Microelectronic Array for Stimulation of Retinal Tissue
Abstract
The development of a high-resolution retinal prosthesis device at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) was first discussed in the late 1990s. At that time, NRL researchers and Office of Naval Research (ONR) Science Officers were studying the topic: "Image Processing: What Can We Learn from the Retina?" It had long been recognized that the retina must perform remarkable image processing functions, yet neuroscientists had only a limited understanding of the systemic mechanisms. ONR felt that studying retinal mechanisms could provide valuable inspiration for new algorithms and low-power analog designs for microelectronic circuitry in future electro-optical imaging arrays. Although "smart focal plane arrays" had been of great interest to the electro-optical community, traditional digital image processing was far too power-hungry to integrate into a focal plane array. Analog ("retina-like") processing might provide new methods that would allow computationally intensive algorithms to be performed in parallel while dissipating only small amounts of power. ONR had also been discussing related topics with the Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute of Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The JHU team was not only interested in retinal processing mechanisms, but was performing some interesting experiments that were aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of a retinal prosthesis-namely, electrically stimulating retinal cells and analyzing the perceived effects in blind human subjects. It was this overlapping mutual interest in the retina that led NRL researchers to propose the use of advanced DoD technologies for a revolutionary new neural-electronic interface for both a retinal prosthesis and for advanced retinal studies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA524784
Entities
People
- D. Ilg
- D. Scribner
- Frank Keith Perkins
- J. Friebele
- J. Peele
- L. Wasserman
- Lee J Johnson
- Perry Skeath
- R. Klein
- W. Bassett
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory