Mathematical basis for the design of an artificial retina: visual prosthesis for the retinally blind

Visual prosthesis for the retinally blind is an area of research which is seeing some advances and progress. Advances in the areas of image processing, neuro-morphology of vision, microelectronic engineering and high speed computing has contributed to significant progress in this area. Research using specific patterns of electrical stimulation may enable physicians to restore sight to the blind. Other disciplines provide examples of how electrical stimulation can solve other problems for example the cochlear implants stimulate spinal ganglion cells of the auditory nerves. On the one hand issues of signal and image processing in the biological system are not yet fully understood while on the other hand there is the implant problem which needs to be addressed. In this paper an attempt has been made to point out the various difficulties, unsolved problems and propose solutions to some of them. A prototype of the artificial retina is described. Work under progress in the “Signal Processing and Intelligent Systems Research Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Griffith University” is described