Retinal light processing using carbon nanotubes

US6755530B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• David Loftus · Palo Alto, US
• Theodore Leng · Mountain View, US
• Harvey Fishman · Menlo Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 16, 2002
• Grant date: Jun 29, 2004
• Expiry date: Oct 18, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S977/902
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Method and system for processing light signals received by the eye of a human or other animal, where the eye may be compromised or non-functioning. Incident light is received at first and second pixels in a photodetector array and provides a pixel electrical signal representing the received light. Each of an array of carbon nanotube (CNT) towers is connected to a pixel, has a first tower end penetrating a retinal active layer of the animal and has a second tower end positioned to receive to receive and transport the pixel electrical signal to the retinal active layer. The CNT tower may be coated with a biologically active substance or chemically modified to promote neurite connections with the tower. The photoreceptor array can be provide with a signal altering mechanism that alters at least one of light intensity and wavelength intensity sensed by a first pixel relative to a second pixel, to correct for one or more selected eye problems.