💻 New PRIMA Microchip Restores Vision

The implant was developed at Stanford Medicine with support from Science Corporation, a biotech founded by former Neuralink president Max Hodak.

The technology was tested in patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (geographic atrophy) who had severe central vision loss.

The system consists of two main components:

➡️ A wireless 2×2 mm subretinal photovoltaic chip is implanted under the retina where photoreceptors have been lost.

➡️ Smart glasses beam images via infrared to the chip, which converts them into electrical pulses that stimulate the retina and travel to the brain via the optic nerve.

PRIMA is the first implant of its kind that enables patients to recognize shapes and patterns—not just light. Of the 32 patients who received the implant and were monitored for a year, 27 regained the ability to read.

"I am able to read my post, books, and do crosswords and Sudoku. Technology is moving so fast, it's amazing that I am part of it," said Sheila Irvine, 70, a participant in the clinical trials.

💡 The developers plan to increase the chip's pixel count from 378 to 10,000, which will significantly improve image resolution and bring vision closer to normal. Work is also underway to adapt the technology for other forms of blindness caused by photoreceptor loss.

@hiaimediaen