RiBBon: Rewiring the Brain in Bionic Vision (2019-2022)

Bionic eyes can restore vision to the blind, however, the quality of visual perception remains rudimentary. The goal of this research project is to improve bionic vision by enhancing the brain computational power using electrical stimulation techniques. This will allow the brain to better understand the new visual inputs.

Funding: Grant RTI2018-094465-J-I00 funded by MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”.

Mimicking Neural Encoding in Visual Prosthesis (2020-2022)

The brain codifies visual inputs as transitions from light-on to light-off and vice-versa using different neural pathways. Unfortunately. visual prostheses can only activate both pathways simultaneously, sending confusing information to the brain. The aim of this project is to preferentially activate these pathways by delivering high-frequency electrical stimulation at the retina and the optic nerve.

Funding: Foundation Fight Blindness (FUNDALUCE)

NeuroBaBEL: Whispering the Language of the Neurons to Restore Vision (2017-2019)

The ultimate goal of bionic eye research as a means of treating vision loss is the capacity to reproduce the same neural messages that travel between the eye and the brain of normal vision. This project aims to improve these neural communications by exploring stochastic resonance and high-frequency preferential activation of retinal neurons in a functional model retinal degeneration.Funding: European Commission (H2020)