Second Sight retinal prosthesis cleared for sale in Europe, a better one already in development

We'd bother with the obvious, but there's no sense in acting exasperated that this thing is finally shipping -- let's just be glad it didn't take a day longer, shall we? Second Sight, a California-based company aiming to help those with degenerative eye disease by way of technology, has finally seen its flagship product approved for "clinical and commercial use" in Europe. The product is the Argus II, and for all intents and purposes, it's a retinal prosthesis (read: implant) that can at least partially restore lost vision. It works a little like this: patients don the camera-laden glasses, where signals are grabbed and fed wirelessly to a chip implanted near ones retina. The information is beamed to around 60 electrodes that "stimulate retinal cells, producing light in a patient's view." According to Technology Review, "the process works for people with retinitis pigmentosa because the disease damages only the light-sensing photoreceptors, leaving the remaining retinal cells healthy." For now, the $115,000 device will only be available through a smattering of clinics in Switzerland, France and the UK. If all goes well, it'll be actively seeking FDA approval next year for use in the US of A, and a version with way more electrodes shouldn't be too far behind.

Philips doubles up with both passive & active 3D TVs, new Blu-ray players in Europe

We got a peek at what the Philips/Funai combo has in store for North America during CES, but at today's Philips Pulse event in Barcelona it showed off even more of its 2011 plans. Most distinctively, while it's using FPR passive 3D glasses technology (calling it Easy 3D) in some of its new TVs just like LG & Vizio, it will break from those two by continuing to offer active shutter displays as well, branded 3D Max. If your main interest is one of those sweet 21:9 ultrawidescreen displays (pictured above) you can get it either way as a Gold or Platinum series product while the regular 16:9 sets are divided with the 7000 series featuring Easy 3D and 3D Max slotted for higher end 8000 and 9000 series products. All of the TVs mentioned here and higher end (7000, 5000 series) Blu-ray players include Smart TV features which means Net TV apps including catch-up TV where applicable, recording to USB, sharing from media from WiFi-connected devices and the ability to control the device with a Philips app on your iOS or Android phone. Check the press site for more details, model numbers and the like, but there's no word yet on pricing or availability.

Power Knee motorized prosthetic officially available in US, Europe -- race of cyborgs still in infancy

We reported on Ossur's robotic prosthetic back in 2009, and now amputees in Europe and the United States have become the first official recipients of the Power Knee. According to the company, "the world's first and only motor-powered prosthetic knee" was recently approved for reimbursement by the German National Health System, covered by private insurance in France and the UK, and picked up by select healthcare providers in the US. Power Knee combines "artificial intelligence," motion sensors, and wireless communication to learn and adjust to the walking style of its users -- that's one small step for real-life cyborgs and one giant leap for prosthetic technology.

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Amputees Receive Ossur's New POWER KNEE(TM), the World's First Motorized Prosthetic Knee -- Company Marks Significant Commercialization Milestone

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND -- Lower-limb amputees in Europe and the U.S. are among the first to receive the new POWER KNEE, the world's first and only motor-powered prosthetic knee, it was announced today by Össur, a recognized global leader in prosthetic and orthopaedic innovations.

"For four decades, Össur has been developing innovations to help people enjoy lives without limitations," said Jon Sigurdsson, president and CEO. "The new POWER KNEE is the latest extension of Össur's unrivaled Bionic Technology platform, which also includes the industry-leading RHEO KNEE® and PROPRIO FOOT® prostheses."

Össur recently marked a significant milestone in POWER KNEE's commercialization process, with the first reimbursement by the German National Health System, and the first private insurance coverage for POWER KNEE amputees in France and the UK. In the U.S., a select number of prosthetic practices and healthcare institutions also have been certified as POWER KNEE providers.

Conventional prostheses require an amputee to consciously move them by directly engaging the anatomical structures of their remaining limb. In comparison, POWER KNEE is the first prosthetic knee designed to function as an integrated extension of its user, using battery-powered capabilities to address the lost muscle capability and asymmetrical movement often found in people with limb loss.

Like all of Össur's advanced Bionic prostheses, POWER KNEE is a "smart" prosthetic limb. Its integrated artificial intelligence (AI) systems, sophisticated motion sensors and wireless communications capabilities enable POWER KNEE to "learn" its user's walking style and automatically make real-time adjustments based on changes in speed, stride, or terrain. POWER KNEE's early users report that they have been able to conserve energy, more confidently negotiate obstacles and inclines, and cover greater distances than they previously could.