Researchers at the University of Arizona and University of Tübingen have made a breakthrough in retinal implant technology that could help people who have lost their sight see more than just light and vague shapes.
Wolfgang Fink, an associate professor in the UA departments of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering, is researching new implant design and methods of electrical stimulation of the retina that will enable retinal implants to produce much clearer images.
Fink conducted the research jointly with Erich Schmid, professor emeritus of theoretical atomic and nuclear physics at the University of Tübingen, Germany. Fink will present the team’s findings in San Diego during the Nov. 6-8, 2013 IEEE International Conference on Neural Engineering, organized by the Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society.
Only a handful of companies and research institutions worldwide are developing retinal implants, which stimulate surviving retinal cells in people who have lost their sight due to common degenerative diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Implant patients can usually detect the presence of light, but the images they perceive are very low resolution.
“Current technologies and methods are far behind what can be done,” said Fink, who is working with Tech Launch Arizona to patent the new technology and license it to retinal implant developers.
The conference presentations – “Simultaneous vs. Sequential and Unipolar vs. Multipolar Stimulation in Retinal Prostheses” and “Electric Stimulation of Neurons and Neural Networks in Retinal Prostheses” – will reflect the team’s view that implants on the market don’t work, and will propose new methods for achieving higher resolution images so implant patients can see in greater detail.
The low-level visual acuity currently achievable, Fink said, enables implant patients to make out white stripes on a black computer screen, or to distinguish between white objects such as a cup and a plate on a black background in a darkened room. “But only if the patients are told in advance that they are to choose between a cup and a plate,” Fink said.
The level of restored vision the research team thinks is achievable, using its discoveries, is for an implant patient to be able to make out a bird flying in the sky. To accomplish that level of detail, the team’s novel method of electrical stimulation uses microsecond pulses, on-chip counter-electrodes, and controlled firing of electrodes to shape the electrical field.
The technology of retinal implants
Retinal implants consist of an array of electrodes that are activated – either by light entering the eye or by a signal from a camera mounted outside the eye – to emit electric fields, which in turn stimulate retinal cells that send signals to the brain.
In an attempt to achieve greater resolution, some companies are developing implants with more densely packed electrodes while maintaining the array’s same small footprint. Just adding more electrodes, however, is not the answer, Fink said, stressing that without the stimulation methodology he and Schmid propose, the vision achievable with hundreds or even thousands of electrodes would be no better than that achieved using tens of electrodes.
“Stimulation methodology is what achieves the improved vision, not electrode density,” Fink said.
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Retinal implants
- Raghav Chadha To Have Eye Surgery In London, Saurabh Bhardwaj On AAP MP's Absence
Raghav Chadha one of the senior AAP leaders and Rajya Sabha MP is to undergo vitrectomy surgery in United Kingdom. The surgery is to prevent eye's retinal detachment which if untreated could result ...
- AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Raghav Chadha: 'Had major eye surgery in UK, condition was serious'
Saurabh Bharadwaj further mentioned that as soon as Chadha's condition gets better, he will come back to India and join the party for campaigning.
- Ocugen Announces OCU400—Modifier Gene Therapy—Phase 1/2 Data Presentation at Retinal Cell and Gene Therapy Innovation Summit 2024
The OCU400 Phase 3 liMeliGhT clinical trial is currently underway and on track to meet the Company’s 2026 BLA and MAA approval targets. Between the U.S. and EU, nearly 300,000 people are affected by ...
- Former Adelaide Crows captain Rory Sloane announces retirement
In a statement the club said Rory Sloane made "the difficult decision" in the best interests of his long-term health, following a second rout of surgery on a detached retina earlier this year.
- Astigmatism and Vision Correction: What to Know
In astigmatism, the cornea (the clear dome that covers your eye) or the lens (which focuses light rays on the light-sensitive retina) is abnormally shaped. Wearing contact lenses or glasses that ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Retinal implants
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Retinal implants” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Functional electrical stimulation
- Neurosoft’s Dr Nicholas Vachicouras on the evolution of neurological rehabilitation
Combining recorded brain data with electrical muscle stimulation could open new doorways for neurorehabilitation.
- Should Lifeward (LFWD) be in Your Portfolio Ahead of Q1 Earnings?
Lifeward's (LFWD) first-quarter 2024 results are expected to reflect the benefits of several milestone achievements from last year.
- Brain microdisplay: New device maps brain in real-time during surgery
The device combines LEDs and an electrode grid to light up the brain during surgery. It will provide surgeons with real-time visual guidance.
- Vietnam Urinary Incontinence Devices Market Elevating Expectations The Upward Trajectory of Future Market Size
Report Ocean’s latest analysis delves into the “Vietnam Urinary Incontinence Devices Market” Report from 2024 to 2032, covering an array of market facets such as characteristics, size, growth, ...
- Global Functional Electrical Stimulation Industry
Global Functional Electrical Stimulation Industry projects a 4.1% CAGR to US$ 931.4 Million by 2033, driven by spinal cord injury prevalence ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Functional electrical stimulation
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Functional electrical stimulation” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]