The INESC-ID, Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering-Research and Development in Lisbon, carries out a highly innovative and social relevance project. The visual stimulus, captured by a video camera embedded in the frame of glasses, is coded in a sequence of electric pulses which is similar to the ganglion cells in human retina. Then, the coded stimulus is transmitted to the microelectrode matrix through a wireless connection that is established by a low coupling transformer. This induced-like connection is also used to transmit the necessary energy to the functioning of the micro-stimulation circuit that is coupled to the micro-electrode matrix, which has been previously incorporated in the visual cortex.
A visual prosthesis resulted from this project, which has already been tested in animals.
Multiple interdisciplinary teams have participated in the project, distributed by some of the best research centres in Europe, integrating knowledge in the area of medicine, biology and engineering. The INESC-ID team consists of Professors Moisés Piedade, José Gerald, Leonel Sousa, Gonçalo Tavares and Pedro Tomás.
The new Phase of the project, funded by FCT, is known as “ICONS - Intra Cortical Neuronal Stimulator”.