Enhanced Imaging for Visual Prostheses

项目摘要/摘要 拟议的项目涉及一种有希望的新的热/视觉成像系统的商业化，该系统将 用作视觉假体和其他低视力辅助物的输入方式。视觉假体，包括第二个 Sight的Argus®II视网膜假体，可恢复因视网膜炎症等疾病而失明的人的部分视力 色素变性和黄斑变性，以及Second Sight的Orion®视觉皮质假体，它可以恢复 因视网膜色素变性、黄斑变性、青光眼、 糖尿病视网膜病变、眼睛损伤/创伤、视神经疾病等，使用摄像头或其他传感器提供 直接对使用者的视网膜或视皮层进行电刺激以引起视觉知觉。不幸的是， 对于佩戴者来说，在许多重要的任务中，普通的光和颜色信息很难有效地处理 假体和其他低视力辅助物的有限空间分辨率。电流补偿 降低分辨率系统中的技术应用于可见光的增强、放大和平移 图像，这些技术是有实用价值的。然而，正如我们在第一阶段和第二阶段令人信服地证明的那样 在SBIR支持的开发项目中，其他类型的成像更自然地与有限的 视觉假体在重要任务中的分辨率，例如寻找人员和行动能力。在本建议的CRP中 项目，我们将推进第二阶段开发的生产原型系统进入商业化生产和 完成所有必要的验证和验证测试，以获得FDA的批准。竣工生产 系统将分发给假肢接受者，他们将接受使用培训，然后被允许 在他们的家庭和社区环境中评估该系统。通过这些评估， 将对实际使用的系统进行评估。

Project Summary/Abstract The proposed project relates to the commercialization of a promising new thermal/visual imaging system to be used as an input modality to visual prostheses and other low vision aids. Visual prostheses, including Second Sight's Argus® II retinal prosthesis, which restores partial vision to people blinded by diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration, and Second Sight's Orion® visual cortical prosthesis, which restores partial vision to people blinded by diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, eye injury/trauma, optic nerve disease etc., use cameras or other sensors to provide electrical stimulation directly to the retina or visual cortex of the user to elicit visual perception. Unfortunately, ordinary light and color information is difficult for wearers to effectively process in many important tasks with the limited perceived spatial resolution of the prostheses and other low vision aids. Current compensation techniques in reduced resolution systems apply enhancement, magnification, and panning of visible light imagery, and these techniques have utility. However, as we have convincingly demonstrated in phases I and II of the SBIR-supported development project, other types of imaging more naturally align with the limited resolution of visual prostheses in important tasks such as people finding and mobility. In this proposed CRP project, we will advance the phase II developed production-prototype system into commercial production and complete all required verification and validation testing to achieve FDA approval. Completed production systems will be distributed to prosthesis recipients who will undergo training in their use and then be allowed to evaluate the system in their home and community environment. Through these evaluations the end utility of the system in real-world use will be evaluated.