SEEING’ FOR THE BLIND, SAY IMRIC RESEARCHERS




SOUND RATHER THAN SIGHT CAN ACTIVATE ‘SEEING’ FOR THE BLIND, SAY IMRIC RESEARCHERS

Jerusalem, February 7, 2012 -- Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to “see” and even describe objects.

SSDs are non-invasive sensory aids that provide visual information to the blind via their existing senses. For example, using a visual-to-auditory SSD in a clinical or everyday setting, users wear a miniature video camera connected to a small computer (or smart phone) and stereo headphones.

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