Flexible Retinal Prosthesis Chip Resolving Wiring Density Trade-offs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional retinal prosthesis devices are limited by the size of wiring implants, electrode density, and mismatched shapes with retina tissues, leading to restricted image resolution and field of view, which hinders effective vision restoration for patients with blindness due to AMD and RP.
Innovation Solution
A flexible integrated circuit device with a CMOS chip integrating pixel units, including electrodes, photo sensors, and signal processors, is developed to provide high-resolution electrical excitations, conforming to the retina's shape and allowing for adjustable stimulation of retinal neurons, with features like local return paths and on-chip signal processing to minimize power loss and enhance image resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate wiring implant is used to control each electrode, then individual electrode control is achieved, but field of view is severely limited due to size limitation on wiring implant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electrodes and their control circuits into an integrated chip structure, merging the functions of individual electrode control with the overall device operation. This integration allows for extended field of view while maintaining individual electrode control capability through the unified chip architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated chip serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the electrode array and the control circuitry, eliminating the need for separate wiring implants. This multi-functional design enables the device to achieve both individual electrode control and extended field of view through a single unified component.
2Ease of manufacture
If driving circuit chips are separate from electrode or image sensor chips, then modular design is achieved, but the required number of electrical interconnections increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrode chip and driving circuit chip into a single integrated chip, eliminating the need for numerous electrical interconnections between separate modules. This integration maintains the benefits of modular design for manufacturing while dramatically reducing the complexity of electrical interconnections.
3Ease of manufacture
If planner chips are used for electrodes, then fabrication is simplified, but mismatch with non-planar shapes of retina tissues causes additional interferences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible substrate that can be conformally attached to the curved surface of the retina, transforming the planar chip structure into a curved configuration that matches the retinal topology. This curvature adaptation reduces mismatch interference while maintaining fabrication simplicity through flexible material technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of flexible thin film substrates allows the electrode array to conform to the non-planar retinal surface. This flexible structure maintains ease of fabrication through standard thin-film deposition techniques while adapting to the curved retinal geometry to minimize signal interference.
4Measurement precision
If electrode density is increased to improve image resolution, then more retinal cells can be stimulated, but device size and wiring complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of electrodes and control circuits into a single chip allows for high electrode density without proportionally increasing device size. By merging multiple functions into unified circuit blocks, the patent achieves high-resolution stimulation capability while maintaining compact device dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes three-dimensional electrode arrangements and multi-layer circuit structures to increase effective electrode density without linearly increasing the device footprint. By stacking circuits and electrodes in multiple dimensions, high resolution is achieved while controlling overall device size.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible device enables high-density pixel arrays to stimulate individual retinal cells, improving image resolution and field of view, and allows for fine-tuning and calibration to optimize visual perception, effectively restoring vision by conforming to the retina's shape and minimizing interference.
Implementation Method 1
Each pixel may comprise an electrode, photo sensor, signal processor and driver circuitry
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses to detect configuration commands from waveforms received at a retina prosthesis device for calibrating the device are described. The device can comprise an array of pixel units to receive light to stimulate neuron cells to cause an effect of visual sensation from the light. The pixel units may have configurable parameters for the stimulation to the neuron cells. The configurable parameters may be updated according to the configuration commands detected without requiring micro processor and non-volatile memory in the device. The stimulation may be generated according to the updated configurable parameters to improve the effect of visual sensation from the light including compensation for the physiological and environmental variations and drifts.