When people are born blind, do they have any concept of vision? And when blindness occurs either in childhood or later on in life, can their visual experiences continue, but in a different way?
The brain is an incredible organ that holds many secrets. Recently, scientists have discovered that the brain’s visual cortex – the centre responsible for vision – does not shut down when someone becomes blind. In a blog post by Janet Shaw Choosing Blindness Over Sight the function of the visual cortex in a blind person is discussed and compared with Janet’s personal experience of seeing as a blind person.
The ABC Radio National’s ‘All in the Mind’ program referred to in Janet’s blog broadcast a two part series last month called ‘The Blind Brain’. It includes a discussion on artificial vision and what it might look like in the future. We intend exploring this further, and bringing you current research trends and an idea of what artificial vision might look like in the future.
One Response
Hi Paul,
I was surfing U Tube a few weeks ago especailly about a boy named Ben Underwood and came across a research project about seeing with your tongue whcih is comples to explain but an interesting section.
I think the blog is called ‘seeing with your tongue’
Kind Regards
Nicole Abbott
(Mum to Jayde)