SGER: Development of a Light-Driven Microactuator for a Retinal Prosthesis Application

SGER：开发用于视网膜假体应用的光驱动微执行器

• 批准号: 0439464
• 负责人: Laxman Saggere
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Illinois at Chicago
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-07-01 至 2006-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0439464&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SGER; Development; Light; Driven; Microactuator

0439464SaggereIn this novel design, a retinal prosthesis is comprised of an array of microfluidic dispensers. The two principal components of each dispenser unit are: a light driven micro-actuator and a tiny fluid chamber connected to micronozzles that open up to the top surface of the device on one side. The light-driven microactuator serves as the prime mover for each fluid dispenser. When irradiated by light, the microactuator bends in the direction away from the incident light resulting in increased pressure in the chamber and ultimately ejection of fluid stored in the chamber through the micronozzles. The amount of fluid ejected and the rate of ejection will be regulated by the intensity and energy available in the incident light. The ultimate goal of this concept would be to relate the light information reaching the retina to the chemical signals communicated to the retinal neurons.

在这种新颖的设计中，视网膜假体由一系列微流体分配器组成。每个分配器单元的两个主要组成部分是：一个光驱动的微致动器和一个连接到微喷嘴的微小流体室，微喷嘴在设备的一侧打开到顶部表面。光驱动微致动器作为每个液体分配器的原动机。当被光照射时，微致动器向远离入射光的方向弯曲，导致腔内压力增加，最终将储存在腔内的流体通过微喷嘴喷射出来。喷出的液体量和喷出的速率将由入射光的强度和可用能量来调节。这个概念的最终目标是将到达视网膜的光信息与传递给视网膜神经元的化学信号联系起来。