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Retinal Prosthesis Dissertation - Student Home Pages

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2.6.1 MATLAB representation of epi_retinal approach<br />

AER protocol<br />

Camera<br />

stream<br />

Sender<br />

chip<br />

Digital address<br />

stream (AER)<br />

Receiver<br />

chip<br />

Actual pulse<br />

stream<br />

<strong>Retinal</strong><br />

implant<br />

32 x 32<br />

image<br />

Figure 20 Simulation context diagram (level 0)<br />

In practice the camera would be affixed to specialised headgear or in the case of a<br />

miniaturised camera to bespoke spectacle frames. The power supply for the camera<br />

would be attached to a belt, also containing the `sender’ chip (responsible for<br />

conversion to AER). After propagation of AER to the `receiver’ chip, wireless<br />

telemetry could be adopted[169]. The receiver chip would be sited behind the ear<br />

similar to the procedure presently adopted for cochlear implants [101]. Although<br />

some early papers [56] suggest the possibility of incorporating the in vivo portion of<br />

the receiver chip inside the eyeball itself this adds extra complication to present<br />

telemetry communication already in use. Extra complication such as restriction of<br />

eyeball movement (necessary for efficient inductive coupling), distance of telemetry<br />

(unfeasible - from external to the skull to the eyeball), extra mass\size and extra<br />

power dissipation within the eyeball being greater than achieving without breaching<br />

safety guidelines. This document addresses the issue of prototype retinal prostheses<br />

without considering extra telemetry issues such as those outlined which are best<br />

relegated to future work. The wiring from the subcutaneous portion of the receiver<br />

chip is presently (10/07/2012) limited to 256 wires into the eyeball due to the size<br />

limitation (5mm) of the incision [54] which can safely be made without risk of<br />

biological damage. Given present research into nanowire technology this limit may<br />

potentially increase.<br />

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