High resolution brain stimulation for visual prostheses

The goal of the project is basic research towards high resolution neurostimulation of the primary visual cortex. The promising long term application of the obtained knowledge is in artificial vision, restoring sight of blind people in a way similar to what the now established technology of cochlear implants does for the profoundly deaf.
The project builds on the research experience of the applicants in neural implants for chronic, high resolution neural interfacing, in mixed signal integrated circuit (IC) design for biomedical and low-power applications, and in neuroscience of the visual system of primates, respectively.

Concretely, the goals of the project are (1) the design and fabrication of high electrode count neural implants suitable for neurostimulation of the visual cortex, based on flexible thin film technology (2)  research on implantable neurostimulation ICs for integration in high resolution neural implants with over 1000 contacts (3) research on high resolution neurostimulation of the primary visual cortex based on the developed technology. The new implant concept will allow to perform groundbreaking research on the perceptual effects of new ways of electrical stimulation of the visual cortex, potentially allowing in the future to induce complex visual percepts (shapes, faces, spaces).in exiting shapes, directions and high resolution phosphenes in the visual system. We aim at obtaining resolutions far surpassing the amount of physically implanted electrodes.