This rare mineral found in China can help restore vision
What's the story
A team of scientists has used a rare mineral, mostly found in China, to create an artificial retina.
The innovative device not only restored vision in blind animals but also gave them "super vision" - the ability to see infrared light.
The breakthrough holds immense potential for treating human blindness, researchers say.
Study details
Restored vision in blind mice and a monkey
The research, led by Wang Shuiyuan from Fudan University's College of Integrated Circuits and Micro-Nano Electronics, was published in the journal Science.
The study detailed how the mineral tellurium was used to develop nanowire implants in a biocompatible device.
This device managed to successfully restore vision in genetically blind mice and a monkey while also enabling them to see "invisible" light.
Mineral characteristics
Why tellurium?
Tellurium, a silver-white colored element as rare as platinum, is a by-product of copper refining.
It has exceptional photoelectric properties that allow it to convert visible light and infrared radiation into electrical energy without any auxiliary equipment.
This unique characteristic makes tellurium an ideal candidate for replacing the photoreceptor cells in the retina, and transmitting converted electrical signals from light to the brain.
Results
A look at the tests
In comparison to normal mice, the ones with implants fared better at pattern recognition, and during behavioral tests were able to find LED lights.
Also, after testing with infrared light that is invisible to normal mice, the scientists confirmed that blind mice implanted with the device had a higher correct response rate to near-infrared light, in comparison to normal as well as untreated blind mice.