Prosthetic Eyes | Ana Plastics - Center for Custom Prosthetics

ANAPlastics Inc. Prosthetic Eyes

Losing any part of your body can be a devastating experience, but once you’re over it, it’s time to move on. That’s exactly what Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence is doing. He lost an eye in a shooting accident when he was a young boy. The damage was so severe that the eye had to be completely removed when he was older.

Now though, he is planning on fitting a digital camera into a prosthetic eye and wearing it. The device would be battery powered and would send the signals wirelessly so he could record what he saw. The eye wouldn’t be connected to his brain in any way, but recorded traditionally on disk.

The documentary filmmaker intends on making a piece about surveillance in society using the camera to highlight the increased amount of surveillance by the state and the ever reducing rights to privacy.

The entire premise of the film is to show people that there are hundreds of miniature cameras all over the world that records people’s faces and movements every day without them knowing. That’s as well as traditional surveillance techniques like CCTV and ATM cameras.

The use of this technology is regarded by some as an infringement of their human rights. They don’t know who or what is taking their pictures, or what happens to them afterwards. Most people don’t even know they are being watched.

He is currently working with MIT wearable computer guru Steve Mann to find and develop the technology to fit everything into something the size of an eye. Once complete Rob intends on making the film and recording peoples natural reactions to situations. He says that people put on an act around traditional cameras, so he wants to film people when they don’t know they are being filmed.

This approach will record how people really are in a given situation, rather than how they want the camera to see them. I would be a good research tool for sociologists around the world when they get to hear of it.

Rob said he will get the permission of those filmed once the sequence is complete. He hopes to gain enough footage to be able to offer a commentary of us in our everyday guise and how we change for the camera.

The work is still in the preparation stage at the moment. The technology has still to be finalized. Once it is though, it should be a good watch.

Rob’s ability to turn his need for a prosthetic eye into something positive for his filmmaking career is testament to his fortitude and courage. For the sake of his self-confidence I hope it goes well.