First-in-human flexible array implant to restore vision

ongoing

This project aims at a pivotal advancement towards a long-standing promise of science and technology: a visual prosthesis that restores useful levels of vision to blind people. It combines results from two earlier EU funded projects: In NeuraViPeR, Fernandez et al. implanted a small needle-bed shaped silicon electrode array in the visual cortex of blind volunteers. Electrical microstimulation on this silicon array was able to induce the percept of simple shapes directly to the blind person, and also enabling her to find boundaries of objects. However, as most of the visual cortex does not lie on the surface of the brain, this cannot be readily upscaled to practical levels. In HyperStim, we developed a technology to build flexible, polymer-based electrode arrays that can be shaped to address the entire primary visual cortex. In tests on rhesus monkeys, we have proven durability of the electrode arrays over several years, vastly improved tissue integration and reduced scar tissue formation compared to the earlier silicon probe technology, and to current clinically used electrode arrays. Furthermore, we have proven the ability to increase the resolution beyond the number of electrodes that are physically present by using advanced stimulation patterns. In the current proposal, we will combine the two previous projects and prove in a first-in-human experiment in a blind patient that this is indeed the way forward to restore a level of vision that is useful in daily life. In terms of business development, we have already founded a start-up company around this concept and raised seed funding. We have 3 pending patents. The project's business objectives revolve around further advancing the company in terms of business plan, quality systems, documentation and IP. Combining these business objectives with success in the aforementioned research goals will help us reach our ambitious final goal: to successfully raise series A funding by the end of the project.