Goggles that could help the blind see have come a step closer to reality . The technology is based on a technique known as 'neuromodulation ' in which electricity from a chip stimulates the nervous system to restore sight . The revolutionary system is being commercialised by French company Pixium Vision , with clinical trials scheduled for 2016 . Scroll down for video . Goggles that could help the blind see have come a step closer to reality . The technology is based on a technique known as 'neuromodulation ' in which electricity stimulates the nervous system to restore sight . A surgeon first implants a small silicon chip with 150 electrodes on the retina . When the patient puts on the system 's dark glasses , an integrated video camera sends images to a portable computer . A connected 'pocket processor ' converts that recording into an infrared image , which the goggles will then beam into the eye . Pulses activate electrodes in the implant , and the optic nerve carries images to the brain . Retinal implants that restore some sight when in the blind are already available , but their quality is n't good enough to work in many real-world conditions . Pixium Vision 's solution , however , claims it has been able to restore the sight of rats to a level equivalent to 20/250 . This would allow the wearer to see the largest line of letters in an opticians test . The company claims it may be able to get its final product to restore vision to 20/120 , which would be a huge leap forward in vision quality . Second Sight , the company that got FDA approval for the first visual prosthesis two years ago , currently offers patients about 20/1300 vision . To use the gadget a surgeon must first implant a small silicon chip with 150 electrodes on the retina . When the patient puts on the system 's dark glasses , an integrated video camera sends images to a portable computer . A surgeon first implants a small silicon chip with 150 electrodes on the retina . When the patient puts on the system 's dark glasses , an integrated video camera sends images to a portable computer . A connected 'pocket processor ' convert that recording into an infrared image , which the goggles will then beam into the eye . A connected 'pocket processor ' converts that recording into an infrared image , which the goggles will then beam into the eye . Pulses activate the electrodes in the implant , and the optic nerve carries the images back to the brain . Following surgery , patients have to train their brains to interpret the new images , which are seen in variations of back , white and grey . A small pilot program to test the system is already underway , with promising results . 'We do n't give them back their sight , but another way of seeing , ' Yannick Le Mer , the surgeon who implanted the system in three of Pixium 's test subjects told Forbes . A new trial of the system is due to begin next year by Australia ’ s Bionic Vision . The cost for the system is expected to be around 100,000 euros ( £72,000 or $ 111,200 ) , plus surgery . A new trial of the system is due to begin next year by Australia ’ s Bionic Vision . The cost for the system is expected to be around 100,000 euros ( £72,000 or $ 111,200 ) , plus surgery .
It is being developed by FDA with trials scheduled for 2016 . A surgeon implants a small silicon chip with 150 electrodes on the retina . An integrated camera on goggles sends images to a portable computer . A 'pocket processor ' converts that recording into an infrared image , which the goggles then beam into the eye .