Ultra-fine optoacoustic retinal implant to help restore vision
Massively Parallel Optoacoustic Retinal Stimulation at Micrometer-Resolution
This project is building a tiny implant that uses light-generated ultrasound to stimulate the retinas of people with severe retinal degeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University (Charles River Campus) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167806 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They are developing a small implantable micro-lens array that turns light into focused ultrasound pulses to activate retinal cells. The device is designed to produce very small focal spots (about 40–50 microns) and a very high pixel density (up to 178 pixels per mm2), aiming for much sharper artificial vision than current electrical implants. The team will integrate the array into a soft implant design and test its stimulation precision and parallel activation abilities in laboratory and preclinical experiments before moving toward human use. Experts in nanomaterials and retinal physiology from Boston University and Mass General Hospital are collaborating on the engineering and biological validation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced retinal degenerative diseases (for example, severe retinitis pigmentosa or late-stage macular degeneration) who have very limited vision and are candidates for a retinal prosthesis would be the likely candidates.
Not a fit: People whose blindness is due to optic nerve or brain damage, those with active eye disease or medical conditions that prevent surgery, or those with only mild vision loss are unlikely to benefit from this implant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable much higher-resolution artificial vision than existing retinal prostheses, potentially improving the ability to see shapes and read large text for people with retinal degeneration.
How similar studies have performed: Electrical retinal implants have given limited, low-resolution visual sensations in humans, but using optoacoustic stimulation is a novel approach that has not yet been proven in people.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University (Charles River Campus) — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Chen — Boston University (Charles River Campus)
- Study coordinator: Yang, Chen
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 below.