British surgeons using radiation beams to halt macular degeneration
We’ve seen more eyesight restoration efforts than we could easily count, but rather than tooting their horn about some theoretical discovery, boffins at Kings College Hospital in London are actually putting their hard work to use on real, live human brings. The new process, which goes by the name brachytherapy, is a one-off treatment for macular degeneration. In essence, surgeons carefully light up a beam of radiation within the eye for just over three minutes, which kills harmful cells without damaging anything else. A trial is currently underway in order to restore eyesight in some 363 patients, and everything thus far leads us to believe that the process is both safe and effective. As for costs? The procedure currently runs £6,000 ($9,889), but that’s still not awful when you consider that existing treatments involving injections run £800 per month. Hop past the break for a video report.
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British surgeons using radiation beams to halt macular degeneration originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)
While we’re busying ourselves with arguing about how to replace the perfectly usable book gadget, Intel is right to point out that plenty of people, for whatever reason, can’t read at all. Presenting its Reader as a necessity rather than luxury, Intel has shown off its vision for how visually impaired and dyslexic people can obtain access to the written word. Combining a text-scanning camera with a text-to-speech engine (powered by an Atom inside) is certainly no bad idea, but as the video beyond the break will show you, Intel’s execution isn’t exactly stellar. The arrhythmic, robotic reading from Alice In Wonderland left us shaken, but what floored us was the $1,499 asking price. Yes, it’s a customized niche device, but we reckon we could build something similar for a third of the price. Full PR and video after the break.
Continue reading Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Handhelds
Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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