Scientists give blind people ‘sight’ by drawing shapes directly on their brains

UCLA and Baylor researchers have developed a method for drawing symbols, including letter and shapes directly on the human brain using electrical stimulation

Scientists sent patterns of electricity coursing across people’s brains, coaxing their brains to see letters that weren’t there.

The experiment worked in both sighted people and blind participants who had lost their sight in adulthood. Patients described seeing glowing spots or lines forming the letters.

The new process bypasses the human eye and the optic nerve and uses electricity to stimulate implanted electrodes at the visual cortex, located in the back of the brain.

It works through dynamic stimulation, meaning instead of sending stimulation in the shape of a completely formed letter, the researchers trace the letter directly on the brain in real-time.

More advanced versions of these implants could work similarly to cochlear implants, which stimulate nerves of the inner ear with electrodes to help enhance the wearer’s hearing ability.