Artificial retina receives FDA approval
February 15, 2013
Argus II (credit: Second Sight)
In an historic move, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted market approval to an artificial retina technology, the first bionic eye to be approved for patients in the U.S.
The device, called the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, from Second Sight Medical Products, transmits images from a small, eye-glass-mounted camera wirelessly to a microelectrode array implanted on a patient’s damaged retina. The array sends electrical signals via the optic nerve, and the brain interprets a visual image.
The FDA approval currently applies to individuals who have lost sight as a result of severe to profound retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an ailment that affects one in every 4,000 Americans. The implant allows some individuals with RP, who are completely blind, to locate objects, detect movement, improve orientation and mobility skills and discern shapes such as large letters.
How it works
Argus II components (credit: FDA)
The Argus II design consists of an external video camera system matched to the implanted retinal stimulator, which contains a microelectrode array that spans 20 degrees of visual field.
An external camera system, built into a pair of glasses, streams video to a belt-worn computer, which converts the video into stimulus commands for the implant.
The belt-worn video processing unit (computer) encodes the commands into a wireless signal that is transmitted to the implant, which has the necessary electronics to receive and decode both wireless power and data.
Artificial retina device, consisting of a glasses-mounted camera and a microchip surgically implanted on the retina (credit: Dr. Wentai Liu)
Based on those data, the implant stimulates the retina with small electrical pulses. The electronics are hermetically packaged and the electrical stimulus is delivered to the retina via a microelectrode array.
In 1998, Robert Greenberg founded Second Sight to develop the technology for the marketplace. While under development, the Argus I and Argus II systems have won wide recognition.
The prosthetic technology has received early and continuing support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy, with grants totaling more than $100 million. The private sector’s support nearly matched that of the federal government.
The NSF BMES ERC also developed a prototype system with an array of more than 15 times as many electrodes and an ultra-miniature video camera that can be implanted in the eye. However, this prototype is many years away from being available for patient use.
Comments (11)
by Farman Khoshnaw
Looking forward being able to purchase such a device from EU & even other poor countries markets for approachable cost. I promised a very poor human who lost sight in her childhood, suffering high myopic with RD and Vitreous opacity, long years ago, to chase any news in this regard. I hope I can get one soon.
I would definitely appreciate any contacts, offering any kind of help accelerating this task.
by alvaro
Amazing ! i believe that we can combine this technology with google – glass .
by Graham Rounce
I glance down most articles for “could one day lead to..” etc, which I mentally equate to a pinch of salt.
by SmartAndSober
Let’s just do it. Apply the new discovery *now*. The harder we work, the earlier the Singularity will arrive.
I hope there are hobbyists who would create new technologies at home.
by anthrobotic
“transmits images…”
“20-degree visual field…”
Okay, but what’s the resolution thereof?
Last July KurzweilAI nicely covered a somewhat similar product that provides 576 pixels of greyscale vision (http://goo.gl/k3BZe) – human trials of which are supposed to begin sometime this year.
A super-dorky technosnark website took it upon itself to see what exactly the mundanities of the real world could look like at greyscale 576px and put up some images and a little gallery – if you wanna see – jump on over: http://goo.gl/LqZtO
-Reno at Anthrobotic.com
by Editor
60 pixels in a 6×10 array.
by anthrobotic
Thanks, Ms. Angelica!
by tim the realist
I totally agree. I am really tired of reading about great new technological acheivements and then the “many years until actually available” statement.
We really need some six sigma / LEAN process improvement and streamlining.
Perhaps public funded processes like these along with flowcharts and any wait states or tak times could be posted online. Then crowd source improvement ideas. Make it a contest or grand challenge and shortlist and fund the top ideas for implimentation.
Like our president says – maybe we can’t fix it altogether, but at least we can do something!
by melajara
I fully agree. And better for FDA to grand fast track for research and clinical studies derived from this:
http://www.kurzweilai.net/stem-cells-improve-visual-function-in-blind-mice
by Erik
I wish they could cut the FDA bureaucracy so we would see much more of these things.
by Ian Clarke
I’m sure the process could (and hopefully will) be streamlined, but I think the biggest improvements in FDA approval times will come from technological advancements. Organs on chips, once recognised as providing perfectly valid medical data, could one day replace animal testing and Phase I & II (and who knows, even Phase III) human trials.