Okay guys, we may not have our jetpacks yet and poverty and war are still serious worldwide issues, but I’m calling it — the future is here! Why? Because the greatest piece of sci-fi technology every conceived has been made a reality. I’m talking of course about Geordi La Forge’s VISOR.
I always eat my dinner too fast because I want to bask in the majesty of the plate underneath.
Israeli scientists have created a new device that essentially hacks into the visual cortex of a patient with congenital blindness, allowing them to “see” again. Put simply, the VISOR-like device gathers visual data through built-in cameras, and then converts it into sound which patients can, with practice, use to create detailed “soundscapes”. Blind patients have shown the ability to identify complex objects and even read using this system. Next step — see if they can successfully vent a breached warp core while wearing the device.
You can check out a picture of this real-life VISOR after the jump…
Eh, pretty cool. I’d prefer it if it was a little more metallic. Also, that model is definitely lacking a certain LeVar Burton-esque charm.