Some of the American researchers at the Rice University are working on a prototype of a chip named as FlatScope. The chip can be implanted in the human brain and could help in restoring sight and hearing. An advancement that would help those millions who are affected by any or both of such losses (visual or auditory losses).
The resourceful project has everything that we can call a real success and could be helpful in revolutionizing the lives of millions. However, the research is costing high and the researchers have been awarded a 4-year funding of $ 4 million.
For accomplishing the project FlatScope; researchers will be experimenting on deep cerebral stimulation. The chip containing a number of electrodes will be implanted at the level of the cortex and will stimulate a number of neurons. As soon as receiving the visual and auditory information, the chip will send this received information to the areas of the brain that are concerned by both senses. At the implantation, a tiny microscope will be added that will be performed by another team of the Rice University. This step will make it possible to record and observe the brain’s activities. Ashok Veeraraghavan states that this approach will allow great advances. Moreover, as the microscope will be helpful in 3D image recording, we would be able to see the brain’s surface but to a certain depth.
Jacob is confident about FlatScope to be able to improve the lives of million of people; even though the research is at its initial stage. He states that “we are capable enough of implementing processors that contain billions of elements on a small chip designed for Smartphones that we keep in our pockets than why we wouldn’t be able of designing and applying for these advances on the neural advances?“.