Apparatus and method for visual stimulation indication

• US 20080021688A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arup Roy, Donald Webber, John Reinhold, Kelly Mcclure, Neha Vyas, Richard Castro, Robert Greenberg
• Inventors: Vyas, Neha, Castro, Richard, Webber, Donald, Greenberg, Robert, Roy, Arup, Reinhold, John, McClure, Kelly
• Granted Patent: US 9,387,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/11
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

Methods and devices for verifying that proper visual stimulation is applied to the visual prostheses are described. In one of the methods, a retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject is simulated externally. An external testing device is also discussed.

Claims

1. An external testing device for simulation of a retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject, comprising:

a test board unit to simulate electrical functionalities of the retinal stimulation system; and

a test display unit connected to an output of the test board unit, the test display unit visually monitoring the signals processed through the test board unit, thus simulating a visual effect on the subject of the signals.

2. The external testing device of claim 1, wherein the test board unit and the test display unit are two separate components.

3. The external testing device of claim 1, wherein the test board unit and the test display unit are part of a single component.

4. The external testing device of claim 1, further comprising an external coil connectable with the test board unit and adapted to send signals to the test board unit.

5. The external testing device of claim 4, wherein the external coil is configured to receive stimulation patterns from a video processing unit, wherein the stimulation patterns are based on visual signals processed by the video processing unit.

6. The external testing device of claim 1, wherein the test display unit comprises a plurality of visualization devices.

7. The external testing device of claim 6, wherein each visualization device of the plurality of visualization devices corresponds to a specific electrode of an array of electrodes of the retinal stimulation system.

8. The external testing device of claim 1, wherein the test display unit comprises a power switch to switch on power supply to the test display unit and a test button to turn on all visualization devices of the plurality of visualization devices.

9. The external testing device of claim 1, wherein the test board unit is adapted to simulate electrical functionalities of another retinal stimulation system, wherein the signals to the retinal stimulation system do not correspond to the signals to the another retinal stimulation system.

10. A method for externally simulating a retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject, the method comprising:

providing a test board unit to simulate electrical functionalities of the retinal stimulation system; and

providing a test display unit for visually monitoring the signals processed through the test board unit, thus simulating a visual effect on the subject of the signals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the test board unit and the test display unit are two separate components.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the test board unit and the test display unit are part of a single component.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the signals processed through the test board unit are from an external coil.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising selecting a video processing unit adapted to process visual signals and transform the visual signals to stimulation patterns to be sent to the external coil.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the test display unit comprises a plurality of visualization devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each visualization device of the plurality of visualization devices corresponds to a specific electrode of an array of electrodes of the retinal stimulation system.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the test display unit comprises a power switch to switch on power supply to the test display unit and a test button to turn on all visualization devices of the plurality of visualization devices.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the test board unit is adapted to simulate electrical functionalities of another retinal stimulation system, wherein the signals to the retinal stimulation system do not correspond to the signals to the another retinal stimulation system.

19. A method for simulating a retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject, the method comprising:

providing a video camera associated with a pair of glasses;

capturing an image through the video camera;

sending the image to a video processing unit;

converting the image to a digital image;

processing the digital image to obtain a processed digital image; and

presenting the processed digital image to a test array system adapted to simulate electrical functionalities of the retinal stimulation system and adapted to visually display signals associated with the processed digital image.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the test array system comprises:

a test board unit for processing the signals associated with the processed digital image; and

a test display unit for visually monitoring the signals processed through the test board unit.