--- title: "Bionic Eyes Give Sheep Sight, Heading to Humans Next" description: "A team of researchers gave sheep vastly improved vision, using bionic eyes surgically implanted behind their retinas. The same could work in humans." date: "2022-02-14" modified: "2022-02-14" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/bionic-eyes-sheep-humans" categories: - "Health & Medicine" - "Prosthetics and Devices" tags: - "bionic eyes" - "sheep" --- # Bionic Eyes Give Sheep Sight, Heading to Humans Next ![A team of researchers gave sheep vastly improved vision, using bionic eyes surgically implanted behind their retinas. The same could work in humans.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* The [*BBC* reports]() that a team of Australian researchers gave a small flock of sheep "exceptionally sharp eyesight" — at least for sheep — using bionic eyes surgically implanted behind their retinas. The idea behind the wooly experiment was to make sure the implants didn't cause undesirable side effects. Now, the team from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales say they've filed paperwork to start human trials — a striking step toward the type of bionic eyesight we've glimpsed in Star Trek via the character [Geordi La Forge](). "There were no unexpected reactions from the tissue around the device, and we expect it could remain in place for many years," University of Sydney biomedical engineer Samuel Eggenberger told the *BBC*. The device, dubbed Phoenix 99, works by wirelessly relaying a camera feed from a small camera attached to a pair of sunglasses in the form of electric signals directly to the wearer's retinas, according to the *BBC*'s reporting. These signals then get processed by the optical nerve and sent into the brain. Experts believe bionic eyes like the Phoenix 99 could become commonplace in a matter of years. According to one 2021 [market research report]() surfaced by the *BBC*, the industry could be worth over $400 million by 2028. There are several other companies working on similar bionic eye systems, including [Second Sight]() and the [Monash Vision Group](), also based out of Australia. Another France-based company called Pixium Vision is also [testing its retina implant-based system]() in humans. For now, the systems are still exceedingly expensive, with some going for more than $100,000. And to date, the actual sight provided by the devices remains rather limited. "I have no doubt that the technology has transformed the lives of patients who have been lucky enough to receive these implants," New Jersey-based ophthalmologist Diane Hilal-Campo told the *BBC*. "Currently, however, the technology is limited, only allowing for the perception of light and shadows, and, to some extent, shapes." But that could soon change as more companies are working on finding ways to restore the vision of the visually impaired. **READ MORE:** [Bionic eye tech aims to help blind people see]() \[*BBC*\] **More on bionic eyes:** *[Doctors Are Preparing to Implant the World's First Human Bionic Eye]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()