Bionic Eye: Wireless Cortical Vision Prosthesis

The term “Bionic Eye” referes to a device to help the blind who lost their vision due to diseases like retinitis pigmentosa or macular degeneration.

Prof. Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld, (Senior Neurosurgeon, Alfred Hospital and Professor of Surgery, Monash University), and his team has reported on the effective bionic vision results with his team. New development of “Bionic Eye”, using a brain prosthesis, wireless device interface with brain response.

Figure 1. Schematic of cortical vision prosthesis system in bionic eye [1].

The technical word ‘bionic’ was pointed by Maj. Jack E. Steele (1958), Air Force - US. Bionic is an interdisciplinary sharable word from life science (biology) and engineer science (electronics) sectors. Engineers have created a new device to support physically challenged people do chores like normal people [2].

In 1970, Bionic was famous with TV series by “The Bionic Woman” and “The Six Million Dollar Man”, highlighted about the various super human intelligent powers by design of electromechanical implants. In 1995, researcher have crossed the analogic cellular neural network (CNN) pattern in human organ with the following facts,

The biological aspects of the retinal function (the retinal universe).
The CNN paradigm and the CNN universal machine engineering architecture.
The general outlines of retinal modeling in CNN.

Before going to the current updates of title, we need to clear that the CNN implementation of rentia models and bionic retina. Hence, we can understand the CNN model architecture is necessary consistent, which relates our biological structural systems by knowing the answers of these following questions [3].

A functional analysis report from retina to brain:

Why the human retina has been separated from the brain section?
What kind of transformations takes place in the human retina?
How are they accomplished and what forms of information finally emerge from the retina to supply the human brain with the signals that allow us to perceive the extreme richness of the visual world?

F. Werblin et al., was found out the analogic CNN bionic eye described here opens up new various model possibilities for artificial way of sensory processing. In addition, interesting one is the ‘front end’ of a digital camera, as a prosthetic device designed to simulate human retinal output, detecting and interpreting a variety of current visual objects. By using artificial analogic algorithms in combination, we cannot only detect but also begin to interpret the present world through these neuromorphic artificial senses.

S.L. Ananthu Suresh discussed about the Bionic Eye Technology, that bionic eye is a human visual prosthesis that support to blind restore functional vision. These technical device parts are the combination of two area (exterior and interior) components. During the fixation of the components, we need to do surgery only for interior component. The evolutionary researches are growing on to create new devices with (i) Artificial Silicon Retina (ASR) and (ii) Multiple-unit Artificial Retina Chipset (MARC) system [4]. The hopeful technology will supported to blind people, they can also realize with clear and identifiable images in present technical world.

Nowik et al, researcher from Poland identify the following updates in Bionic eye senario. Two devices have reached the final stage – the Argus II and Alpha IMS. Some hardware limitations of bionic eye implants has been resolved. Software is also an important component of a successful bionic eye system [5].

W. Liu (The founder of Argus II retinal prosthesis system) said that “More the microchips you have higher the resolution of the image. Eventually the ability to see colors can be added”.

Luo et al., Advaced treatment for Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), it represented a group of hereditary outer retinal degenerative human diseases (one baby is affected in 4000 live births in worldwide sensex).

Only treatment option to these kind of patients are:

Argus® II retinal prosthesis system approved (Second Sight Medical Product, Inc., Sylmar), which received CE (Conformité Européenne) marking in March 2011 and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in February 2013.
Alpha-IMS followed and received CE marking in July 2013.

Researchers are insisted the mechanism and stages of the retinal prosthetic system, specifically noted with visual prostheses (image capture, light waves, number of electrodes, field of vision site of stimuli, visual processing, status), optic nerve head prostheses and cortical prostheses. He has concluded and opened the new research area of retinal therapy with future directions [6].

Only very few selected groups (Australia, Canada, USA, and Spain) are interested to aware and searching alternate resource for cortical visual prostheses, and clinical trials. Approaches with electrode implantation and stimulation pathway are highlighted. Here, they discussed the common principles of visual prostheses applying electrical stimulation of the visual pathways, concentrating on the retina and visual cortex as the two extensively studied stimulation sites [7].

A key point to both retinal and cortical implants is maximizing central phosphene resolution and thus visual acuity, via the implantation of small, densely packed electrodes in either the macula in the retina, or occipital pole of the cerebral cortex. The research problems, benefits and outcomes are based on the detail of retinal visual prosthesis implantations and cortical visual prosthesis implantations. Here, limitations of electrode concepts with causing phosphene fusion and electrode surface area and electrode damage.

Novel approaches of Japanese scientists for stimulation itself, new way for interfacing the following two: (i) neural tissue and (ii) conventional electrodes (via microelectromechanical substrate) are being newly developed. Even though several cortical devices are being created, for which first-in-human trials may be conducted in the near future.

Recent team work of Rosenfeld et al., was according to them, this is the world's first identification in bionic eye research. The bionic eye designated 'Gennaris bionic vision system' , which is investigated for the biological response to a wireless cortical vision prosthesis (Gennaris array). This identification was also biological response, that long-term stimulation through wireless arrays. They concluded that, “We address the first such test, by implanting three sheep with multiple active and passive implants”.

Figure 2. An image of the implantation procedure where craniotomies were performed in both hemispheres [1].

Our SNB Team recommended this research article to help the reader to know about the Bionic Eye research areas timely for developing research: Improvement in retinal visual prosthesis implantations and cortical visual prosthesis implantations depends on the quality of following: (i) improving visual resolution, (ii) the visual field, (iii) developing an accurate neural code for image processing and (iv) the biocompatibility of the device to ensure longevity. It also recommended these device work development and support to help for the blind peoples. Artificial, electronic retinal and prosthetic vision research is an affordable one and best remedy to our blind peoples.

References

J.V. Rosenfeld et al., J. Neural Eng. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/ab9e1c\ (2020 ).

R. R. Roth, Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. Johns Hopkins University Press 26, 229 (1983).

Franch werblin et al.,, Int J Circ Theor app, 23, 541, (1995).

S. L. Suresh, ijresm, 3, 386. ISSN (Online): 2581 (2020).

K. Nowik et al., J. Clin. Neurosci.78, 8, (2020).

Y. H. L. Luo et al., British Medical Bulletin, 109, 31 (2014).

P. M. Lewis et al., ANZJ. Surg. 86, 654 (2016).

Blog Written By

Dr. K. Rajkumar

Central University of Tamil Nadu,

Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India.

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