34.2 1225-Channel Localized Temperature-Regulated Neuromorphic Retinal-Prosthesis SoC with 56.3nW/Channel Image Processor.

Retinal prosthesis (RP) electrically stimulates the retinal cells of the blind to restore visual loss, and it is essential to increase the number of channels for higher spatial-resolution information [1]. Conventional RP SoC with an external camera and an image processor has a limitation of increasing the number of channels due to bandwidth bottleneck, and power consumption from high supply voltage [2]. The photo-diode based RP SoC [3] can reduce the data rate by using incident light directly. However, conductive human retinal environment blurs the electrical stimulus pattern based on the light-intensity difference; thus it is challenging to meet the minimum spatial-resolution information (u003e1000 Ch) to recognize faces [1], [4]. This clinical result raises the necessity for integration of an image processor within the photo-diode based RP SoC. Also, cell damage due to temperature increase must be regulated (no more than 1°C increase allowed). To date, no work in the literature addresses the localized temperature regulation. In order to address these issues, we propose a 1225-channel Neuromorphic Retinal Prosthesis (NRP) SoC integrated with 56.3nW/Ch Neuromorphic Image Processor and the localized (49-point) temperature regulation circuit.