| Outcome/accomplishment:
Researchers with the NSF-funded Biomimetic Microelectronic Systems (BMES)
Engineering Research Center (ERC), headquartered at the University of Southern
California, received Popular Mechanics magazine's "Breakthrough Award"
for their role in developing the Argus II retinal implant.
Impact/benefits: Ten
million people in the United States suffer from retinal diseases such as
macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. The Argus II and subsequent
retinal implant technologies hold the promise of restoring partial vision
to individuals who otherwise would have to live with permanent blindness.
Explanation/ background:
Researchers Mark Humayun and James Weiland, of the Keck School of Medicine
at the University of Southern California (USC), received a 2010 Popular
Mechanics Breakthrough Award for their development of the Argus II retinal
implant. The device restores partial sight to people blinded by degenerative
retinal diseases.
It works by taking images
from an external video camera and sending electric signals to an electrode
array implanted in the eye. This bypasses damaged photoreceptors
to trigger retinal cells that are still working. Patients with this
artificial retinal prosthesis implanted can distinguish between light and
dark and recognize objects.
Work is currently under way
toward making future generations of the implant powerful enough to distinguish
faces. An expansive collaborative effort involving five national
labs, four universities, and Argus II manufacturer Second Sight Medical
Products, Inc. is moving toward developing these even more advanced capabilities.
In February 2011, Humayun,
who is also Director of the BMES ERC, was elected to membership in the
National Academy of Engineering, in large part for his work on the retinal
prosthesis.
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