Blinded soldier helping scientists develop BrainPort

Three years ago, Craig Lundberg was blinded following a fierce firefight in Iraq.

However, like a true soldier, he is working to help other troops who have lost their sight at war.

He is working with scientists in the US on a project called BrainPort, a sensory device which is placed on the tongue and helps those who have been blinded to get an idea of what is in front of them.

It involves wearing a pair of shades which have a lead that is attached to the tongue.

Visual information is then collected via a camera in the glasses and sent down the cable as gentle electrical stimulation patterns, giving Craig a good idea of what’s in front of him.

He said: "I don’t have to touch anything, or feel anything or be guided. I can visualise things on my own just by wearing these glasses. It is absolutely fantastic."

Meanwhile, Ben Parkinson, the UK’s most seriously injured soldier, recently revealed to the Daily Mirror all the help and support he has received from the Army Benevolent Fund Soldier’s Charity and thanked them for helping get his life back on track.

Posted by Samantha Thompson