Artificial vision system

• US 7,135,041 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nidek Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nidek Company Limited
• Inventors: Tashiro, Hiroyuki, Terasawa, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blanco, Javier G.
• Application Number:
  US10/650,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 607/54, 607/53, 623/6.22, 623/6.35, 623/6.43, 623/6.63
• US Class Current: 623/6.22
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/146 Imager structures

Abstract

An artificial vision system for regenerating or restoring vision of an eye of a patient includes: a power acquiring unit which is disposed inside the eye, includes a magnetic core having an opening and a coil wound around the magnetic core, and is adapted to acquire power from outside a body using electromagnetic induction; and a plurality of electrodes which is provided at a retina and is adapted to electrically stimulate cells constituting the retina.

Claims

1. An artificial vision system for regenerating or restoring vision of an eye of a patient comprising:

a power acquiring unit which is disposable inside the eye, in the vicinity of the iris, which unit includes a ring-shaped magnetic core having an opening and a coil wound around a periphery of the magnetic core, and is adapted to acquire power from outside a body using electromagnetic induction; and

a plurality of electrodes which is adapted to be provided at the retina and is adapted to electrically stimulate cells constituting the retina using power obtained by the power acquiring unit.

2. The artificial vision system according to claim 1, wherein the power acquiring unit is disposed so that the opening of the magnetic core is located at a pupil.

3. The artificial vision system according to claim 2, wherein the opening of the magnetic core is made as large as or larger than a maximum size of the pupil.

4. The artificial vision system according to claim 2 further comprising a plurality of light-receiving elements which are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of electrodes and disposable inside the eye so as to receive light from outside the body through the opening of the magnetic core.

5. The artificial vision system according to claim 4 further comprising an optical member which is disposed on an axis of the magnetic core and is adapted to form an image of an object point at a predetermined distance position in front of the eye on a light-receiving surface of the plurality of light-receiving elements.

6. The artificial vision system according to claim 5, wherein the optical member is placed in the opening of the magnetic core.

7. The artificial vision system according to claim 5 further comprising a moving unit which is adapted to move the optical member in an axial direction of the magnetic core.

8. The artificial vision system according to claim 2, wherein an iris pattern is provided to one of the magnetic core, a substrate on which the magnetic core is disposed and a coating surface embedding the magnetic core.

9. The artificial vision system according to claim 2 further comprising a power supply unit which is disposable in front of the eye, includes a magnetic core having an opening and a coil wound around the magnetic core, and is adapted to supply the power to the power acquiring unit using the electromagnetic induction.

10. An artificial vision system for regenerating or restoring vision of an eye of a patient comprising:

a power acquiring unit which is disposable inside the eye, which unit includes a magnetic core having an opening and a coil wound around the magnetic core, and is adapted to acquire power from outside a body using electromagnetic induction;

a plurality of electrodes which is adapted to be provided at the retina and is adapted to electrically stimulate cells constituting the retina;

a plurality of light-receiving elements which are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of electrodes and disposable inside the eye so as to receive light from outside the body through the opening of the magnetic core; and

an optical member which is disposed on an axis of the magnetic core and is adapted to form an image of an object point at a predetermined distance position in front of the eye on a light-receiving surface of the plurality of light-receiving elements; and

wherein the power acquiring unit is disposed so that the opening of the magnetic core is located at a pupil.

11. The artificial vision system according to claim 10, wherein the optical member is placed in the opening of the magnetic core.

12. The artificial vision system according to claim 10, further comprising a moving unit which is adapted to move the optical member in an axial direction of the magnetic core.