Eye and ear on bionics

The University of NSW will host a new bionics research institute aimed at developing and commercialise a bionic eye.

The Centre for Implantable Bionics, expected to be up and running next year, will also conduct research into refining bionic hearing devices and artificial heart technologies, as well as electronic stimulation technology for people with paralysis.

The centre will be funded by UNSW, the state government, industry and philanthropic donations.

The university is currently conducting an international search for the inaugural Paul M Trainor Chair in Biomedical Engineering.

One of the centre's first projects will be a collaboration on the commercialisation of a bionic eye, one of the goals identified during the 2020 Summit in Canberra earlier this year.

The university's Advanced Vision Prosthesis Group has been working on a bionic eye since 1997.

Victoria will play host to a medical bionics conference in November, devised and organised by the Bionic Ear Institute.

The Medical Bionics - a new paradigm for human health conference will be held in Lorne from November 16 to 19 and is hoped will attract bionics researchers from around the world.