Zrenner, Eberhart and Bartz-Schmidt, Karl Ulrich and Benav, Heval and Besch, Dorothea and Bruckmann, Anna and Gabel, Veit-Peter and Gekeler, Florian and Greppmaier, Udo and Harscher, Alex and Kibbel, Steffen and Koch, Johannes and Kusnyerik, Akos and Peters, Tobias and Stingl, Katarina and Sachs, Helmut and Stett, Alfred and Szurman, Peter and Wilhelm, Barbara and Wilke, Robert (2011) Subretinal electronic chips allow blind patients to read letters and combine them to words. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 278 (1711). pp. 1489-1497. ISSN 0962-8452,
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
A light-sensitive, externally powered microchip was surgically implanted subretinally near the macular region of volunteers blind from hereditary retinal dystrophy. The implant contains an array of 1500 active microphotodiodes ('chip'), each with its own amplifier and local stimulation electrode. At the implant's tip, another array of 16 wire-connected electrodes allows light-independent direct stimulation and testing of the neuron-electrode interface. Visual scenes are projected naturally through the eye's lens onto the chip under the transparent retina. The chip generates a corresponding pattern of 38 x 40 pixels, each releasing light-intensity-dependent electric stimulation pulses. Subsequently, three previously blind persons could locate bright objects on a dark table, two of whom could discern grating patterns. One of these patients was able to correctly describe and name objects like a fork or knife on a table, geometric patterns, different kinds of fruit and discern shades of grey with only 15 per cent contrast. Without a training period, the regained visual functions enabled him to localize and approach persons in a room freely and to read large letters as complete words after several years of blindness. These results demonstrate for the first time that subretinal micro-electrode arrays with 1500 photodiodes can create detailed meaningful visual perception in previously blind individuals.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | ISOLATED CHICKEN RETINA; ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION; VISUAL PERFORMANCE; PROSTHESIS; IMPLANTS; VISION; PIGMENTOSA; INFORMATION; RESPONSES; ARRAY; subretinal neuro-prosthetics; retinal implant; retinitis pigmentosa; blindness; artificial vision; bionic vision |
| Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Augenheilkunde |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Jun 2020 08:46 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Jun 2020 08:46 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/20804 |
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