The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is developing a next-generation retinal prosthesis system that will enable the Laboratory’s broader work on a system known as HARMONIE: the Hybrid Augmented Reality Multimodal Operation Neural Integration Environment.
Funding for the retinal system research, in the amount of $4 million, is provided by the Mann Fund, created by philanthropist Alfred E. Mann 15 years ago to support the development of biomedical technologies.
This work will be conducted in close collaboration with Second Sight Medical Products, Inc., a Sylmar, California-based company that develops, manufactures and markets implantable visual prosthetics for blind individuals.
APL will be developing next generation glasses with embedded vision and eye tracking sensors. Using these sensors and onboard hardware, the system will identify potential obstacles, doorways, hallways, and household objects and their relative positions.