Retinal Implants May Be Significantly Enhanced with New Software
From: Science Daily - 04/12/2007

Bonn University computer scientists have developed a computer program
designed to improve the function of retinal implants. Initially, participants
who received visual prosthesis implants were unable to distinguish even
simple shapes, as the signals sent by camera through the implants were almost
useless for the brain. To improve communication between the implants and the
brain, Bonn University computer and neural scientists developed the "Retina
Encoder," software that converts the camera signals and sends them to the
retinal implant. The Retina Encoder uses a continuous process to learn how to
change the camera output signal, through randomly selected "dialects" and
variations of the picture, so that the patient can perceive the image more
clearly. The encoder technology is currently being tested on volunteers with
no site problems, but could be used on patients with implanted visual
prostheses within a few months. Bonn University computer science professor
Rolf Eckmiller said the artificial retina needs to learn to generate signals
that the brain can use, and it is the ability to learn and adapt that makes
the Retina Encoder unique. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070412113210.htm

Links:
Software to Improve Retinal Prosthetic Devices
http://www.medgadget.com/archives/ophthalmology/

Learning visual prosthesis at the Hanover Fair
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-04/uob-lvp041207.php
