Ultraminiature Imaging Systems for Biomedical Applications

这个潜在的变革性研究项目的基本目标是研究用于人体慢性手术植入的超微型相机的超紧凑光学成像系统的可行性。这种超小型相机必须同时具有极小的体积、极低的质量和极低的功率，同时具有生物相容性和慢性植入的密封性。生物相容性光学材料、光学系统设计和CMOS图像传感器阵列技术的最新进展可能使这种极端小型化成为可能。这种微型相机的生物医学成像应用包括用于视网膜假体的眼内相机，用于视网膜假体的宽视场眼外相机，微型眼内跟踪相机以及能够进行术后询问的生物植入式相机。在眼内相机的应用中，超微型相机是为植入人眼而设计的，能够部分恢复因视网膜色素变性（RP）和年龄相关性黄斑变性（AMD）等光感受器变性疾病而失明的人的视力。眼内摄像头被设计成直接耦合到一个像素微刺激器阵列，该阵列与视网膜表面近距离耦合。这种微型眼内相机（IOC）的开发将消除视网膜假体对外部头戴式或眼镜式相机的需求，并提供一种完全植入式的假体装置，能够恢复盲人的视线与注视点，同时减轻手术并发症。

1265062TanguayThe fundamental goal of this potentially transformative research project is to investigate the feasibility of ultra compact optical imaging systems for ultraminiature cameras that are designed for chronic surgical implantation in the human body. Such ultraminiature cameras must be at once extremely small, very low mass, and very low power, as well as being both biocompatible and hermetically sealed for chronic implantation. Recent advances in biocompatible optical materials, optical systems design, and CMOS image sensor array technology potentially enable this extreme miniaturization. Biomedical imaging applications of such ultraminiature cameras include an intraocular camera for retinal prostheses, a wide field-of-view eye-tracked extraocular camera for retinal prostheses, a miniaturized eye-tracking camera, and bioimplantable cameras capable of post-surgical interrogation. In the intraocular camera application, the ultraminiature camera is designed for implantation within the human eye, with capability for partially restoring vision in those blinded by photoreceptor degenerating diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The intraocular camera is designed to couple directly to a pixellated microstimulator array that is proximity-coupled to the retinal surface. The development of such an ultraminiature intraocular camera (IOC) would eliminate the need for an external head-mounted or eyeglass-mounted camera in retinal prostheses, and provide for a completely implantable prosthetic device capable of restoring sight with foveation to the blind, at the same time relieving surgical complications.