Artificial Retina Chip Research Articles

(Invited, Digital Presentation) Development of 3D-Stacked Artificial Retina Chip with 3DIC/TSV and Advanced Packaging Technology

3DIC/TSV is the most promising candidate for high-performance and low-power computing devices. They have many advantages such as short wiring length, small pin capacitances, high packing density, ultra-parallel operation. Among several types of 3D-IC technologies, multiple chips-to-wafer (MCtW) stacking can stack known-good chips fabricated with different technologies and sizes, leading to a true 3D heterogeneous system. We have developed a fully implantable retinal prosthesis with a 3D-stacked artificial retina (AR) chip. In the 3D-stacked AR chip, the photoreceptor chip and stimulus current generator with image processing circuits are vertically stacked and electrically connected by many TSVs. Furthermore, advanced packaging technology like FOWLP is being developed to implement multiple AR chips in a flexible substrate to obtain a wide viewing angle. This leads to small chip size, lightweight, large fill-factor, high resolution, and high quality of life patients.

The Future of New Learning Way for The Visually Impaired Learners: Use Bionic Eye with Voice Assistant

Chatbots can be defined as artificial narrow intelligence (ANI) which can perform a single task such as answering people’s question by harnessing the power of machine learning. There is some educational-related chatbots developed to interact with learners in mobile instant messaging (MIM) apps. Nowadays, there are more and more voice assistant developed in our world. They aim to fulfill user requests by choosing the best intent from multiple options generated by its Automated Speech Recognition and Natural Language Understanding sub-systems. Bionic eye is also still develop for the blind, it plays a vital part by restoring the vision. Technologies that are involved in bionic eyes are-multiple unit artificial retina chip system (MARC). This report describes an approach for the design and development of a voice assistant based on chatbot development basis combined with bionic eye application for an eLearning system with the learner’s personal needs.

Analog Learning Neural Network using Two-Stage Mode by Multiple and Sample Hold Circuits

In the neural network field, many application models have been proposed. A neuro chip and an artificial retina chip are developed to comprise the neural network model and simulate the biomedical vision system. Previous analog neural network models were composed of the operational amplifier and fixed resistance. It is difficult to change the connection coefficient. In this study, we used analog electronic multiple and sample hold circuits. The connecting weights describe the input voltage. It is easy to change the connection coefficient. This model works only on analog electronic circuits. It can finish the learning process in a very short time and this model will enable more flexible learning.

Towards local motion detection by the use of analog self electro-optic effect device

We demonstrated the use of the analog self electro-optic effect device (SEED) as part of an artificial retina chip for the detection and estimation of local motion. The characterization was performed by comparing our chip to biological and computational models and to other artificial retina chips. Its main unique feature is the optical output, since most chips have electrical output. By combining the response of the chip with temporal information about the input image, it is possible to estimate the velocity perpendicular to an edge, including its direction.

High-Density Through Silicon Vias for 3-D LSIs

High density through silicon via (TSV) is a key in fabricating three-dimensional (3-D) large-scale integration (LSI). We have developed polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) TSV technology and tungsten (W)/poly-Si TSV technology for 3-D integration. In the poly-Si TSV formation, low-pressure chemical vapor deposition poly-Si heavily doped with phosphorus was conformally deposited into the narrow and deep trench formed in a Si substrate after the surface of Si trench was thermally oxidized. In the W/poly-Si TSV formation, tungsten was deposited into the Si trench by atomic layer deposition method after the poly-Si deposition, where poly-Si was used as a liner layer for W deposition. The 3-D microprocessor test chip, 3-D memory test chip, 3-D image sensor chip, and 3-D artificial retina chip were successfully fabricated by using poly-Si TSV.

Smooth pursuit eye movement system using artificial retina chip and shape memory alloy actuator

We developed a new active vision system using an artificial retina chip and the shape memory alloy actuator. A foveated CMOS retina chip for edge detection designed and fabricated for an image sensor of the developed system and the shape memory alloy actuator was used for mimicking the roles of the ocular muscles to track a desired target. Also, we proposed a new computational model that mimics the functional roles of our brain organs for generating the smooth pursuit eye movement. In our model, a neuromorphic model for the medial temporal cell generates motion energy, and the medial superior temporal cell is considered to generate an actuating signal so that the developed active vision system smoothly pursues the target with similar dynamics to the motion of our eyeball during the smooth pursuit. Experimental results show that the developed system successfully operates to follow the edge information of a moving object.

703 人工網膜チップ応用マイクロマニピュレーションシステムに関する研究 : その4,画像処理法および制御方法の特性向上(情報・知能・精密機器II)

703 人工網膜チップ応用マイクロマニピュレーションシステムに関する研究 : その4,画像処理法および制御方法の特性向上(情報・知能・精密機器II)

An Artificial Retina Chip with Pixel-wise Self-Adjusting Intensity Response

A human retina like, wide operating-range CMOS image sensor with pixels that shift their intensity-response curves according to the intensity of light has been constructed. The chip realizes an operating range 28dB wider than that of conventional CMOS image sensor. The chip integrates 128×128 pixels whose size is 24×24μm2 with 0.8μm single poly-Si and double metal CMOS technology. The chip size is 6.0×4.6mm2.

Artificial retina chips as on-chip image processors and gesture-oriented interfaces

Players of a video game may sometimes find the use of conventional interfaces inappropriate. In such cases, we think that interfaces realized with a vision-based gesture recognition system may find favor. The artificial retina (AR) chip is a versatile image sensor whose use ranges from normal image acquisition to on-chip image processing, including on-chip image convolution. In this paper, we describe a gesture- input video game system, with the AR module including the AR chip, and motion-based gesture recognition algorithms. We showed that the algorithms can be accelerated by projection data, the direct output from the AR chip. To show its performance, we have applied our system to two commercially available video games.

Artificial Retina Chips and Application Systems

Artificial Retina Chips and Application Systems

Computer vision for interactive computer graphics

Vision can be a powerful interface device for computers because of its potential for sensing body position, head orientation, direction of gaze, pointing commands, and gestures. Such unencumbered interaction can make computers easier to use. We describe vision algorithms for interactive graphics and present vision-controlled graphics applications using these algorithms. Some applications employ an artificial retina chip for image detection or preprocessing.

Industrialization of artificial retina chips

Industrialization of artificial retina chips

Development and industrialization of artificial retina chips

Development and industrialization of artificial retina chips

1-4 30万画素人工網膜チップ

1-4 30万画素人工網膜チップ

Artificial retina chips for image processing

Artificial retina chips which can simultaneously sense and process real world images are described. The comparison between artificial retinal systems and conventional image processing systems is described. Variable sensitivity photodetection, which is an essential technology for the artificial retina chips, is introduced in detail. The concept, structure, fundamental performance, operating principle, and processing functions for the fabricated artificial retinal chips are described. Applications including interactive games by gesture-input are also introduced.

Image processing by artificial retina chips

Image processing by artificial retina chips

An artificial retina chip with current-mode focal plane image processing functions

This paper describes an artificial retina chip consisting of an array of Variable Sensitivity Photo-Detector cells (VSPDs) which accomplishes both nondestructive output and programmable positive or negative sensitivity. Despite its simple structure, this VSPD array realizes programmable focal plane image processing by employing between-pixel current mode calculations, together with a novel addressing method in which filtering is executed by varying the addressing pattern generated by a scanning unit. The n-MOS VSPD pixel which we have designed consists of a pn photodiode and an n-MOS differential amplifier; the VSPD circuit has been optimized by SPICE simulation. Using a 2-/spl mu/m n-MOS process gives a pixel size of 35 (H)/spl times/26 (V) /spl mu/m/sup 2/ with a photodiode fill factor of 25%. The artificial retina chip which has been fabricated incorporates 256/spl times/256 pixels, 16 parallel output ports, and a random access function. The photosensitivity is 0.8 /spl mu/A/lx for a 1-ms accumulation time. We demonstrate image capture in video mode and edge extraction mode, and light spot tracing using pattern matching in conjunction with the random access function.

An artificial retina chip made of a 128 x 128 pn-np variable-sensitivity photodetector array

An artificial retina chip is an image detection device that, like biological retinas, can extract essential features directly from projected images. This paper presents an artificial retina chip consisting of a 128/spl times/128 array of pn-np variable-sensitivity photodetectors (VSPD's). This photodetector (PD) utilizes pn junctions and thus avoids the rather inflexible memory effect encountered in our previously reported device, which used Schottky contacts in a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) configuration. We introduce a novel "filter division" method for arbitrary two-dimensional (2-D) filter operation, and successfully employ it in a 2-D edge extraction task.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>