Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical therapeutic systems
Patent
1996-12-30
1998-11-17
Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Electrical therapeutic systems
607116, 623 4, 623 24, A61N 105
Patent
active
058369961
ABSTRACT:
The present invention is an artificial retina system that is sufficiently small so as to be fully implantable in the human eye. The artificial retina system comprises an array of artificial retinas. Each artificial retina comprises a light sensing element; an emitter element, where the emitter element is coupled to the light sensing element; and a detector element, where the detector element receives signals from the emitter element. The light sensing element intercepts light and transmits an electrical signal to the emitter element. In response to the electrical signal received from the light sensing element, the emitter element emits a signal. In response to the signal emitted by the emitter element, the detector element transmits an electrical signal to the retinal nerves. The intensity of the electrical signal sent to the retinal nerves is directly proportional to the intensity of the incoming light. In a preferred embodiment, a color filter is placed in front of the light sensing elements such that the light sensing element is limited to receiving light having wavelengths in a wavelength band corresponding to a particular color. In a preferred embodiment, each of the color filters allow passage of a different color of light such that each of the light sensing elements receives light of a different color. Also in a preferred embodiment, the artificial retina includes either a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip, a metal sheet, preferably made of copper, or a metal wire disposed between the detector element and the retinal nerves. Each STM tip, metal sheet or metal wire is coupled to a detector element, receives an electrical signal from the detector element and transmits an electrical signal to the retinal nerves.
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