h a l f b a k e r yNot so much a thought experiment as a single neuron misfire.
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In the back of your eyes is a photosensitive
surface known as the retina. The center of your
retina is not photosensitive, however, since it is
actually the outer end of your optic nerve -- this
is why everyone has a "blind spot" in the center
of their vision. (your brain filters around the
blind
spot so that you don't really notice it)
My idea is to place a very very miniaturized CCD
camera-on-a-chip directly over the blind spot.
Because the camera would be directly in the
center of your eye, it would always be pointed
directly at whatever you are looking at. On the
other hand, because it would only cover an area
of the retina that is "blind" anyway, it would not
interfere with normal vision. Of course, it would
have to be quite small, and installed very
carefully, so as not to accidentally damage the
eye or the optic nerve.
Once installed, this camera would be useful any
time you want to take pictures without anyone
knowing that you are doing so. James Bond
would probably order two. Anyone who is
worried about getting mugged could use it to
take surreptitious photos of their assailants. Real
estate agents and secret service spooks would
also find it useful.
Ways of getting the images out of the camera
(wireless RF? Infrared?) and ways of triggering
the capture of an image (blink twice? tap secret
tooth button?) are all open to discussion.
Note that such cameras are already being
developed for blind people -- the difference is
that this camera would be used by normally
sighted people as well, and must not interfere
with normal vision.
Blind spot and other thigs about eyes.
http://faculty.wash...udler/chvision.html
From the University of Washington. [st3f, Apr 10 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]
The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe
http://www-2.cs.cmu...review/conmort.html
Half-baked, in sci-fi at least, many years ago. [8th of 7, Oct 04 2004]
In the oven right now...
http://www.popsci.c...967,1063898,00.html
[zen_tom, Jul 04 2005]
[link]
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Maybe you could also utilize the earlobes, tonsils and appendix to produce a well rounded media product. |
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I'm not sure I like the idea of a radio transmitter in my head. Nor the idea of IR beams flying out of my eyeballs. How about a FlashRAM slot in the forehead or something like that? |
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Hell, if you could do this, I'd like to hook up that CCD to my visual cortex so I can 'see' through it in real time. |
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That blind spot is a curse for those of us who are naked eye amateur astronomers (very amateur). One cannot look directly at a star and get any useful detail - you have to look off to one side just slightly. |
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What is wrong with shooting IR beam out of your eye? As a matter fact, make it more powerful and cut steel with them. You are half way to Superman or SuperWoman. (How come they haven't changed it to SuperPerson?) |
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Cute idea. I feel the need to get all pedantic, though. |
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The blind spot is not in the centre of the retina - it is off to one side and you hardly notice it. |
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The night vision problem is because the colour receptors (which work badly in low light conditions) are concentrated at the centre of the retina whereas the low-light receptors (which are almost monochromatic) are more concentrated around the edge. |
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Your peripheral vision is therefore better at night than your central vision. You can demonstrate this by finding a dim star at night that you can see when you look at a neighbouring star but which disappears when you look directly at it. |
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The blind spot can be found as per the link. |
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Yeah. I do appreciate the
sights of thighs, all I can
google with mine own eyes.
But you've spelt "thighs"
incorrectly there, saint threef. |
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I have it on good authority that in early mammals, the blind spot was where our long-ago ancestors' camera implants were implanted. One in each eye permitted both binocular vision and a form of error correction peculiar to the alien technology employed. |
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Now that the aliens have moved on (a small population still resides near the Camden Lock in London, England) mammals are no longer being implanted, but the blind spot remains, as a vestigial reminder of our heritage. |
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<obligatory "I thought it said..."> ...rectal. |
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Could make for some interesting viewing. |
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"Momma, lookkit dis! I found your ring, momma" |
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