miracle for blinds.......Bionic Eye

bionic eye.

This is not new topic but certainly it is interesting one.
The description and concept of bionic eye was since long in the talks but how far has this been applied practically?
On March 22, 2012, two British men Chris James and Robin Millar had undergone 8 hours operation and got bionic eye implanted. Amazing right!!
Chris James, who had been totally blind for more than 20 years, is able to see a rough outline of simple shapes, and doctors believe that in time -- as his brain "learns" to see again -- he could recognize faces.
 Robin Millar, 60, from London, is one of the patients who has been fitted with the chip along with 1,500 electrodes, which are implanted below the retina.
Components of bionic eye...

• A digital camera that's built into a pair of glasses. It captures images in real time and sends images to a microchip.
• A video-processing microchip that's built into a handheld unit. It processes images into electrical pulses representing patterns of light and dark and sends the pulses to a radio transmitter in the glasses.
• A radio transmitter that wirelessly transmits pulses to a receiver implanted above the ear or under the eye
• A radio receiver that sends pulses to the retinal implant by a hair-thin implanted wire
• A retinal implant with an array of 60 electrodes on a chip measuring 1 mm by 1mm.    

         Lets see how the bionic eye works....                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The system works in the following pattern. Firstly, light from the object (flower) enters the video camera (fig 4). The video camera then sends the image of the flower to the wallet size computer for complex processing. The processor then wirelessly sends its image of the flower to an infrared LED-LCD screen mounted on the goggles. The transparent goggles reflect an infrared image into the eye and onto the retinal chip. Just as a person with normal vision cannot see the infrared signal coming out of a TV remote control, this infrared flower image is also invisible to normal photoreceptors. But for those sporting retinal implants, the infrared flower electrically stimulates the implant’s array of photodiodes. The electrodes stimulate the remaining retinal nerves; allow a signal to be passed along the optic nerve to the brain. What makes this unique is that all functions of the retina are integrated into the chip. It has 1,500 light-sensing diodes and small electrodes that stimulate the overlying nerves to create a pixilated image  I

n the brain, patterns of light and dark spots are perceived which give a basic level of vision to the patient, who is able to be more mobile and independent as a result.    

A wireless microprocessor and battery pack worn on the belt powers the entire device. Thus, image amplification and other processing occur in the hardware, outside the eye.

SEEING IS BELIEVING.......

 
For more information check the below site.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2138775/The-eye-borg-First-successful-implant-bionic-eye-restore-sight-blind.html

sea weed cultivation

For the first time in Orissa, seaweed cultivation has started on an experimental basis. Red algae, a seaweed and a potential source of the phycocolloid agar, has been cultivated in Langaleswar village near Khallikote, off Ganjam coast with the involvement of members of the women self help groups (SHG).

The cultivation of the red algae is on a pilot basis and is part of the research project on “Development and demonstration of appropriate strategies for marine algae cultivation and processing for livelihood generation in coastal area of Orissa”. The three-year project of the Science and Society Division, Department of Science and Technology, Central government, costs around Rs 20 lakh.

“As red algae is much in demand in agar-agar industries, we hope the lower income group (LIG) of the coastal villages in the state will get extra income with the cultivation of this seaweed,” said Sailabala Padhy, the principal investigator of the project. Around 60 womenfolk in the village have started to cultivate the seaweed after training. Now they have at least 500 kg of the dry red algae in stock. “We are purchasing these from them at the rate of Rs 10 a kg,” said Padhy.
“After we collect from them, we will supply these to the agar-agar industries. We have decided to purchase the seaweed worth Rs 3,000 a month from them,” she added.
The seaweed demand is increasing worldwide as its extracts are widely used in toothpaste, ice-cream, textile printing, teeth filling, cosmetics, tissue culture, plywood, packaging and several other industries.
Red algae can be cultivated in the Chilika coast, particularly the Ganjam district. The principal investigator of the project said seaweed cultivation was like any other aquaculture. “Investment in cultivation is less, but profit is more,” she said.
In Langaleswar village on the coast of the Chilika, the women groups cultivate the weeds in several rafts and within the cultivation of 15 days, the results were quite satisfactory, she said. Several experts including project coordinator Deenabandhu Sahu of New Delhi, who visited the site and interacted with the cultivators, expressed their satisfaction and suggested expansion of the area under cultivation. “Seaweed cultivation and utilisation is one of the alternatives, that can create a large number of employment, in the coastal area especially for women,” she said

20 rare syndromes which sound unreal...

Sometimes real life science can be just as strange as science fiction, especially when it comes to ailments of the human body, something medical and nursing school students learn quickly. With so many things that can go wrong as highly complex life forms, human illness can take an immeasurably wide range of forms. Here are some of the weirdest, most impossible sounding of these syndromes and illnesses that have been recorded, many of which sound much more like fiction than fact.

1. Exploding Head Syndrome: This syndrome doesn't mean that the sufferer's head literally explodes– it only seems like that to them. Sufferers report hearing an incredibly loud noise originating from within his or her own head, like that of an explosion or gunshot. Often, those with this condition will experience the noise while asleep, startling them awake, though it is possible for it to occur while awake as well. No one knows exactly why the syndrome occurs, but even more strangely, it can be a one time occurrence or happen many times throughout a lifetime.
2. Moebius Syndrome: The effects of this syndrome are noticeable from birth, resulting in facial paralysis and the inability to move the eyes from side to side. This means that sufferers cannot blink or make any sort of emotional facial expression. It is caused by the underdevelopment of cranial nerves and can often result in a wide range of other abnormalities. There is no treatment for the condition but specialized attention can help sufferers talk, eat and deal with eye dryness.
3. Ondine's Curse: This condition affects the respiratory system and can be deadly if left untreated. Those with Ondine's curse will suffer respiratory arrest while sleeping, resulting from an inborn defect or traumatic injury to the part of the brain that controls breathing. In the most severe cases, respiratory arrest can occur while awake as well. Treatment for the condition usually involves a tracheotomy and constantly attachment to a ventilator in order to survive.
4. Latah: Also called culture-specific syndrome due to the fact that it's only found in certain areas of the Middle East and Asia, this syndrome causes sufferers to go into a trance and repeat phrases and actions when they are startled. Those afflicted are generally adult women, and will sometimes mimic the words and actions of those around them or will obey any command given to them.
5. Pica: While most of us wouldn't find the the thought of eating mud, metal or paper appetizing, this syndrome causes sufferers to do just that, creating an appetite for substances that are generally considered inedible and even potentially dangerous to consume. There is a variation of this syndrome as well, where the appetite is directed towards certain food items like rice, ice cubes, and salt. Oddly enough, it can be found not only in humans but in animals as well, and some medical professionals think it results from mineral or nutritional deficiencies.
6. Capgras Syndrome: In this disorder, a person has the delusion that a friend, spouse, family member, coworker or other associate has been replaced by an identical-looking imposter. While it most commonly occurs in those who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, it can also occur in individuals who have symptoms of dementia or who have had some kind of traumatic brain injury. Studies of those with the syndrome have shown that sufferers do not lose their ability to recognize faces but lose the automatic emotional response that comes along with seeing a familiar face.
7. Foreign Accent Syndrome: It might sound pretty bizarre, but those with this medical condition begin pronouncing their words with a foreign accent. This condition is most commonly the result of a brain injury or stroke, though some cases have been found where it has been the side effect of intense migraines. New research has shown that this syndrome may not in fact make the speaker use a foreign accent, but simply distorts their speech in a non-specific way that to the listener, sounds as though they were using an accent.
8. Trichotillomania: Sufferers of this condition have the compulsive need to pull out their own hair, often resulting in large, bald patches on their scalp, facial hair, eyelashes or other body hair. Caused by the lack of impulse control in the sufferer, this condition is incredibly difficult to treat as those who do it are often unaware they are doing so. Additionally, sufferers often feel shame at their appearance and suffer serious self-esteem issues, going to great lengths to cover up their pulled hair.
9. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: Named after the classic novel by Lewis Carroll, this neurological condition affects the perception of the sufferer, causing him or her to no longer correctly be able to gauge the size of objects in the visual field. Causes of the syndrome range from migraines to brain tumors, and its occurrence is not altogether uncommon in childhood, with most growing out of the syndrome as they age.
10. Genital Retraction Syndrome (Koro): This syndrome is culture-specific, having been recorded predominately in China and Southeast Asia, and very rarely in other parts of the world. Those afflicted by it believe that their genitals or nipples are retracting and will eventually disappear. The syndrome very often results in physical injury as those suffering from it attempt to prevent their organs from retracting through means of physical force.
11. Jerusalem Syndrome: Planning a trip to the city of Jerusalem? You might want to learn a little about this disease before you go. Numerous cases have been recorded of visitors to this holy city becoming obsessed with religious ideas, delusions of greatness or psychosis-like experiences. Even more strange, it hasn't been limited to those of any one faith. Those already suffering from mental illness, diagnosed or not, form the bulk of the sufferers of this condition. Treatment involves removing the sufferer from the city for two or more weeks.
12. Walking Corpse Syndrome (Cotard Delusion): In this rare neurological disorder, sufferers believe that they are dead, do not exist, are rotting or have lost their internal organs. At times, it progresses to include delusions that the person is, in fact, immortal. The severity of the condition varies and is most often seen in those who have mental illness or who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. Scientists believe it is related to Capgras Syndrome in that the person loses the emotional connection to their own reflection, feeling disassociated with it and not believing that it truly exists.
13. Alien Hand Syndrome: Ever thought a part of your body had a mind of it's own? Well in this condition, sufferers believe just that, and a person's hands or other limbs seem to take on a life and agenda of their own. It is most commonly seen in those who have had surgical separation of their brain hemispheres, but can also occur after strokes, other forms of brain surgery and brain infections. Those with this syndrome are often unaware that their hands are performing actions and while they maintain feeling in the hand no longer have a sense of control or ownership over it.
14. Fatal Familial Insomnia: This inherited disease is incredibly rare and is the result of a mutated protein that affects the brain. Those with it cannot get to or stay asleep, often losing so much sleep that the condition is fatal. Onset of the illness can be anywhere from 30 to 60 and sometimes occurs following childbirth. Sufferers will first be unable to sleep, then may experience hallucinations and rapid loss of weight, eventually succumbing to dementia and very often, death.
15. Stendhal Syndrome: In this illness, sufferers will have rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting and even hallucinations when they are exposed to artwork. Symptoms are exacerbated by especially beautiful pieces or in places like museums where a large amount is collected in one place. The syndrome has been most widely reported in Florence, Italy, where numerous cases have been reported of individuals fainting after having taken in Florentine art.
16. Jumping Frenchmen of Maine: This rare disorder was first described in 1878, found in related French-Canadian lumberjacks working in Maine. While it is not clear whether the disorder is physical or mental, it causes an exaggerated startle reflex whereby the sufferer will obey any command given when sudden, unexpected stimuli were introduced. Some studies of the condition believe that it was brought on by psychological conditions at the lumber camp, and is not of physical origin despite occurring in several members of the same family.
17. Spasmodic Dysphonia: Also called laryngeal dystonia, this disorder of the voice causes involuntary movements of one or more of the muscles in the voice box during speech, causing the sufferer to have one of several effects. Words either can be cut off or stuttered, or breathy and whispered, depending on the variation the sufferer has. Even stranger, these effects to the voice only occur when speaking, not when singing, laughing or speaking at a high pitch.
18. Fish Odor Syndrome (Trimethylaminuria): Sufferers with this condition have a metabolic disorder that causes the body to no longer be able to break down trimethylamine, causing them to have a strong body odor often resembling that of fish though not always so. There is no known treatment for the disorder and those with it often have life-disrupting effects in their social lives.
19. Sexsomnia: Similar to sleepwalking, this disorder occurs during REM sleep and causes sufferers to engage in sexual acts while they are asleep. There are often unpleasant consequences associated with this disorder as when the sexual actions are performed on an unwilling partner.
20. Werewolf Syndrome (Hypertrichosis): Those with this disorder have an abnormal growth of hair on the body, often in places where hair isn't normally found, such as the face. There are a wide range of variations in severity and types of hair involved with this syndrome, but the most famous sufferers of the condition have had their faces covered in hair, causing them to resemble werewolves in appearance.

http://molehr.oxfordjournals.org/content/2/3/203.long