Flexible Photosensitive Ring Oscillator Retina for Optic Nerve Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional artificial retinas are rigid, causing mechanical damage and immune responses, and lack flexibility and photosensitivity, limiting spatial resolution and visual experience.
Innovation Solution
Development of a flexible artificial retina using photosensitive ring oscillators based on photosensitive semiconductor materials, which convert light signals into electrical pulses for optic nerve stimulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid artificial retina devices are used, then structural stability is improved, but mechanical damage to surrounding tissues and immune responses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible thin film structures for the artificial retina device, allowing it to conform to the curved surface of the eyeball without causing mechanical damage. The flexible substrate and thin film electrodes enable the device to adapt to the biological environment while maintaining structural integrity, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and mechanical harm.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid artificial retina devices are used, then device structural integrity is improved, but spatial resolution of imaging is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible thin film structure allows the device to closely fit the hemispherical eyeball surface, enabling higher spatial resolution imaging while maintaining structural integrity through the engineered flexibility and adaptability of the thin film components.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If silicon semiconductor with complex structure is used, then photosensitivity is improved, but flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes composite material structures combining photosensitive semiconductor layers with flexible substrate materials. This composite approach maintains the photosensitivity required for light detection while incorporating flexible components that enable the device to conform to the eyeball surface, thus resolving the contradiction between photosensitivity and flexibility.
4Ease of operation
If conventional artificial retina devices are used, then light sensing function is achieved, but device complexity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a integrated flexible device structure, combining light sensing, signal processing, and electrode functions in a single flexible platform. This integration reduces the overall device complexity while maintaining the light sensing capability through the unified flexible structure.
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 artificial retina provides excellent compatibility with the human body, reduces device complexity, and achieves ultralow power consumption, enabling quasi-linear light intensity response and potential for colorful artificial vision.
Implementation Method 1
The phototransistor comprises the following elements set in sequence form top to bottom: a flexible substrate; a gate electrode; a dielectric layer; a channel layer; and a contact electrode
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a photosensitive ring oscillator, its preparation method, and a flexible artificial retina. Specifically, the photosensitive ring oscillators (PROs) based on 2D semiconducting materials have been fabricated on flexible biological compatible substrates, which transduces light information into electrical pulse signals directly, propagating through the optic nerve. The output oscillating frequency varies quasi-linearly with the change of light intensity. The flexible electronic devices can be used as implantable biomimetic retina for artificial vision to recover the sight sense for sight-handicapped people.