The microsystems based visual prosthesis for optic nerve stimulation

The microsystems based visual prosthesis (MiViP) visual prosthesis generates visual perceptions well below safety and stimulator saturation limits. These perceptions, called phosphenes, are of reasonably small size and are broadly distributed in the visual field. They can thus be used to convey useful visual information. Psychophysical evaluations are being performed in order to assess the implantee's benefits in the use of the MiViP optic nerve visual prosthesis. In a pattern-recognition task, the performance improved regularly with practice with an increasing score and a decreasing delay to recognition. These observations open the way toward an evaluation of general mobility improvement with the portable system. In conclusion, the results obtained so far still support the potential usefulness of the optic nerve visual prosthesis. A low-resolution artificial vision can be expected from the prosthesis after extensive training.