A brain-computer interface (BCI) startup called Science has shared some exciting news about a BCI device called PRIMA.
This device is an eye implant meant to help people who have lost their ability to see well because of a condition called geographic atrophy (GA), which is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD affects the part of the eye that helps us see clearly, called the macula.
PRIMA is a tiny chip, about the size of a small grain of rice. This chip has around 380 pixels that change light into electrical signals.
Once PRIMA is implanted in the back of the eye, the recipient wears special glasses with a camera. The camera sends what it sees to the PRIMA chip through infrared light. The chip then turns this light into electrical signals and sends the signals to the brain, helping the person see shapes and objects again.
The company has tested this technology in a study called PRIMAvera. In the trial, 38 people with GA received the PRIMA implant. After a year, those who stayed in the study could read almost five more lines on a vision chart than they could before.
A turning point
”The results demonstrate a milestone in the treatment of blindness caused by geographic atrophy due to age-related macular degeneration. For the first time it was possible to restore real form vision in a retina that has deteriorated due to age-related macular degeneration” says PRIMAvera scientific coordinator Frank Holz. “Prior to this, there have been no real treatment options for these patients,”
These promising results suggest that PRIMA could be a big step towards helping people with AMD see better.
The goal of the trial was not just to see if PRIMA works but also to make sure it's safe for people to use. The hope is to get a safety and performance certification from European authorities.
"This represents an enormous turning point for the field," continues Hodak, "and we’re incredibly excited to bring this important technology to market over the next few years.”
Hodak is a co-founder and former President of Elon Musk's BCI company Neuralink.