Honeycomb-type retinal device using chemically derived iridium oxide biointerfaces
Kuang-Chih Tso,
Yuki Fukunari,
Mizuki Hagita,
Makito Haruta,
Hironari Takehara,
Hiroyuki Tashiro,
Kiyotaka Sasagawa,
Pu-Wei Wu,
Jun Ohta
Affiliations
Kuang-Chih Tso
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Yuki Fukunari
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Mizuki Hagita
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Makito Haruta
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Hironari Takehara
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Hiroyuki Tashiro
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Kiyotaka Sasagawa
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Pu-Wei Wu
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan
Jun Ohta
Division of Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
Long-term operational stability and high-efficiency neuron stimulation are key to the development of retinal prostheses. In this research, a retinal device with a chemically inert and flexible substrate is introduced, which satisfies these requirements. We have developed a honeycomb-type retinal device that has a high-performance electrode for suprachoroidal transretinal stimulation. The device structure, in which conjunctional bioceramic substrates are embedded with large numbers of stimulating electrodes, provides high-resolution electrical stimulation. The custom CMOS microchip precisely controls the stimulation delivery of the electrodes to initiate artificial vision, offering a partial remedy for retinal ophthalmic diseases. The CMOS chip design was optimized to drastically reduce the number of input wirings. A high-performance stimulating electrode based on iridium oxide was fabricated using a unique solution process called chemical bath deposition (CBD). The honeycomb-type retinal device, equipped with CBD-derived iridium oxide electrodes, was used to evaluate the electrodes’ and device’s performances in vitro.
