Smartphone Digital Compass Could Restore Eyesight in Blind

New research which has enabled blind rats to develop spatial awareness promises to help blind people.

Researchers at University of Tokyo have helped rats blinded by suturing of eyelids, develop awareness of spatial surroundings, also called allocentric sense, and perform like normal rats in maze tests with a light-weight headgear. The headgear comprises a sensor containing a compass like device, commonly found in smartphones, connected to electrodes.

The device works by providing stimulus to the brain. When the head moves, the compass detects movements and helps the sensors produce electrical stimulus. The impulses are delivered to visual cortex in the brain through implanted electrodes. When trained, rats can use these signals to develop a sense of surroundings.

Researchers said rats trained for two to three days can find their way through mazes when in search of food. They found that blind rats performed as well as normal rats in the maze.

"Their performance levels and navigation strategies were similar to those of normal-sighted, intact rats. Thus, blind rats can recognize self-location through extrinsically provided stereotactic cues," researchers said according to Medical News Today.

Researchers believe that their invention could be used in walking sticks to help blind people. The findings could also pave the way for use of ultrasound waves to restore allocentric sense.