Estimation of motion direction and speed using an organic-semiconductor retinal prosthetic in a blind retinae

Abstract

For a vision system, estimating the speed and direction of movement at the retinal input stage is an essential function for survival in many organisms. Retinal ganglion cells specific to this movement function were identified using multi-electrode array recordings in neonatal chick retina. Motion-evoked "visual streaks" and direction selective responses were observed in chick ganglion cells upon sequential activation as a response to moving bar stimuli. These characteristics were preserved in the sub-retinal prosthetic consisting of a semiconductor polymer film coupled to the blind chick retina which generated spatiotemporal activity patterns resembling those in natural vision. The motion parameters of direction and speed inferred from these recordings demonstrate that polymer-based prostheses can evoke physiologically relevant activity patterns, suggesting their potential to restore motion perception in degenerative retinae.