We’ve talked about the Argus II once before back in March, so this will be an update.  Seems that a test group of thirty two blind folks got implanted with Argus IIs, got their cameras and set out to see if they could actually see anything.  The early results are actually very promising, with many of the recipients now able to see shapes and lights.

One recipient, an optical scientist turned lawyer named , who had been sightless for thirty years prior to his receiving an Argus II system, went from thirty years sightless to being able to make out a door in front of him.  Sure, the whole system is pretty low-resolution right now, but that’s how these things start out.  Got to have a cathode tube system before you can get the 1080p plasma, you know.

The company that makes them, Second Sight Medical Products, is trying to get approval to market the devices, which are slated to cost $100,000 each.  Here’s the interesting question: will any insurance plan cover this?

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