Automatic fitting for a visual prosthesis
First Claim
1. A method of stimulating visual neurons comprising:
- stimulating visual neurons with an electrical charge;
detecting an indication of neural activity;
varying said electrical charge in response to said indication of neural activity;
recording a first electrical charge level when a first predetermined level of neural activity is detected;
recording a second electrical charge level when a second predetermined level of a neural activity is detected; and
stimulating said visual neurons according to an input signal between said first electrical charge level and said second electrical charge level,wherein stimulation occurs through an array of electrodes in a stimulation mode and detection occurs through the array of electrodes in a detection mode, andwherein timing of a switching between the stimulation mode and the detection mode is a function of an amplitude of the electrical charge, the timing of the switching decreasing when the amplitude of the electrical charge increases.
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Abstract
The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual patient. By recording neural response to a predetermined input stimulus, one can alter that input stimulus to the needs of an individual patient. A minimum input stimulus is applied to a patient, followed by recording neural response in the vicinity of the input stimulus. By alternating stimulation and recording at gradually increasing levels, one can determine the minimum input that creates a neural response, thereby identifying the threshold stimulation level. One can further determine a maximum level by increasing stimulus until a predetermined maximum neural response is obtained.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of stimulating visual neurons comprising:
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stimulating visual neurons with an electrical charge; detecting an indication of neural activity; varying said electrical charge in response to said indication of neural activity; recording a first electrical charge level when a first predetermined level of neural activity is detected; recording a second electrical charge level when a second predetermined level of a neural activity is detected; and stimulating said visual neurons according to an input signal between said first electrical charge level and said second electrical charge level, wherein stimulation occurs through an array of electrodes in a stimulation mode and detection occurs through the array of electrodes in a detection mode, and wherein timing of a switching between the stimulation mode and the detection mode is a function of an amplitude of the electrical charge, the timing of the switching decreasing when the amplitude of the electrical charge increases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of stimulating visual neurons comprising:
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stimulating visual neurons with a base level electrical charge; detecting an optical indication of neural activity; varying said electrical charge in response to said optical indication of neural activity; recording a first electrical charge level when a first predetermined optical indication of neural activity is detected; recording a second electrical charge level when a second predetermined optical indication of neural activity is detected; and stimulating said visual neurons according to an input signal between said first electrical charge level and said second electrical charge level, wherein stimulation occurs through an array of electrodes in a stimulation mode and detection occurs through the array of electrodes in a detection mode, and wherein timing of a switching between the stimulation mode and the detection mode is a function of an amplitude of the electrical charge, the timing of the switching decreasing when the amplitude of the electrical charge increases. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification