Devices

A camera-driven visual cortex stimulator that gave blind volunteers phosphene images, built on a program that began in 1968. Reported by the Dobelle group in 2000.

Device — Cortical surface

Dobelle cortical visual prosthesis

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visual prosthesis · phosphenes · cortical stimulation · percutaneous · historical · Dobelle · human · dead end

Dobelle cortical visual prosthesis

One-line verdict: An early human cortical visual prosthesis that turned camera images into phosphene patterns. The percutaneous pedestal design and the program history are as informative as the images.

Quick tags: Stimulation · Visual cortex · Species: Human · Reported: 2000 (ASAIO Journal)

Overview

What it is: A system that connects a digital video camera, a computer and electronics to the visual cortex. The camera is built into sunglasses. It produces black-and-white displays of cortical phosphenes, in the author’s words like the light-bulb arrays of a sports scoreboard.

Goal: The paper says the system was designed primarily for independent mobility, not reading. It also describes a battery-powered, RF-isolated interface that can replace the camera so the volunteer can watch television and use a computer.

Program history (as stated in the paper):

  • It builds on a 1968 paper by Giles Brindley’s group.
  • 1970-1972: cortical stimulation of 37 sighted volunteers undergoing occipital surgery.
  • 1972-1973: three blind volunteers temporarily implanted for a few days.
  • Later: four blind volunteers with permanent electrode arrays and percutaneous connecting pedestals. Two were implanted in 1974. One array was removed after 3 months as planned. The other was removed after 14 years, because of a blood-borne infection the paper says did not originate with the implant.

Spec Card Grid

Identity

  • Author: William H. Dobelle, Institut Dobelle AG
  • Published: ASAIO Journal 46:3-9, 2000
  • Species: human

Architecture

  • Interface: electrode arrays on visual cortex with percutaneous connecting pedestals
  • Input: sunglasses-mounted video camera, computer, battery-powered electronics
  • Output: phosphene patterns

Evidence and limits

  • Shown: artificial vision in blind volunteers; one array in place for 14 years
  • Not covered here: array channel counts and later fate of the program; this entry does not claim either

References