Hybrid retinal stimulation device, and operating method thereof, and a recording medium

Abstract

A hybrid retinal stimulation device and a method of operating the same are disclosed. The hybrid retinal stimulation device may include: a glass substrate having a through hole formed therein to provide electrical stimulation and optical stimulation to retinal cells; a multi-channel stimulation electrode disposed in the through hole of the glass substrate to provide the electrical stimulation to the retinal cells; a multi-channel recording electrode disposed in the through hole of the glass substrate at a position spaced apart from the multi-channel stimulation electrode at a certain distance to measure a neural response signal generated in the retinal cells; a micro-LED array disposed below the glass substrate to provide the optical stimulation to the retinal cells between the multi-channel stimulation electrode and the multi-channel recording electrode; and a controller that controls the synchronization of the electrical stimulation and the optical stimulation by independently controlling the operation of the multi-channel stimulation electrode and the micro-LED array.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The following disclosure relates to a hybrid retinal stimulation device that stimulates retinal cells by combining electrical and optical stimulation, and a method of operation thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are diseases in which vision gradually declines due to the progressive loss of photoreceptor cells in the retina and can ultimately lead to blindness.

[0003] Electrical stimulation-based retinal prosthetics and optogenetics technologies have been studied for the treatment of such retinal degenerative diseases. Electrical stimulation-based retinal prosthetics is a technique that induces artificial vision by attaching electrodes to the retina and applying electrical stimulation; however, there has been a problem in that high-resolution visual restoration is difficult due to limitations in spatial resolution caused by interference between stimulation electrodes.

[0004] Furthermore, optogenetics is a technique that induces neural activity by expressing photoreceptor proteins in retinal cells and then irradiating them with light of a specific wavelength; however, since high-intensity light is required for effective stimulation, there was a problem involving the risk of retinal tissue damage.

[0005] The information described above may be provided as related art for the purpose of aiding understanding of the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the foregoing may be applied as prior art related to the present disclosure. The problem to be solved

[0006] The present disclosure may provide a hybrid retinal stimulation device and a method of operation thereof that enables more efficient and safe retinal stimulation by precisely synchronizing electrical and optical stimulation to retinal cells.

[0007] However, technical challenges are not limited to the technical challenges described above, and other technical challenges may exist. means of solving the problem

[0008] A hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment may include: a glass substrate having a through hole formed therein to provide electrical stimulation and optical stimulation to retinal cells; a multi-channel stimulation electrode disposed in the through hole of the glass substrate to provide the electrical stimulation to the retinal cells; a multi-channel recording electrode disposed in the through hole of the glass substrate at a certain distance from the multi-channel stimulation electrode to measure a neural response signal generated in the retinal cells; a micro-LED array disposed below the glass substrate to provide the optical stimulation to the retinal cells between the multi-channel stimulation electrode and the multi-channel recording electrode; and a controller that controls the synchronization of the electrical stimulation and the optical stimulation by independently controlling the operation of the multi-channel stimulation electrode and the micro-LED array.

[0009] The above controller is created based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and can operate as a master device.

[0010] The above controller can communicate with one or more slave devices using SPI (serial peripheral interface) communication and individually control a stimulation electrode that provides electrical stimulation to the retinal cell or a micro LED array that provides optical stimulation to the retinal cell.

[0011] The controller can analyze the neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, frequency, pulse width, or duration of the electrical stimulation.

[0012] The controller can analyze the neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, blinking cycle, or duration of the optical stimulation.

[0013] The multichannel stimulation electrode and the multichannel recording electrode are formed by creating a pillar-shaped vertical penetration structure on a silicon substrate through a deep silicon etching process and an anodic bonding process, bonding a glass-based dielectric onto the silicon substrate on which the vertical penetration structure is formed, creating a glass substrate by filling the empty areas of the silicon substrate with the dielectric through a glass reflow process and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process by heating the dielectric to reduce its viscosity, and then planarizing the silicon substrate by removing the dielectric remaining after filling the empty areas and the bottom surface of the silicon substrate, forming a pointed electrode shape by selectively etching the glass substrate and the silicon substrate through a wet etching process and a metal patterning process, forming a metal pattern on the pointed electrode shape, and placing the electrode on the bottom surface of the glass substrate through an electrode placement process and a dicing process. It can be formed by performing dicing.

[0014] The above micro LED array can be formed by patterning a metal layer on a substrate according to a predetermined electrode structure through a metal patterning process and an insulation process, adding an insulation layer between the patterned metal layers, depositing a chromium (Cr) layer and a gold (Au) layer on top of the metal layer and the insulation layer through a sputtering process, coating a photosensitive material on top of the chromium layer and the gold layer through a copper electroplating process, plating a copper (Cu) layer, forming a lead bump on top of the copper layer through a solder bump electroplating process, and positioning individual micro LEDs on the lead bumps through a pick and place process.

[0015] A method of operation of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment may include: transmitting a control command according to a preset stimulation protocol to one or more slave devices through a controller that is generated based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and operates as a master device; providing electrical stimulation or optical stimulation to retinal cells through a multi-channel stimulation electrode or micro LED array activated by the control command transmitted to the slave devices; collecting a neural response signal generated by the provided electrical stimulation or optical stimulation through a recording electrode; and retransmitting a control command to one or more slave devices to adjust at least one of the electrical stimulation or the optical stimulation by analyzing the collected neural response signal through the controller.

[0016] The above-mentioned retransmission operation may include an operation of analyzing a neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, frequency, pulse width, or duration of the electrical stimulation.

[0017] The above-mentioned retransmission operation may include an operation of analyzing a neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, blinking cycle, or duration of the optical stimulation.

[0018] According to one embodiment, instructions stored in a non-transient computer-readable recording medium can perform operations of the method of operation of the electronic device when executed by one or more processors. Effects of the invention

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing synchronized electrical and optical stimulation to retinal cells, a high level of neural activation can be induced even at a lower stimulation intensity. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0020] In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an actual implementation form of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the electrode formation process of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the process of forming a micro LED array of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a control system block diagram of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing hybrid stimulation of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a controller included in a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0021] Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments are disclosed for illustrative purposes only and may be modified and implemented in various forms. Accordingly, actual implementations are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and the scope of this specification includes modifications, equivalents, or substitutions included in the technical concept described by the embodiments.

[0022] In this document, each of the following phrases may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any combination of A, B, and C, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A, B, and C," "at least one of A, B, or C," and "a combination of one or more of A, B, and C" may be used to describe various components, but these terms should be interpreted solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named the first component.

[0023] When it is stated that a component is "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to or joined to that other component, or that there may be other components in between.

[0024] The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the existence of the described features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this specification.

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are given the same reference numeral regardless of the drawing number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment.

[0028] A hybrid retinal stimulation device (100) can provide a method to reactivate visual signals by inducing a neural response in remaining retinal cells by providing a combination of electrical stimulation and optical stimulation even when the function of some photoreceptors is lost due to retinal disease.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, the hybrid retinal stimulation device (100) may include at least one of a glass substrate (110), a stimulation electrode (120), a recording electrode (130), a micro LED (140), and a controller (not shown).

[0030] First, a glass substrate (110) can provide a physical basis for delivering electrical and optical stimuli to retinal cells (e.g., ganglion cells, bipolar cells). Such a glass substrate (110) can be formed of a material with excellent optical transmittance, and a stimulating electrode (120) and a recording electrode (130) can be placed through a through hole.

[0031] The stimulation electrode (120) can be placed in a through hole of the glass substrate (110) to provide direct electrical stimulation to the retinal cells. Such stimulation electrodes (120) can be configured as multi-channels and can be individually controlled through a multi-channel stimulation generator operating as a slave device.

[0032] A recording electrode (130) is placed in a through hole at a certain distance from the stimulation electrode (120) to measure neural response signals generated in retinal cells. Such a recording electrode (130) can also be configured as a multi-channel and can quantitatively analyze neural responses to electrical or optical stimulation.

[0033] Micro LEDs (140) are placed on the underside of a glass substrate (110) and can provide optical stimulation to retinal cells between multi-channel stimulation electrodes (120) and multi-channel recording electrodes (130). Such micro LEDs (140) can be implemented in the form of a micro LED array corresponding to the number of stimulation electrodes (120) or recording electrodes (130), and their operation can be individually controlled through an LED matrix controller operating as a slave device.

[0034] The controller can independently control the operation of the multi-channel stimulation electrode (120) and the micro LED (140) to regulate the synchronization of electrical and optical stimulation provided to the retinal cells. Such a controller can be implemented based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to operate as a master device and can use a serial peripheral interface (SPI) protocol to communicate with one or more slave devices.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a drawing illustrating an actual implementation form of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, a hybrid retinal stimulation device (e.g., the hybrid retinal stimulation device (100) of FIG. 1) can provide electrical stimulation to retinal cells by placing a stimulation electrode (e.g., the stimulation electrode (120) of FIG. 1) in a through hole formed in a glass substrate (e.g., the glass substrate (110) of FIG. 1). Additionally, the hybrid retinal stimulation device can measure neural response information generated in retinal cells by placing a recording electrode (e.g., the recording electrode (130) of FIG. 1) in a through hole formed in the glass substrate.

[0037] A hybrid retinal stimulation device may have micro LEDs placed on the underside of a glass substrate. Such micro LEDs are placed on an LED matrix substrate placed on the underside of the glass substrate and can be aligned and placed one by one between each stimulation electrode and a recording electrode.

[0038] Through such an alignment structure, the hybrid retinal stimulation device can provide hybrid stimulation that simultaneously delivers electrical and optical stimulation to the same area.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the electrode formation process of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, at least one of the steps of FIG. 3 may be performed simultaneously or in parallel with other steps, and the order between the steps may be changed. Additionally, at least one of the steps may be omitted, and other steps may be additionally performed. Each step of the electrode formation process of the hybrid retinal stimulation device disclosed in FIG. 3 may be performed by at least one processor included in a separate device for manufacturing the hybrid retinal stimulation device.

[0040] In step (310), the processor can form a pillar-shaped vertical penetration structure on the silicon substrate (311) through a deep silicon etching process. At this time, the vertical penetration structure formed can subsequently become an area where a glass-based dielectric (312) is aligned and an electrode is inserted.

[0041] Subsequently, the processor can align and bond a glass-based dielectric (312) onto a silicon substrate (311) on which a vertical penetration structure is formed through an anodic bonding process. At this time, the processor can ensure alignment accuracy between the etched vertical penetration structure and the glass-based dielectric (312) by utilizing alignment marks during the anodic bonding process.

[0042] In step (320), the processor can create a single integrated glass substrate (321) by filling the empty areas of the silicon substrate (311) with the dielectric through a glass reflow process by heating the dielectric (312) to reduce its viscosity. For example, the processor, after the anodic bonding process is completed, can create a high-temperature environment of about 850°C and a high vacuum (e.g., The glass reflow process can be performed under Torr conditions.

[0043] Subsequently, the processor can ensure the precision of the subsequent process by flatly removing the dielectric (312) remaining on the surface of the silicon substrate (311) after the glass reflow process and the bottom surface of the silicon substrate (311) through a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process.

[0044] In step (330), the processor can form a pointed electrode structure by selectively etching the glass substrate (321) and the silicon substrate (311) through a wet etching process. At this time, the processor can form a pointed electrode structure by performing wet etching using an etching solution mixed with nitric acid (HNO₃) and hydrofluoric acid (HF).

[0045] More specifically, the processor can etch the upper portion of the glass substrate (321) where the CMP process is completed by dissolving the glass using hydrofluoric acid, thereby exposing a cylindrical silicon substrate (311). Subsequently, the processor can etch the silicon substrate (311) by oxidizing the surface of the exposed silicon substrate (311) using nitric acid and dissolving the surface of the oxidized silicon substrate (311) using hydrofluoric acid. At this time, the silicon substrate (311) can be formed into a pointed shape under specific conditions as the etching rate proceeds differently depending on the silicon crystal direction.

[0046] Subsequently, the processor can form a metal pattern (331) on a pointed electrode structure through a metal patterning process. For example, the processor can form a metal layer by applying a metal material such as titanium (Ti) or gold (Au) to the pointed electrode structure by sputtering or electroplating.

[0047] In step (340), the processor can provide an interface for connection with an external driving circuit by placing electrodes on the lower surface of the glass substrate (321) through an electrode placement process. At this time, the electrodes can be placed individually on the stimulation electrode and the recording electrode, respectively. Subsequently, the processor can be cut into individual electrode array chips through a dicing process and used in a hybrid retinal stimulation device.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the process of forming a micro LED array of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, at least one of the steps of FIG. 4 may be performed simultaneously or in parallel with other steps, and the order between the steps may be changed. Additionally, at least one of the steps may be omitted, and other steps may be additionally performed. Each step of the process of forming a micro LED array of a hybrid retinal stimulation device disclosed in FIG. 4 may be performed by at least one processor included in a separate device for manufacturing the hybrid retinal stimulation device.

[0049] In step (410), the processor can pattern a metal layer (412) on a substrate (411) according to a predetermined electrode structure through a metal patterning process and an insulation process. Subsequently, the processor can form an insulating layer (413) between the patterned metal layers (412) to prevent electrical interference between the electrodes.

[0050] In step (420), the processor may sequentially deposit a chromium (Cr) thin film and a gold (Au) thin film (421) on top of the metal layer (412) and the insulating layer (413) through a sputtering process. At this time, the chromium thin film may be used as an adhesive layer to strengthen adhesion, and the gold thin film may be used to provide high conductivity and corrosion resistance properties.

[0051] In step (430), the processor can enhance the conductivity and durability of the electrode by coating a photosensitive material (431) on top of a chrome thin film and a gold thin film through a copper electroplating process, and then plating a copper (Cu) layer (432).

[0052] In step (440), the processor can form a lead bump (441) on the copper layer (432) through a solder bump electroplating process. The lead bump (441) can then serve as a soldering interface for alignment and connection of the micro LEDs.

[0053] Finally, in step (450), the processor can position individual micro LEDs (451) on lead bumps (441) through a pick and place process. This process can be performed by an automated robot and can position the micro LEDs in the correct position using a high-resolution camera-based alignment system.

[0054] The micro LED array formed in this way is placed between the multichannel stimulation electrode and the multichannel recording electrode, and by providing optical stimulation to retinal cells in the same area as the area where electrical stimulation is provided by the stimulation electrode, a neurostimulation effect of the hybrid stimulation method can be realized.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a control system block diagram of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 5, a hybrid retinal stimulation device (e.g., the hybrid retinal stimulation device (100) of FIG. 1) can precisely control and synchronize the start timing, duration, intensity, etc. of electrical stimulation and optical stimulation using an SPI communication structure based on a master-slave structure.

[0057] More specifically, the hybrid retinal stimulation device may include an FPGA-based master device and two slave devices connected to the master device (e.g., a multi-channel stimulation generator, an LED matrix controller).

[0058] The master device communicates with slave devices via the SPI protocol and can control and synchronize at least one parameter among the start timing, duration, and intensity of electrical and optical stimulation. In this case, the SPI protocol can be executed through a reference signal (clock; CLK) for communication synchronization, a select signal (chip select; CS) for selecting each slave device, and a transmission signal (master out slave in; MOSI) for data transmission from the master device to the slave devices.

[0059] Among the two slave devices, the first slave device is a multi-channel stimulation generator and can perform the role of driving the stimulation electrode of the hybrid retinal stimulation device. The first slave device receives a transmission signal from the FPGA of the master device via the SPI protocol, sets at least one of the intensity, frequency, pulse width, or duration of the electrical stimulation (e.g., voltage / current), and can control the stimulation electrode to output electrical stimulation to the retinal cells.

[0060] The remaining second slave device among the two slave devices can serve as an LED matrix controller and perform the role of driving the micro LED array of the hybrid retinal stimulation device. The second slave device receives a transmission signal from the FPGA of the master device via the SPI protocol to set at least one of the intensity, blinking cycle, or duration of the optical stimulation, and can control the micro LED array to output optical stimulation to the retinal cells.

[0061] The hybrid retinal stimulation device of the present disclosure can simultaneously improve the neural stimulation efficiency and safety of electrical stimulation and optical stimulation by minimizing the stimulation timing error between electrical stimulation and optical stimulation using a single reference signal through an SPI communication structure based on such a master-slave structure.

[0062] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing hybrid stimulation of a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, at least one of the operations of FIG. 6 may be performed simultaneously or in parallel with other operations, and the order between the operations may be changed. Additionally, at least one of the operations may be omitted, and other operations may be additionally performed. The operations illustrated in FIG. 6 may be performed by at least one component of a hybrid retinal stimulation device (e.g., the hybrid retinal stimulation device (100) of FIG. 1).

[0063] In operation (610), the hybrid retinal stimulation device can transmit control commands according to a preset stimulation protocol to one or more slave devices through a controller that operates as a master device and is implemented based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA). At this time, the control commands may include information such as the start timing of stimulation, pulse width, intensity of electrical stimulation (e.g., voltage / current), frequency, duration, intensity of optical stimulation, blinking cycle, or target channel for stimulation.

[0064] In operation (620), the hybrid retinal stimulation device can provide electrical or optical stimulation to retinal cells through a multi-channel stimulation electrode or micro-LED array activated by a control command transmitted to a slave device. Electrical stimulation and optical stimulation can be provided simultaneously or with a time difference within a single stimulation cycle, thereby realizing a neurostimulatory effect of the hybrid stimulation method.

[0065] In operation (630), the hybrid retinal stimulation device can collect neural response signals (e.g., spike signals, action potentials, etc.) generated by the provided electrical or optical stimulation through a recording electrode.

[0066] In operation (640), the hybrid retinal stimulation device can analyze the collected neural response signal through the controller and retransmit a control command to one or more slave devices to adjust at least one of electrical stimulation or optical stimulation.

[0067] According to one embodiment, a controller can analyze a neural response signal measured through a recording electrode and generate a control signal to adjust at least one of the intensity, frequency, pulse width, or duration of the electrical stimulation. For example, if, as a result of analyzing the neural response signal, it is determined that the recording electrode did not detect a particular neural response signal for a specific stimulus, the controller can adjust the electrical pulse for the next cycle of electrical stimulation to have a wider pulse width or a stronger current value than before.

[0068] According to another embodiment, the controller may analyze a neural response signal measured through a recording electrode and generate a control signal to adjust at least one of the intensity, blinking cycle, or duration of the optical stimulation. For example, if, as a result of analyzing the neural response signal, it is determined that an excessive neural response signal is detected through the recording electrode for a specific stimulus, the controller may adjust the optical pulse for the next cycle of optical stimulation to have a lower intensity or a shorter duration than the existing one.

[0069] The hybrid retinal stimulation device can improve stimulation efficiency and minimize tissue damage by adjusting the output of multi-channel stimulation electrodes or micro-LED arrays using control signals generated through the controller in this way.

[0070] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a controller included in a hybrid retinal stimulation device according to one embodiment.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 7, the controller (700) may include one or more processors (710) and a memory (720) that loads or stores a computer program (730) executed by the processors (710). The processors (710) and the memory (720) may be connected to each other via a communication link (e.g., a bus) (740). Optionally, the controller (700) may further include a transceiver (750), which may be used for data exchange, such as the transmission and / or reception of data between the controller (700) and another electronic device (e.g., a slave device). The components included in the controller (700) of FIG. 7 are merely examples, and a person skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that other general-purpose components may be included in addition to the components shown in FIG. 7.

[0072] The processor (710) can control the overall operation of each component of the controller (700). The processor (710) may be implemented as a circuitry (e.g., a processing circuit) such as a system on chip (SoC) or an integrated circuit (IC). The processor (710) may include one or more processors. For example, the processor (710) may include a combination of one or more processors such as a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processor unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or any form of processor well known in the art of this disclosure. Additionally, the processor (710) can perform operations on at least one application or computer program (730) for executing a method / operation according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] The memory (720) can store one or more combinations of various data, instructions, and information used by a component (e.g., processor (710)) included in the controller (700). The memory (720) may include volatile memory and / or nonvolatile memory.

[0074] A computer program (730) may include one or more actions in which methods / actions according to various embodiments of the present disclosure are implemented, and may be stored in memory (720) in the form of software. Here, the actions may correspond to instructions implemented in the program (730). For example, the program (730) may include instructions to perform an action of transmitting a control command according to a preset stimulation protocol to one or more slave devices, and an action of retransmitting a control command to one or more slave devices to adjust at least one of electrical stimulation or optical stimulation by analyzing a neural response signal collected through a recording device.

[0075] When a computer program (730) is loaded into memory (720), the processor (710) can perform methods / operations according to various embodiments of the present disclosure by executing a plurality of operations to implement the program (730).

[0076] The communication link (740) may include a path for transmitting at least one of various data, commands, and information between components included in the controller (700). The communication link (740) may be, for example, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus or an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus, but the types of such buses are merely examples and are not limited to the above examples. For example, in FIG. 7, the bus is represented as a single line for convenience of explanation, but in reality, multiple buses or various types of buses may be included.

[0077] The embodiments described above may be implemented as hardware components, software components, and / or combinations of hardware and software components. For example, the devices, methods, and components described in the embodiments may be implemented using a general-purpose computer or a special-purpose computer, such as, for example, a processor, a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable of executing and responding to instructions. The processing unit may execute an operating system (OS) and software applications executed on said operating system. Additionally, the processing unit may access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to the execution of the software. For ease of understanding, the processing unit may be described as being used as a single unit, but those skilled in the art will understand that the processing unit may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing unit may include multiple processors or one processor and one controller. In addition, other processing configurations, such as parallel processors, are also possible.

[0078] Software may include computer programs, code, instructions, or a combination of one or more of these, and may configure a processing unit to operate as desired or instruct the processing unit independently or collectively. Software and / or data may be stored on any type of machine, component, physical device, virtual equipment, computer storage medium, or device so as to be interpreted by the processing unit or to provide instructions or data to the processing unit. Software may be distributed over networked computer systems and may be stored or executed in a distributed manner. Software and data may be stored on computer-readable recording media.

[0079] The method according to the embodiment may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may store program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., either individually or in combination, and the program instructions recorded on the medium may be those specifically designed and configured for the embodiment or those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include machine code, such as that generated by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0080] The hardware device described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operation of the embodiment, and vice versa.

[0081] Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the limited drawings, those skilled in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based thereon. For example, suitable results may be achieved even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than described, and / or if the components of the described system, structure, device, circuit, etc. are combined or assembled in a form different from described, or replaced or substituted by other components or equivalents.

[0082] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims also fall within the scope of the claims set forth below. Explanation of the symbols

[0083] 100: Hybrid Retinal Stimulation Device 110: Glass substrate 120: Stimulating electrode 130: Recording electrode 140 : Micro LED

Claims

Claim 1 A hybrid retinal stimulation device comprising: a glass substrate having a through hole formed therein to provide electrical stimulation and optical stimulation to retinal cells; a multi-channel stimulation electrode disposed in the through hole of the glass substrate to provide the electrical stimulation to the retinal cells; a multi-channel recording electrode disposed in the through hole of the glass substrate at a certain distance from the multi-channel stimulation electrode to measure a neural response signal generated in the retinal cells; a micro-LED array disposed below the glass substrate to provide the optical stimulation to the retinal cells between the multi-channel stimulation electrode and the multi-channel recording electrode; and a controller that independently controls the operation of the multi-channel stimulation electrode and the micro-LED array to control the synchronization of the electrical stimulation and the optical stimulation. Claim 2 In claim 1, the controller is a hybrid retinal stimulation device created based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and operating as a master device. Claim 3 A hybrid retinal stimulation device according to paragraph 2, wherein the controller communicates with one or more slave devices using SPI (serial peripheral interface) communication and individually controls a stimulation electrode that provides electrical stimulation to the retinal cell or a micro LED array that provides optical stimulation to the retinal cell. Claim 4 A hybrid retinal stimulation device according to claim 1, wherein the controller analyzes a neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, frequency, pulse width, or duration of the electrical stimulation. Claim 5 A hybrid retinal stimulation device according to claim 1, wherein the controller analyzes a neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, blinking cycle, or duration of the optical stimulation. Claim 6 In claim 1, the multichannel stimulation electrode and the multichannel recording electrode are formed by creating a pillar-shaped vertical penetration structure on a silicon substrate through a deep Si etching process and an anodic bonding process, then bonding a glass-based dielectric onto the silicon substrate on which the vertical penetration structure is formed, and then creating a glass substrate by filling empty areas of the silicon substrate with the dielectric through a glass reflow process and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process by heating the dielectric to reduce viscosity, and then planarizing by removing the dielectric remaining after filling the empty areas of the silicon substrate and the bottom surface of the silicon substrate, and then forming an electrode shape with a pointed structure by selectively etching the glass substrate and the silicon substrate through a wet etching process and a metal patterning process, and then forming a metal pattern on the electrode shape with a pointed structure, and through an electrode placement process and a dicing process, the glass substrate A hybrid retinal stimulation device formed by placing electrodes on the lower surface and performing dicing. Claim 7 A hybrid retinal stimulation device according to claim 1, wherein the micro LED array is formed by patterning a metal layer on a substrate according to a predetermined electrode structure through a metal patterning process and an insulation process, adding an insulation layer between the patterned metal layers, depositing a chromium (Cr) layer and a gold (Au) layer on top of the metal layer and the insulation layer through a sputtering process, coating a photosensitive material on top of the chromium layer and the gold layer through a copper electroplating process, plating a copper (Cu) layer, forming a lead bump on top of the copper layer through a solder bump electroplating process, and positioning individual micro LEDs on the lead bumps through a pick and place process. Claim 8 A method of operation for a hybrid retinal stimulation device comprising: transmitting a control command according to a preset stimulation protocol to one or more slave devices through a controller generated based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and operating as a master device; providing electrical stimulation or optical stimulation to retinal cells through a multi-channel stimulation electrode or micro-LED array activated by the control command transmitted to the slave devices; collecting a neural response signal generated by the provided electrical stimulation or optical stimulation through a recording electrode; and retransmitting a control command to one or more slave devices to adjust at least one of the electrical stimulation or the optical stimulation by analyzing the collected neural response signal through the controller. Claim 9 In claim 8, the retransmission operation comprises a method of operation that includes analyzing a neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity, frequency, pulse width, or duration of the electrical stimulation. Claim 10 In claim 8, the retransmission operation comprises an operation of analyzing a neural response signal measured through the recording electrode to adjust at least one of the intensity blinking cycle or duration of the optical stimulation. Claim 11 A non-transient computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program that executes the method of any one of paragraphs 8 through 11.

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