Apparatus and Methods for Visual Perception Using an Array of Nanoscale Waveguides
AssigneeThe Trustees of Boston College
InventorMichael J. Naughton
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Abstract
Nanoscale photovoltaic devices fabricated from nanoscale waveguides that receive, propagate, and convert incident light into electrical neural signals, and methods of using these photovoltaic devices for visual perception are disclosed herein. A visual neuroprosthetic device includes an array of nanoscale waveguides (170), each nanoscale waveguide (370) in the array (170) having a photovoltaic material (320) located between an internal conductor and an external conductor, wherein each nanoscale waveguide (370) receives, propagates, and converts incident light into electrical neural signals.
Claims26
A visual neuroprosthetic device comprising an array of nanoscale waveguides, each nanoscale waveguide in the array having a photovoltaic material located between an internal conductor and an external conductor, wherein each nanoscale waveguide receives, propagates, and converts incident light into electrical neural signals.
A method of visual perception comprising:
- providing a visual neuroprosthetic device comprising an array of nanoscale waveguides, each nanoscale waveguide in the array having a photovoltaic material located between an internal conductor and an external conductor;
- implanting the visual neuroprosthetic device into an eye by engaging the device with a retina;
- receiving incident light on the array of nanoscale waveguides of the visual neuroprosthetic device;
- propagating the incident light through the array of nanoscale waveguides of the visual neuroprosthetic device;
- converting the incident light into an electrical neural signal;
- transferring the electrical neural signal to cells of the retina;
- and
- sending the electrical neural signal to a brain to create a visual image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.