Vision restoration to people with long-term blindness using the brain-computer interface technology: A sociotechnical research framework to improve usefulness for users
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Na stiahnutie
Dátum
2026
Názov časopisu
ISSN časopisu
Názov zväzku
Vydavateľ
Dove Medical Press : Londýn
ISBN
ISSN
1177-889X
Abstrakt
Invasive and non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) represent a promising technology for treating various diseases and disabilities. BCI-based invasive solutions also include visual prostheses. Currently, there is rapid development of cortical prostheses and bold statements, eg, about the potential of Neuralink’s experimental neuroprosthetic Blindsight to restore vision. However, questions arise about the usefulness of such solutions for people with long-term blindness, considering other compensatory aids and referring to the empirical basis of cases where vision has been successfully restored surgically in the past. These cases reveal that biological restoration of sight does not guarantee functional vision. Moreover, technological limitations, such as low-resolution phosphene-based vision, individual variability or postoperative complications, reduce usability and usefulness for potential users. Therefore, we draw on literature on visual prostheses, documented cases of vision restoration, and employ a sociotechnical approach used in design science to discuss aspects that influence the usefulness of the vision restoration to people with long-term blindness, with emphasis on cortical prostheses. This approach emphasises the need to include or inscribe social values into designed BCI solutions to reveal what people with blindness need and what can be achieved with current technology. Research on user values and needs must shape the visual prostheses design, and their functions must be helpful to the user and synergistically complement his or her sociotechnical context (eg, interacting with other used aids and smart environments, or supporting needed social skills). Sociotechnical research can guide iterative design, improve future user acceptance and adoption, align prosthetic development with real-life needs, and prevent users from reverting to life with blindness due to cognitive overload or poor functional adaptation. Thus, we call for systematic and long-term sociotechnical research, which is lacking in this area. For this purpose, a relevant sociotechnical research framework and future research agenda are presented.
Popis
In: Patient Preference and Adherence. Londýn : Dove Medical Press, 2026. ISSN 1177-889X. Vol. 20 (2026), pp. 1-25.
Kľúčové slová
systémy človek-stroj, human-machine systems, informatika, informatics, osoby so zrakovým postihnutím, poruchy zraku, vision disorders
Výstup z projektu
ARIS P5-0399 Internetové raziskovanje
Citácia
Práva a licenčné podmienky
CC BY-NC Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess