HE CAN read large letters at a distance, walk around objects without bumping
into them and even surf the Net. Not so remarkable—until you realise the
62-year-old is blind. His abilities come from a pair of electronic glasses and a
brain implant inserted 23 years ago.
Using retinal implants, some patients have been able to see images generated by computers
(New Scientist, 7 November 1998, p 23),
but “Jerry” is thought to be the first blind person to “see” the world in real time. His vision
system, developed over 30 years at the Dobelle Institute in New York, takes…
