device is a silicon electrode array may provide a means through which a limited but useful visual sense may be restored to profoundly blind individuals. This shows the development of the first visual prosthesis providing useful "artificial vision" to a blind volunteer by connecting a digital video camera, computer, and associated electronics to the visual cortex of his brain. This device has been the objective of a development effort begun by our group in 1968 and represents realization of the prediction of an artificial vision system made by Benjamin Franklin in his report on the "kite and key" experiment This new visual prosthesis produces black and white display of visual cortex "phosphenes" analogous to the images projected on the light bulb arrays of some sports stadium scoreboards. The system was primarily designed to promote independent mobility, not reading. It has a battery powered, electronic interface that is RF isolated from line currents for safety. This interface can replace the camera, permitting the volunteer to directly watch television and use a computer, including access to the Internet. Because of their potential importance for education, and to help integrate blind people into the workforce, such television, computer, and Internet capabilities may prove even more valuable in the future than independent mobility. First of all passing an electric current through a single electrode into the visual cortex causes a blind subject to see a point of light called a phosphene. The visual scene before the subject will be encoded by miniature video camera attached to a pair of eye glasses. The resulting video signals will be processed by custom circuitry. The processed signals pass across the skull to an array of electrodes implanted in the primary visual cortex. Relaying the electric signals to the cortical implant could be accomplished by two methods- conductive and inductive. In the former connectors are attached to the cranium and provide access to the external circuitry with the later a transformer is formed with one coil under the skin and the other one on the outside. Fig 4.1 Cortical Implant A platinum foil ground plant is perforated with a hexagonal array of 5 mm diameter holes on 3 mm centers, and the flat platinum electrodes centered in
device is a silicon electrode array may provide a means through which a limited but useful visual sense may be restored to profoundly blind individuals. This shows the development of the first visual prosthesis providing useful "artificial vision" to a blind volunteer by connecting a digital video camera, computer, and associated electronics to the visual cortex of his brain. This device has been the objective of a development effort begun by our group in 1968 and represents realization of the prediction of an artificial vision system made by Benjamin Franklin in his report on the "kite and key" experiment This new visual prosthesis produces black and white display of visual cortex "phosphenes" analogous to the images projected on the light bulb arrays of some sports stadium scoreboards. The system was primarily designed to promote independent mobility, not reading. It has a battery powered, electronic interface that is RF isolated from line currents for safety. This interface can replace the camera, permitting the volunteer to directly watch television and use a computer, including access to the Internet. Because of their potential importance for education, and to help integrate blind people into the workforce, such television, computer, and Internet capabilities may prove even more valuable in the future than independent mobility. First of all passing an electric current through a single electrode into the visual cortex causes a blind subject to see a point of light called a phosphene. The visual scene before the subject will be encoded by miniature video camera attached to a pair of eye glasses. The resulting video signals will be processed by custom circuitry. The processed signals pass across the skull to an array of electrodes implanted in the primary visual cortex. Relaying the electric signals to the cortical implant could be accomplished by two methods- conductive and inductive. In the former connectors are attached to the cranium and provide access to the external circuitry with the later a transformer is formed with one coil under the skin and the other one on the outside. Fig 4.1 Cortical Implant A platinum foil ground plant is perforated with a hexagonal array of 5 mm diameter holes on 3 mm centers, and the flat platinum electrodes centered in
91823500-Artificial-Eye.docx