{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Blindsight","title":"Fireworks in Your Eyeballs (Some Assembly Required)","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/3fb27a8e\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3468,"description":"Bill Lundgren interviews Lily Turkstra, a PhD researcher at UC Santa Barbara, on the realities of visual prostheses. They unpack who qualifies, what “seeing” with phosphenes is like, how training works, and why expectation-setting and mental health support are critical. Takeaways: current implants provide rudimentary perception, not natural vision; outcomes vary; support systems and rehab matter; independence gains are possible but individualized; clinicians and families must align on expectations. \n\nContact Info\n\nGuest resources: bionic-vision.org (lab hub), bionicvision.org (lab site)\n\nAftersight: (720) 712-8856 • feedback@aftersight.org\n • aftersight.org\n\nProducer: Jonathan Price • jonathan@aftersight.org\n\nShow Credits\n\nHost: Bill Lundgren\nGuest: Lily, PhD researcher, UCSB (Bionic Vision)\nProducer: Jonathan Price\nEditor/Mix: Aftersight Audio Team\nA production of Aftersight\n\nChapter Markers\n\n00:00 — Why prosthetics in blindness matters\n01:10 — Guest intro: Lily’s path to bionic vision\n02:22 — From auditory perception to NASA to face blindness\n03:40 — Who qualifies for visual implants\n05:05 — Argus II and early devices\n07:06 — What users actually “see”: phosphenes\n08:20 — Learning a new visual language\n09:30 — Daily-life integration vs lab outcomes\n10:45 — Setting expectations for users and families\n12:05 — Trade-offs: adaptation vs frustration\n14:10 — What recognition is possible today\n15:30 — Rehab and training workflows\n16:37 — Practical home practice examples\n18:10 — Community, altruism, and trial motivation\n19:45 — Device limits vs “personal failure”\n21:23 — External pressure and mental health\n22:40 — “Change your life” claims, defined\n23:51 — Independence as the real metric\n25:10 — Measuring success outside the lab\n27:10 — Family dynamics and letting go\n30:01 — Finding peers and support\n32:18 — Access barriers and consistency of care\n34:25 — Integrating the device back into life\n36:30 — Therapy and anxiety considerations\n38:48 — Pre-implant psychological...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/A8C9JGNU5UI2p2zaKFeLOzFo1TOdq76dG54TzkOTCT4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mMmE5/YzFhYzk5ZmMwOTRm/YjM1NTEwZGRkMTk5/MjkzYi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}