ASIC design and data communications for the Boston retinal prosthesis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa cause blindness.
• Retinal prostheses aim to restore vision by stimulating remaining retinal neurons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the design and testing of a custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for the Boston retinal prosthesis.
• To detail the safety and communication features of the ASIC for neural stimulation.

Main Methods:

• Designed a low-power ASIC using a 0.18 micron Si fabrication process with CMOS and FET transistors.
• Implemented a communication system with frequency-shift keying and load-shift keying for wireless data transfer.
• Integrated safety features including electrode voltage monitoring, charge limits, and error checking.

Main Results:

• The ASIC supports over 256 output electrodes with configurable neural stimulation waveforms.
• Wireless communication was established for data transmission and control.
• On-board safety mechanisms ensure secure and reliable operation during retinal stimulation.

Conclusions:

• The developed ASIC is a key component for the Boston retinal prosthesis, enabling safe and personalized visual restoration.
• The device facilitates wireless tailoring of retinal stimulation for improved vision recovery in patients with retinal degenerative diseases.