Next Generation Retinal Prosthesis

We continue our pioneering work on Retinal Prosthesis to restore vision in blind patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) through developing the next generation retinal implants. The goal of these implants is more than 1000 pixels that would enable facial recognition and independent mobility. The project focuses on delivering power and data to the retinal implant inside the eye and the implant microstimulator electronics which delivers the current pulses to stimulate the retinal layer to elicit visual perception. Since the use of invasive means such as tethering wires results in discomfort and potential infection, a completely wireless approach is used to transfer both power and data. Since the coupling between the external unit consisting of the power transmitter and the power receiver can vary due to the patient’s movements, a closed loop approach is used which varies the transmitted power dynamically to automatically compensate for such movements. We are collaborating with the medical team in University of Southern California and several national laboratories for this project.
Retinalprosthesis

 

 

 

Selected Publications


  1. “Retinal Prosthesis,” J. D. Weiland, W. Liu, and M. S. Humayun, Volume: 7, Pages: 361 – 401, Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, August 2005.
  2. “A Core Component for Neuro Stimulus with Telemetry Unit,” W. Liu, M. Humayun, K. Vichienchom, M. Clements, S. DeMarco, E. McGucken, C. Hughes, E. de Juan, J. Weiland, R. Greenberg, Volume: 35, Pages: 1487-1497, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, October 2000.

Collaborators


  1. University of Southern California
  2. California Institute of Technology
  3. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  4. Sandia National Laboratory
  5. Argonne National Laboratory

Power and Data Telemetry

Power and Data Telemetry for Biomimetic Microelectronic Systems


 

The newly developed systems from NSF BMES ERC will allow bi-directional communication with tissue and by doing so enable implantable/portable microelectronic devices to treat presently incurable diseases such as blindness, paralysis, and certain central nervous system disorders. Our role in the center’s goal is guided by four basic themes and fundamental challenges: power efficiency, bi-directional communication capability, miniaturization, and integration. We are addressing the above challenges through fundamental theory and prototyping of subsystems such as wireless power and data telemetry, microstimulators, neural recording systems, image processing.
Power

Selected Publications


  1. “Optimization of Coils for Biomedical Applications,” Z. Yang, W. Liu, and E. Basham, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Volume: 43, Pages: 3851 – 3860, October 2007.
  2. “A Non-Coherent PSK Receiver with Interference Canceling for Transcutaneous Neural Implants,” M. Zhou and W. Liu, International Solid-State Circuits Conference, February 2007.
  3. “Design and Analysis of an Adaptive Transcutaneous Power Telemetry for Biomedical Implants,” G. Wang, W. Liu, M. Sivaprakasam, and G. A. Kendir, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems – I, Volume: 52, Pages: 2109 – 2117, October 2005.

Collaborators


  1. University of Southern California
  2. California Institute of Technology