Retinal Implant working with Solar Energy

An implant capable of provide the bottom of the eye with several chemical substances, doesn’t sound very funny; but a chip located, located in the bottom of the eye, would stimulate the cells on the retina spreading them with neurotransmitters; this may help blind people to recover their sight.

Different from other current techniques, based in the application of small electric discharges directly on the retina, this technique doesn´t elevate the temperature of the retina nor requires external batteries for charging it.

In its back and in both sides of the eye ball, Retina contains photoreceptive cells, capable of discharge chemical pointer substances (neurotransmitters) responding to light. These neurotransmitters go to nervous cells located on top of the photoreceptors, from where they are transmitted via a series of electric and chemical reactions to the back of the brain muscle, where they are decoded and converted into images. For people with retina diseases (Macular Degeneration or Retinitis) the photoreceptors become damaged and produce, as last resort, blindness.

Last year, Laxman Saggere, From the University of Illinois, started to research an implant to substitute these damaged photoreceptors with a neurotransmitters pumping system capable of respond to the light. Now, a crucial component is available: a device feeded by sunlight, able to press on the retina in response of a low intensity light.

This prototype consists on a 1.5 mm diameter, silicon flexible disc with 15 micrometers of thickness. When sunlight affects the solar cell contained in the silicon disc this one produces a voltage. The solar cell is connected with the PZT (piezoelectric sensor) layer who will refract responding to the electric impulse, pushing the silicon disc to the bottom.

In the future, a deposit of neurotransmitters pushed by this mechanic action, would atomize on the retina, producing a similar stimulation to the one made by healthy photoreceptors.

Once more, we are proving how solar energy may be functional in almost every way.

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