2008年11月13日
Tens of thousands of people with severe vision loss are set to benefit after the announcement today of a landmark partnership of world-leading Australian research institutes.
仿生型澳大利亚将追求技术上最先进的仿生之眼的发展，以改善视网膜退行性或遗传性视网膜疾病的视力。
仿生愿景澳大利亚的成员包括University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the Bionic Ear Institute, Centre for Eye Research Australia and the Victoria Research Laboratory of NICTA.
仿生愿景澳大利亚董事长，名誉大卫·彭宁顿（David Penington A.C）教授说，这种合作伙伴关系“汇集了澳大利亚的国际医学仿生学专家，涵盖了开发能够恢复功能远景的安全和技术先进设备所需的许多学科。”
他说：“我们的团队非常有能力进行提供先进的仿生眼的重要研究，这将为患有严重视力和失明的常见原因带来改善的生活质量。”
超过50,000名澳大利亚人严重至深远的视力丧失。严重视力障碍的主要原因是接收光信号的眼睛中细胞的变性或死亡。
据估计，澳大利亚严重和深远的视力损失的成本约为每年3B美元，而且上升。
仿生的眼睛将通过有效替换眼睛中受损的光感应细胞的功能来帮助恢复患者的活动性，独立性和生活质量。
尽管视觉的清晰度和定义不等于正常视线，但该设备将使患者四处走动，检测大物体，并及时阅读文本并识别面部和情感。
Bionic Vision Australia has submitted a detailed plan and funding request to the Australian Government to enable it to undertake the required research and early clinical testing.
The New South Wales and Victoria governments have both provided support to the partnership to enable the development of the detailed plan.
The proposal follows an 18-month feasibility study undertaken by members of the consortium and heightened public interest in the bionic eye, most notably at the recent Australia 2020 Summit where it was flagged as a "big idea" worthy of consideration for Australia to pursue.
Bionic Vision Australia proposes to have its first advanced prototype ready for the first human implant by early 2012 that delivers significant benefits to patients with severe mobility and light perception difficulties.
该设备是新南威尔士大学澳大利亚愿景假体小组在10年内进行研究的结果。
An enhanced second prototype developed at the Victoria Research Laboratory of NICTA could be available for the first human implant by late 2013 and would provide further improved quality of life for patients where image perception is the primary consideration.
“这是澳大利亚增强其在医疗仿生学领导力领导的激动人心的机会，最初是在1970年代在墨尔本的墨尔本开发方面的发展。”和墨尔本大学的电子工程。
"BVA is inspired by the bionic ear experience to build a world-class multi-disciplinary team capable of restoring functional vision to sufferers of inherited and degenerative retinal diseases and thereby make a contribution to addressing the significant cost this disease imposes on the Australian and other economies.
他说：“对健康的影响很大。”