人工視網膜晶片植入之生物、醫學與工程研究---具眼外影像增強處理與眼內刺激之新型人工視網膜植入系統/人工晶片刺激視網膜生理反應特性之研究---總計畫及子計畫三(I)

Abstract

我國已經漸漸邁入高齡化社會。由於此社會結構的轉變，導致國家的預算要 在高齡相關疾病養護中呈現非線性的成長。尤其在高齡化所導致的視網膜病變， 在已開發國家中更是有顯著的影響。在眼疾的統計中，視網膜色素退化疾病(RP) 在每四千人中，就有一人受此疾病困擾。而年齡相關性的視網膜組織退化(AMD) 更是在每十個六十五歲以上年老者中就有一個有此病症。為了能夠有效的治療與 此相關之視網膜病變的患者，並能夠減少國家在老年疾病養護的社會成本與經費 預算，我們提出這個計畫構想書。在此計畫構想書中，我們組成此項研究相關之 生醫及工程跨領域最佳團隊，並邀請國內產業界參與，將對人工視網膜研究作整 體突破性與基礎性的分析與電路實現並進行離體與活體的動物實驗，提出新的人 工視網膜植入治療法。 此計畫構想書將會以植入式人工視網膜療法為研究主題，從各種不同的專業 研究領域切入探討並改進現有的人工視網膜的效能與植入方法。我們將會針對： (1)人工晶片刺激視網膜節細胞生理反應特性之研究、(2)射頻訊號與能源傳輸在 視網膜晶片植入方面的應用、(3)電極在植入療程中的可靠度與生物相容性分析 決定刺激電流閥值的研究、(4)創新的具眼外影像增強處理功能之視網膜晶片。 上述等研究主題將分別由台灣聯合大學系統的：國立清華大學、國立中央大學、 國立陽明大學以及國立交通大學作相關研究並加以整合，國內聯華電子公司亦將 大力支持人工視網膜晶片相關製程的開發。

Our country is stepping into an aging society and the expenses for the associated aging health care are shown with nonlinear increase in the annual budget. The age-related retinal diseases become significant problems in a developed country. In the statistics of eye diseases, it has been estimated that one out of 4000 peoples is suffering from retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Moreover, one tenth of the population with age over 65 years is affected by age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). In order to provide a more effective therapeutic plan for reducing the health-care expenses and the cost of social welfare, we proposed this integrated cross-disciplinary research project. The research team consists of outstanding professors in biomedical, biological, and EECS fields as well as a medical doctor. The IC company UMC is willing to fully support the chip fabrication and new process development. The goal of this project is to develop a novel method for retina prosthesis by way of the innovative and fundamental research on retina prosthesis and through circuit implementation and experiments in vitro and in vivo in animal studies. In this research project, we will investigate and improve the efficiency and efficacy of the artificial retina prostheses and the methods of implant. This project will focus on the following topics: (1) Characterization of physiological properties of retinal neurons upon prosthetic stimulation. (2) Reliability and biocompatibility (implantation) testing for the electrode materials used in retina prosthesis and electrophysiologically functional measurement as an evaluation for the implanted electrode. (3) Design and implementation of the power extraction, the neural signal recording and processing, and the wireless transceiver circuits for the retinal chip. (4) A novel artificial retina system integrating extraocular optical enhancement processing and intraocular stimulation. The research topics listed above will be conducted through interdisciplinary collaboration of professors from University System of Taiwan (UST), NTHU, NCU, NYMU, and NCTU, as well as a medical doctor from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and researchers from semiconductor company UMC.