Positive Psychology: The Diamond Bionic Eye

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The Diamond Bionic Eye

Google Tech Talk
February 1, 2013
(More info below)

Presented by Professor Steven Prawer, Director, Melbourne Materials Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia

ABSTRACT

The diseases of age related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa are one of the main causes of blindness and cause untold suffering for those afflicted with these conditions.

Electrical stimulation of the retina has already been shown to restore partial vision in some patients, albeit at low resolution.

Higher resolution may be achievable by taking advantage of modern nanofabrication techniques to build stimulating arrays with hundreds or even thousands of electrodes that will allow patients to read large print and recognize faces of loved ones.

However, formidable challenges remain in the fabrication of such devices.

I will describe the work of Bionic Vision Australia in meeting these challenges and show the results of our first trials in patients.

I will also describe the particular the use of diamond for the direct stimulation of the retina and for the encapsulation of the bionic implant.

Having established that diamond is an excellent material for neural stimulation, we consider how diamond can be used in a range of neural prostheses.

Source:

The Diamond Bionic Eye - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jOokLf3frwE

Positive Psychology given credence by Academia:

Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Commentators on the subject Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, note that:

"The field of positive psychology at the subjective level is about valued subjective experiences: well-being, contentment, and satisfaction (in the past); hope and optimism (for the future); and flow and happiness (in the present).

At the individual level, it is about positive individual traits: the capacity for love and vocation, courage, interpersonal skill, aesthetic sensibility, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, future mindedness, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom.

At the group level, it is about the civic virtues and the institutions that move individuals toward better citizenship: responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation,tolerance, and work ethic."