20 October, 2011

"Stars", will help to see the light?

Perhaps, any of us tested on itself such phenomenon as «sparks from eyes». For this purpose low enough to bend down, and then sharply to be unbent. In a science these "asterisks" are called phosphenes. (USA) were engaged in their detailed studying in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the first results of researches has shared NewScientist.

Earlier it was possible to learn that phosphenes — visual sensations which arise without light participation, it is possible to cause by means of a magnetic field, chemical substances, electricity influence on a certain site of a brain.
To learn the sizes and colour phosphene, researchers have made experiment on macaques. To start animals two points on the screen monitor have taught to distinguish on the size, and to show big of them. Further it in a primary visual bark of a brain implanted electrodes through which gave an electric signal. As a result, macaques two points continued to see: one on the monitor screen, and another was produced by their brain, even when on the monitor there was only one point.
After that animals continued to show, where see the big point, and scientists watched a sight direction – it moves towards the imaginary or real image.
Thus, for example, it was possible to find out that phosphenes happen the diversified colours, in particular, pink, yellow, blue, green. The place with which they occupy in a visual picture, is limited to 9-26 angular minutes.
In the long term these researches will help with creation of artificial limbs for blind people who also can see phosphenes. Scientists hope to think up a way as with the help phosphenes to display real visions.

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