Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

Google Inc.

Pishoy Maksy

Kelly Hobart McClure

Arup Roy

Robert Jay Greenberg

Chunhong Zhou

Sumit Yadav

James Singleton Little

Rongqing Dai

John J Reinhold

Kea-Tiong Tang

Richard Agustin Castro

Dao Min Zhou

David Daomin Zhou

Matthew J McMahon

Avraham I Caspi

Peter Meilstrup

Robert H Murray

Richard Augustin Castro

Qi Fu

Darren Robert Davis

Sean Sullivan

Ravi K Desu

Varun Y Patel

Peter Melistrup

Kelly H Mcclure

Kelly Mcclure

In electrically stimulating neural tissue it is important to prevent over stimulation and unbalanced stimulation, which would cause damage to the neural tissue, the electrode, or both. It is critical that neural tissue is not subjected to any direct current or alternating current above a safe threshold. Further, it is important to identify defective electrodes, as continued use may result in neural damage and further electrode damage. The present invention presents system and stimulator control mechanisms to prevent damage to neural tissue.

Method and apparatus to provide safety checks for neural stimulation

In electrically stimulating neural tissue it is important to prevent over stimulation and unbalanced stimulation which would cause damage to the neural tissue, the electrode, or both. It is critical that neural tissue is not subjected to any direct current or alternating current above a safe threshold. Further, it is important to identify defective electrodes as continued use may result in neural damage and further electrode damage. The present invention presents system and stimulator control mechanisms to prevent damage to neural tissue.

An apparatus for controlling the stimulation of neural tissue which includes a neural stimulator, an input device for providing input to the neural stimulator for neural stimulation, at least one electrode electrically connected to and driven by the neural stimulator and suitable to stimulate neural tissue, a device capable of determining a charge per phase by calculating a discrete integral of the wave form of the input for the at least one electrode, a calculating device for comparing the charge per phase to a predetermined maximum and determining a reduced stimulation for the at least one electrode by the amount necessary not to exceed the predetermined maximum for the at least one electrode, and a current pulse generator for stimulating the neural tissue according to the reduced stimulation level.

In electrically stimulating neural tissue it is important to prevent over stimulation and unbalanced stimulation which would cause damage to the neural tissue, the electrode, or both. It is critical that neural tissue in not subjected to any direct current or alternating current above a safe threshold. Further, it is important to identify defective electrodes as continued use may result in neural and further electrode damage. The present invention presents system and stimulator control mechanisms to prevent damage to neural tissue.

A method of editing a video configuration file downloadable to or from a video processing unit of a fitting system for a visual prosthesis is shown. The visual prosthesis has a plurality of electrodes and the video configuration file defines mapping of a video signal captured from a camera of the visual prosthesis to an electrical signal for the electrodes. The editing controls a brightness map for an individual electrode or electrode groups, together with a temporal stimulation pattern to which an individual electrode or electrode groups are assigned. A related computer-operated system is also disclosed.

Video configuration file editor for visual prosthesis fitting

The present invention is an improved method of providing flexible image possessing in a visual prosthesis by providing downloadable video filters. In a visual prosthesis, the input video image is normally higher resolution than the output stimulation of the retina, optic nerve or visual cortex. It is advantageous to apply video processing algorithms (filters) to help provide the most useful information to the lower resolution electrode array. Different filters are more effective in different environments and for different subjects. Examples of situation dependent filters include reverse image, contrast increasing, edge detection, segmentation using chromatic information and motion detection. Filters loaded in the video processing unit may be selected dynamically to suit the situation or the user's preference. It is therefore advantageous to provide flexibility in applying filters. However, it is also important to maintain the security necessary for a medical device.

Downloadable filters for a visual prosthesis

The present invention is a method of neural stimulation and more specifically an improved method of providing flexible video/image possessing in a visual prosthesis by providing downloadable video filters. In a visual prosthesis, the input video image will, for the foreseeable future, be higher resolution than the output stimulation of the retina, optic nerve or visual cortex. This is due to limits of electrode array technology and the rapid advancement of video camera technology. It is therefore, advantageous to apply video processing algorithms (filters) to help provide the most useful information to the lower resolution electrode array. Different filters are more effective in different environments and for different subjects. Furthermore, filters will continue to improve over time. Examples of situation dependent filters include reverse image, contrast increasing, edge detection, segmentation using chromatic information and motion detection. Filters loaded in the video processing unit may be selected dynamically to suit the situation or the user's preference. It is therefore advantageous to provide flexibility in applying filters. However, it is also important to maintain the security necessary for a medical device. The present invention provides for an external (not implanted) video processing unit with downloadable video filters.

In electrically stimulating neural tissue it is important to prevent over stimulation and unbalanced stimulation which would cause damage to the neural tissue, the electrode, or both. It is critical that neural tissue in not subjected to any direct current or alternating current above a safe threshold. Further, it is important to identify defective electrodes as continued use may result in neural and further electrode damage. Systems and stimulator control mechanisms to prevent damage to neural tissue.

Video configuration file editor for visual prosthesis fitting and related method

The present application deals generally with the stimulation of neural tissue by electronic means and specifically with controlling the level of electrical stimulation in order to prevent damage to the neural tissue. Methods presented in the disclosure include detecting current leakage via electrode impedance measurement, electrode capacitance measurement, and testing the electrode response to test current pulse. Apparatus presented in the disclosure include circuitry and systems capable of performing the methods disclosed.

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Newport Beach, CA, United States of America

Pishoy Maksy