Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.9718/JBER.2010.31.4.292

Development of Retinal Prosthesis Module for Fully Implantable Retinal Prosthesis  

Lee, Kang-Wook (Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Tohoku University)
Kaiho, Yoshiyuki (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University)
Fukushima, Takafumi (Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Tohoku University)
Tanaka, Tetsu (Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University)
Koyanagi, Mitsumasa (Department of Bioengineering and Robotics, Tohoku University)
Publication Information
Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research / v.31, no.4, 2010 , pp. 292-301 More about this Journal
Abstract
To restore visual sensation of blind patients, we have proposed a fully implantable retinal prosthesis comprising an three dimensionally (3D) stacked retinal chip for transforming optical signal to electrical signal, a flexible cable with stimulus electrode array for stimulating retina cells, and coupling coils for power transmission. The 3D stacked retinal chip is consisted of several LSI chips such as photodetector, signal processing circuit, and stimulus current generator. They are vertically stacked and electrically connected using 3D integration technology. Our retinal prosthesis has a small size and lightweight with high resolution, therefore it could increase the patients` quality of life (QOL). For realizing the fully implantable retinal prosthesis, we developed a retinal prosthesis module comprising a retinal prosthesis chip and a flexible cable with stimulus electrode array for generating optimal stimulus current. In this study, we used a 2D retinal chip as a prototype retinal prosthesis chip. We fabricated the polymide-based flexible cable of $20{\mu}m$ thickness where 16 channels Pt stimulus electrode array was formed in the cable. Pt electrode has an impedance of $9.9k{\Omega}$ at 400Hz frequency. The retinal prosthesis chip was mounted on the flexible cable by an epoxy and electrically connected by Au wire. The retinal prosthesis chip was cappted by a silicone to pretect from corrosive environments in an eyeball. Then, the fabricated retinal prosthesis module was implanted into an eyeball of a rabbit. We successfully recorded electrically evoked potential (EEP) elicited from the rabbit brain by the current stimulation supplied from the implanted retinal prosthesis module. EEP amplitude was increased linearly with illumination intensity and irradiation time of incident light. The retinal prosthesis chip was well functioned after implanting into the eyeball of the rabbit.
Keywords
fully implantable retinal prosthesis; rerinal prosthesis module; 3D stacked retinal chip; stimulus electrode;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 E. Zrenner, "The Subretinal Implant: Can Microphotodiode Arrays Replace Degenerated Retinal Photoreceptors to Restore Vision?," Ophthalmologica, vol. 216, pp. 8-20, 2002.   DOI   ScienceOn
2 T. Watanabe, R. Kobayashi, K. Komiya, T. Fukushima, H. Tomita, E. Sugano, H. Kurino, T. Tanaka, M. Tamai, and M. Koyanagi, "Evaluation of Platinum-Black (Pt-b) Stimulus Electrode Array for Electrical Stimulation to Retinal Cells in Retinal Prosthesis System," Jap. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 46, No. 4B, 2007.
3 J. Deguchi, T. Watanabe, K. Motonami, T. Sugimura, H. Tomita, J. C. Shim, H. Kurino, M. Tamai, and M. Koyanagi, "Retinal Prosthesis System with Telemetry Circuit Controlled by Human Eyelid Movement," Extended Abstracts of the 2004 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials, pp. 350-351, 2004.
4 E. Margalit, M. Maia, J.D. Weiland, R.J.-Greenberg, G.Y. Fujii, G. Torres, D.V. Piyathaisere, T. M. O'Hearn, W. Liu, G. Lazzi et al, "Retinal Prosthesis for the Blind", Survey of Uphthalmologv, vol. 47, ISSUE 4, pp. 335-356, 2002.   DOI   ScienceOn
5 Ohta J, Yoshida N, Kagawa K, and Nunoshita M., "Proposal of application of pulsed vision chip for retinal prosthesis", Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 41, pp. 2322-2325, 2002.   DOI
6 Koyanagi M, Nakagawa Y, Lee KW, Nakamura T, Yamada Y, Inamura K, Park KT, and Kurino H, "Neuromorphic vision chip fabricated using three dimensional integration technology" International Solid-State Circuit Conference Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 270-271, 2001.
7 D. Scribner, L. Johnson, P. Skeath, R. Klein, D. Ilg, L. Wasserman, N. Fernandez, W. Freeman, J. Peele, F. Keith Perkins, E.J. Friebele, W.E. Bassett, J.G. Howard, and W. Krebs, "A Retinal Prosthesis Technology Based on CMOS Microelectronics and Microwire Glass Electrodes", IEEE Trons. on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 73-83, 2007.   DOI
8 T. Schanze, L. Hesse, C. Lau, N. Greve, W. Haberer, S. Kammer, T. Doerge, A. Rentzos, and T. Stieglitz, "An Optically Powered Single-Channel Stimulation Implant as Test System for Chronic Biocompatibility and Biostability of Miniaturized Retinal Vision Prostheses", IEEE Trons. on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, vol. 54, No. 6, pp. 983-992, 2007.
9 Kurino H, Lee KW, Nakamura T, Sakuma K, Park KT, Miyakawa N, Shimazutsu H, Kim KY, Inamura K, and Koyanagi M, "Intelligent image sensor chip with three dimensional structure", International Electron Devices Meeting Technical Digest, pp. 879-882, 1999.
10 T. WATANABE, R. KOBAYASHI, K. KOMIYA, T. FUKUSHIMA, H. TOMITA, E. SUGANO, H. KURINO, T. TANAKA, M. TAMAI, and M. KOYANAGI, "Evaluation of Platinum-Black Stimulus Electrode Array for Electrical Stimulation of Retinal Cells in Retinal Prosthesis System", Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 46, 4B, pp. 2785-2791, 2007.   DOI
11 Tanaka T, Sato K, Komiya K, Kobayashi T, Watanabe T, Fukushima T, Tomita H, Kurino H, Tamai M, and Koyanagi M., "Fully Implantable Retinal Prosthesis Chip with Photodetector and Stimulus Current Generator", International Electron Devices Meeting Technical Digest, pp. 1016-1017, 2007.
12 Humayun MS, Juan E, Weiland JE, Dagnelie G, Katona S, Greenberg R, and Suzuki S. "Pattern electrical stimulation of the human retina", Vision Research, vol. 39, pp. 2569-2576, 1999.   DOI   ScienceOn
13 N.E. Medeiros and C.A. Curcio, "Preservation of ganglion cell layer neurons in age-related macular degeneration", Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science vol. 42, pp. 795-803, 2001.
14 W. Liu, K. Vichienchom, M. Clements, S. C. DeMarco, C. Hughes, E. McGucken, M. S. Humayun, E. de Juan, J. D. Weiland, and R. Greenberg, "A Neuro-Stimulus Chip with Telemetry Unit for Retinal Prosthetic Device", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 35, pp. 1487-1497, 2000.   DOI   ScienceOn
15 E. Margalit, J.D. Weiland, R.E.Clatterbuck, G.Y. Fujii, M.Maia, M.Tameesh, G. Torres, S.A.D'Anna, D.V. Piyathaisere, A.OIivi, E.de Juan, Jr, .M.S. Humayun, "Visual and electrical evoked response recorded from subdural electrodes implanted above the visual cortex in normal dogs under two methods of anesthesia", J. Neuroscience Meihodr, vol. 123, pp. 129-137,2003.