LLNL plays key role in U.S. DOE’s artificial retina project

Livermore, CA--Scientists and engineers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are now developing the electronics for a third-generation artificial retina as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project to produce an “epiretinal prosthesis” that could restore vision to millions of people around the world suffering from eye diseases (see also “Stretchable camera foreshadows artificial retina” and “Retinal prosthesis restores partial vision”).

The DOE artificial retina project brings together five national labs, four universities and a private company, with LLNL serving as the lead organization for the implantable artificial retinal system. For more information about the project, check related Websites: DOE Artificial Retina Project (ArtificialRetina.energy.gov); Doheny Eye Institute (www.usc.edu/hsc/doheny/); Second Sight Medical Products (www.2-sight.com); Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems (bmes-erc.usc.edu).

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore are today using advanced polymer-based micro-fabrication methods to further develop a biocompatible microelectrode array for the third-generation artificial retina device.

The LLNL team contributes three major components to the artificial retina: the thin-film electrode array that contains the neural electrodes; the biocompatible electronics package that contains the electronics for stimulating the retina and wireless power and communications; and an ocular surgical tool that will enable the insertion, attachment, and re-insertion of the thin-film electrode array. In addition, LLNL is responsible for the system integration and assembly of these components and fabrication of the complete implantable artificial retina system.

An artificial retina or epiretinal prosthesis could restore vision to millions of people suffering from eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, or those who are legally blind due to the loss of photoreceptor function. In many cases, the neural cells to which the photoreceptors are connected remain functional. Dr. Mark Humayun, of the University of Southern California’s Doheny Eye Institute, demonstrated that electrical stimulation of the viable retinal cells can result in visual perception. These findings have sparked a worldwide effort to develop a retinal prosthesis device.

The five national laboratories are: Argonne, Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and Sandia national laboratories. The four universities are USC (Doheny Eye Institute), California Institute of Technology, North Carolina State University, and the University of California at Santa Cruz; and the industrial partner is Second Sight Medical Products, the group responsible for commercializing the product and conducting clinical trials.

--Posted by Gail Overton; [email protected]; www.laserfocusworld.com.