Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System by Second Sight
Second
Sight have developed the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System
that
bypasses damaged photoreceptors in the eye. With the application of a
video camera attached to the patient's glasses, the Argus II system can
capture a scene that is interpreted via the surge of an electrical
impulse to the retina's remaining intact cells. Excitation of the
retinal cells stimulates the optic nerve to the brain that manifests as
a pattern of light. This novel technology marks a step in progress
towards treating conditions such as Retinitis Pigmentosa - a disease
that results in degeneration of the retina. This system can help
restore some visual capacity for the patient. Mark Humayun at the Keck
School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has
been a key member in the development of this device.
Run time - 1:02 minutes.
Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System Artificial Retina
Video courtesy of Second Sight.