Exploring how to create clear visual perceptions using brain stimulation for blind individuals
Official title: Understanding the principles of phosphene fusion via high-channel-count visual prostheses
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10908855 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring how sending electrical signals to the brain can help people who are blind see flashes of light, called phosphenes, by working around damaged parts of their eyes, and it aims to improve devices that could help restore vision.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,177,273 |
| NIH project number | 1DP2EY037405-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10908855 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who are blind due to extensive damage to their eyes or optic nerves and are seeking potential restoration of vision.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with intact vision or those whose blindness is not due to damage in the eye or optic nerve may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how electrical stimulation of the brain can generate visual perceptions known as phosphenes in individuals who are blind. By using advanced brain-computer interfaces, the study aims to bypass damaged areas of the eye and optic nerve to restore vision. Researchers will develop models to predict how different patterns of stimulation affect the perception of these phosphenes, focusing on understanding the phenomenon of phosphene fusion, where multiple phosphenes merge into one. The approach involves recording detailed data from the visual cortex of monkeys to refine these models and improve the effectiveness of visual prostheses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved visual prosthetic devices that provide clearer and more distinct visual perceptions for blind individuals.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using brain stimulation to evoke visual perceptions, but this specific approach to understanding phosphene fusion is novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Xing — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Chen, Xing
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.