Non-invasive ultrasound neuromodulation for vision restoration from retinal diseases

A method for vision restoration from retinal diseases, the method comprising:

• capturing, using a camera, an image;
• receiving, at a processor, the captured image;
• transferring, by the processor, the captured image to an ultrasound system including a helical ultrasonic transducer;
• converting, by the ultrasound system, the captured image to an acoustic beam pattern;
• and
• transmitting, by the ultrasound system, the acoustic beam pattern to deliver energy to an eye, the acoustic beam pattern formed in a shape of a ‘C’, having a center frequency of between 3-24 MHz, and a negative peak acoustic pressure of between 0.5 MPa to 3 MPa for a duration of between 5 to 300 milliseconds,
• wherein the energy evokes neuron activity in a retina of the eye.

A portable ultrasonic neuromodulation system for vision restoration from retinal diseases, the system comprising:

• a sensor configured to monitor a neural response of a brain;
• a processor configured to generate an image and transfer data corresponding to the image to an ultrasound system;
• and
• the ultrasound system configured to convert the data corresponding to the image to an acoustic beam pattern corresponding to the image, the ultrasound system comprising a helical ultrasound transducer having a 2D matrix array of transducer elements,
• wherein the 2D matrix array of transducer elements generate an acoustic beam pattern formed in a shape of a ‘C’ and via modulation of both amplitude and phase information for each transducer element to deliver acoustic energy having a center frequency of between 3-24 MHz at a retina of an eye of a blind patient to evoke a neural response, and
• wherein the sensor measures the neural response and instructs the processor to alter the acoustic beam pattern to cause the neural response to correspond to the image.