Bionic Vision Australia
Annual Report 2012
Contents
Goal and aims
02
Chairman’s report
03
Director’s report
05
Research report
08
A bionic eye in the making
18
Research leaders
20
People and education
24
In the media
28
Events and collaborators
32
Governance and management
34
Financial report
39
Staff and students
40
Publications listing
54
Photo caption: Dr Miganoosh Abramian and Cherry Ho in the new biomedical engineering laboratory at
UNSW.
Cover image: Samantha Lichter, PhD student at the Melbourne Materials Institute and NICTA, with diamond
sample for the High-Acuity device.
Corporate photography used throughout by Andrew Harris, David Mirabella, Joe Vittorio and Paul Wright.
Medical illustrations copyright Beth Croce (except on p13). Other images courtesy of BVA members and
partners.
Isabell Kiral-Kornek, Yuanyuan Yang and Shun (Leo) Bai examine a High-Acuity microchip at NICTA in
Melbourne.
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Our Global Goal
To rapidly develop internationally competitive retinal implants and technologies that
are shown to be clinically safe and effective in restoring sight, leading to successful
commercialisation.
Our Aims
• Improve the quality of life for people with degenerative vision conditions by
bringing together Australia’s top scientists, engineers and clinicians to
develop a bionic eye and carry out the first prototype human implant by
2013
• Train the next generation of medical bionics experts
• Advance and commercialise bionic vision technology, further enhancing
Australia’s position as a leader in the field of medical bionics
Bionic Vision Australia is a national consortium of researchers from the Bionics
Institute (BI), the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), NICTA, the University
of Melbourne (UoM) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW). The National
Vision Research Institute (NVRI), the University of Western Sydney (UWS) and the
Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) are supporting partners.
This project is funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through its Special
Research Initiative in Bionic Vision Science and Technology.
Diagram caption: In a healthy human visual system, light enters the eye and is
focused onto the retina. Here it is converted into electrical impulses which are then
sent along the optic nerve to the brain to be interpreted as vision.
Photo caption: Microchip in carrier package for the Wide-View device.
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Chairman’s Report
Professor Emeritus David Penington AC
Chairman, Bionic Vision Australia
2012 was an exciting year with the implantation and ‘switch on’ of a prototype bionic
eye implant in three patients with long-standing blindness due to retinitis pigmentosa.
The implants were placed in what we term the ‘suprachoroidal space’ behind the light
sensitive retina which offers a simpler and quicker process for implantation than that
of our international competitors.
In studying the outcomes of stimulation through the implanted electrodes, we have
learned a great deal with invaluable input from these patients. Reaching this
milestone has demonstrated the viability of our approach for a ‘Wide-View’ device,
which could make a real difference to the lives of people with vision loss enabling
them greater confidence in mobility.
The achievement of these real outcomes has shown how quickly this research has
moved since the provision of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Special
Research Initiative in Bionic Vision Science and Technology grant and establishment
of Bionic Vision Australia (BVA) in 2010. The expertise of our strong, interdisciplinary
team has been critical to progress towards our goal. Their commitment and hard
work has ensured this research has moved rapidly and is of the highest quality.
Outcomes from the bionic eye prototype
In August we announced the successful stimulation of the 24-electrode prototype in a
patient – Ms Dianne Ashworth. In May the surgical team successfully implanted the
device which was ‘switched on’ with electrodes stimulated several months later.
Even at that early stage Dianne reported seeing basic shapes and flashes of light –
an enormous moment of excitement. Two more patients, Mr Murray Rowland and Mr
Maurice Skehan, have also received implants and testing will continue with all three
patients over the next year. Findings from this testing will have major implications for
the further development of our Wide-View device and for aspects of planning our
High-Acuity device. My thanks and congratulations to our three patients and the
entire research team.
BVA Governing Board
I would like to extend my thanks to all members of our Governing Board for their
contribution to the governance of BVA throughout the year. My thanks particularly to
the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) nominee on the BVA Board, Mr Peter
Nankivell, who stepped down in mid-2012 after providing outstanding service to BVA
since its commencement. Peter is now the Chair of the CERA Board, and will
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continue to be involved in the project in that capacity. I welcome the new CERA
nominee on the BVA board, Mr James Joughin of Ernst & Young.
Mr Nankivell was also Chair of the BVA Risk and Audit Committee, a position that Ms
Christina Hardy filled as Interim Chair and is now occupied by Mr James Joughin.
A Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), chaired by Distinguished Professor Brian
Anderson, has provided specialist scientific guidance to the Board throughout the
year. I extend my thanks to all Board members for their thoughtful input and
commitment to the project.
A new partner
We formally welcomed the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital as a supporting
participant of the project in February 2012. A key to the success of the prototype
implant surgeries was the commitment and expertise of the hospital’s surgical and
nursing staff. They have provided professional and quality care to the patients
participating in the implant program. We thank them and offer our congratulations on
the 150th anniversary of the hospital’s founding.
Looking ahead
2013 brings with it the final year of our four year ARC grant. We will be working hard
to maintain momentum, moving towards our next major milestone of full prototype
implants. I am working jointly with the Chair of the Monash Vision Group, Professor
David de Kretser AC, to source government funding for a further three years to
complete clinical trials of three completed devices, including that being developed by
the Monash Vision Group for direct stimulation of the visual cortex.
The entire project is of national significance. Such innovative funding as we have
enjoyed is not easy for governments to handle when they are seeking to contain
expenditure (both at Commonwealth and State levels) but we are hopeful further
funding will be committed, even if at a lesser level than currently. Meanwhile, we are
seeking additional financial support through a public appeal. These funds will assist
us in continuing our current work at the maximum pace that is possible.
Prior to his appointment to Chairman of Bionic Vision Australia in 2009, Professor Penington held the
positions of Professor of Medicine, Dean and Vice Chancellor at the University of Melbourne. Previously,
Professor Penington was chair of Cochlear Ltd.
Photo caption: Dr Hamish Meffin, leader of the High-Acuity program, with PhD student Isabell Kiral-Kornek
and researcher Dr Omid Kavahei.
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Director’s Report
Professor Anthony N. Burkitt
Director, Bionic Vision Australia
Welcome to Bionic Vision Australia’s Annual Report for 2012. It was a year in which
our research progressed significantly and reached a key milestone with prototype
devices implanted in three patients. It has been enormously gratifying to see our
devices implanted and functioning and it is especially exciting since the technology
that enabled this important step was envisaged, designed and built by a talented
Australian team.
Our prototype 24-channel device, and the patient testing facility, were designed by
the Bionics Institute with input from clinical and surgical teams at CERA. Through
testing of this device we are addressing some key questions for our research
program, namely what perceptual thresholds can be safely obtained with
suprachoroidal placement of the electrode array and what the most effective form of
electrical stimulation of the electrodes is. This study demonstrates proof of principle
for the Wide-View program, as the hexagonal electrode arrangement and
suprachoroidal placement of the implant is based on the work of the UNSW WideView team. Further, we have shown that BVA can undertake all the considerable
legal, ethical and regulatory requirements of the Therapeutic Goods Administration
(TGA) for patient testing of an electrically active device.
I extend my congratulations to all involved in ensuring this successful outcome, and I
thank our three patients for their dedication to this research. Work on the Wide-View
and High-Acuity continues to progress and we look forward to commencing full
implant studies
with these systems.
Project Management
One of our research priorities is ensuring we are producing devices that are safe and
compliant with regulatory requirements. The Executive team and the Risk and Audit
Committee, together with working groups in each of our research teams, have been
working hard throughout the year to identify and mitigate all the scientific, technical,
clinical and organisational risks in the project.
Management of intellectual property is also a priority, with an Intellectual Property
Manager appointed in June 2011 and now working closely with the Executive Team.
Our patent portfolio grew to over 30 patents during 2012, which is indicative of the
speed with which our
research teams are progressing and the quality of work being produced. The
progress made in 2012 has set a strong foundation for transfer into
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commercialisation activities. I would like to extend my thanks to the members of the
IP Advisory Group, chaired by Professor Peter Blamey (BI) until September 2012
and subsequently chaired by Mr Ivan Mellado, who have done a fine job in this area.
Thanks also to Professor Nigel Lovell and Professor Robyn Guymer for providing
support to the project through the Leadership Group, and to all the members of the
Research Management Committee, who have devoted their time and energy so
wholeheartedly to the project.
I am very grateful to the entire Executive team for the tremendous support they have
provided to myself and the whole BVA program. Particular and heartfelt thanks to
both Tamara Brawn, BVA Project Manager, and Julie Anne Quinn, BVA General
Manager, for their dedicated and thoroughly professional commitment to the project
as well as the unstinting support they have given me.
Looking ahead
The progress of our research, and that of our international colleagues, gives us great
confidence that this technology is now reaching a level of maturity where we can
expect to see real patient benefits in the foreseeable future.
Much remains to be done, however, and in 2013 our research focus will be to finalise
preparations for the first set of patient tests with our 98 channel Wide-View device
and our High-Acuity device. Testing these devices in patients will, however, be
contingent upon securing sufficient funding beyond the existing BVA grant, so that
patient testing can
be carried out and completed. Our key objectives will be to:
 Complete development and testing of a mobile, patient-operated external
system to provide the stimulation and
vision processing required for navigation and activities of daily living to the
three patients
 Optimise and then implement test protocols to assess patient performance on
navigation and activities of daily living tasks
pre- and post-implantation
 Finalise the form factor of both the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
 Complete preclinical safety testing of the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
 Continue to advance our understanding the visual system through modeling
and in vitro studies
 Develop and test through modeling, in vitro and in vivo methods a set of
stimulation strategies for more complex tasks to be tested with future patients.
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It is a great pleasure to lead such a talented and committed team. Thank you to all
the researchers, students, staff and patients who have made 2012 a truly
outstanding year in bionic vision research.
2012 Achievements
We have met some significant milestones in the past year.
• Finalised plans for preclinical testing of both the Wide-View and High-Acuity
devices in preparation for patient tests
• Developed and tested electrical stimulation algorithms for both the Wide-View
and High-Acuity implants
• Developed protocols for the assessment of patient suitability and the
assessment of functional vision in activities of daily living
• Opened new labs at the UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering.
The renovated laboratories incorporate a clean room and updated
equipment and significantly boost the fabrication capability of the Wide-View
team
• Developed and tested external vision processing hardware and power and
data transmission hardware for communication with implanted components
• The NICTA and UoM teams designed and developed a second-generation
High-Acuity microchip for further testing
• The Bionics Institute and CERA teams completed pre-clinical and surgical
safety studies for the 24-channel prototype device
• Bionics Institute engineers completed the hardware and software components
of the psychophysics laboratory
• Completed the safe and successful implantation of a prototype 24-channel
device at RVEEH in three people, and begun psychophysics testing
• Carried out successful surgical studies in order to test the methods of attaching
the High-Acuity implant to the retina
• The UNW team progressed with electrode array and implant design for the
Wide-View device
• Drafted protocols for navigation and activities of daily living for validation with
very low vision patients ahead of testing with the three implant recipients in
2013
Photo caption: Dr Kumar Ganesan, Dr Kate Fox and Dr Arman Arnood in the clean room at the Melbourne
Materials Institute
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Photo caption: “We implanted a device in this position behind the retina and choroid, demonstrating the
viability of our approach. Every stage of the procedure was planned and tested, so I felt very confident going
into theatre.” Dr Penny Allen
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Research Report
Australia’s first bionic eye patients
Years of hard work and planning led to one of BVA’s biggest achievements to date:
the successful implantation of an early prototype bionic eye in three patients with
retinitis pigmentosa.
The device
Delivering the first set of patient tests with a bionic eye prototype six months ahead
of schedule, this early device incorporates a retinal implant with 24 electrodes. A
small lead wire extends from the back of the eye to a connector behind the ear. An
external system is connected to this unit in the laboratory, allowing researchers to
stimulate the implant in a controlled manner in order to study visual sensations
(called “phosphenes”) that are evoked by the electrical stimulation. Patient feedback
allows researchers to develop a more sophisticated vision processor and stimulation
techniques so that clearer images can be built using flashes of light.
The next stage of development and testing will include an external camera being
connected to this early prototype in 2013.
Prior to patient implantation, researchers completed an extensive program of preclinical tests with the implant system, including in vitro and in vivo testing for both
safety and efficacy. The materials used in this system are those used in cochlear
implants, namely platinum and silicone, which have been shown to be biocompatible
and durable.
The implant is designed for the suprachoroidal space at the back of the eye, between
the choroid and the sclera. Fine-tuning the surgical placement for the patients
involved an iterative process with extensive validation studies. Clinicians and
surgeons worked together with engineers to ensure the device met the challenges of
what is required for implantation into the eye. The implant was found to be
mechanically stable and required considerably less surgical time than for competitor
devices.
An implantation of a dummy electrode array in a patient who was having an eye
enucleated for an unrelated eye condition took place in 2010 and provided the
surgeons with confidence that the procedures developed were suitable for patients.
The team then turned their attention to fine-tuning the design and preparing for the
first patient study. In addition, considerable work went into ensuring that the legal,
ethical and regulatory requirements of a Clinical Trial Notification were met. This is in
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line with the Therapeutic Goods Administration protocol for patient testing of an
electrically active device.
Researchers at the Bionics Institute took the lead in designing, building and testing
this early prototype, together with the clinical and surgical teams at CERA. The
hexagonal electrode arrangement and suprachoroidal placement of the device was
based on the UNSW Wide-View design.
Associate Professor Chris Williams
Associate Professor Chris Williams holds a PhD in neuroscience and has a
background in translational research, particularly for brain rescue therapeutic and
diagnostic indications. He is now playing a hands-on role with the preclinical and
translational studies for the bionic eye at the Bionics Institute. Recently his focus has
been on assisting with safety and efficacy studies in preparation for patient tests.
“I enjoy working with such an intelligent group of people and learning about a whole
range of clinical issues.”
Photo caption: The position of the implant. Image courtesy of the Bionics Institute.
The patients
The three participants in Australia’s first bionic eye study were carefully selected by
BVA’s clinical team at CERA. Researchers conducted a study investigating the
structural and functional changes in the retina and the visual pathway of over 100
subjects with very-low vision to determine the appropriate tests and criteria for
patient selections. All three patients selected have profound vision loss due to
retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited retinal condition, and have now received early
prototype implants that enable them to experience some vision.
The clinical team also developed and validated extensive clinical protocols for
assessment of eye health, visual function and functional vision post implantation.
These protocols are
now being implemented to monitor the performance of the prototype device.
The three patients who have received the early prototype implant are now integral
members of the BVA research team, visiting the laboratories at CERA and the
Bionics Institute on a weekly basis.
Dr Lauren Ayton
Clinical Project Coordinator
Dr Lauren Ayton is a clinician at CERA and is responsible for coordinating the patient
tests. She is a qualified optometrist who has also worked in the areas of traumatic
brain injury and eye movements. Dr Ayton has practiced in varied clinical situations.
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She has a specific interest in low vision and paediatric optometry, and has also
volunteered overseas to provide eye care in developing countries.
“I am lucky in my role that I get to work on a day-to-day basis with people for whom
this technology might make a huge difference, and I really enjoy getting out there
and explaining what we do to people in the community.”
Ms Dianne Ashworth
A passionate technology fan, Dianne was motivated to make a contribution to the
bionic eye research program.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but all of a sudden, I could see a little flash…it was
amazing. Every time there was stimulation there was a different shape that appeared
in front of my eye.”
“Everyone’s put a lot of work into the research that’s gone behind this and I was just
over the moon for the team. To be a part of all that happiness around me was just
amazing, there was a buzz of energy in the room.”
Mr Maurice Skehan
In Maurice’s earlier days, he was a printer for a consulting engineering group. With
this background, he was motivated to join the bionic eye team to help develop the
technology for future generations.
“I remember Professor [Gerard] Crock saying to me: ‘You’ll see before you die,’ and I
said: ‘Yes, I’ll walk on the moon too!’ That was close to 20 years ago. I wasn’t
necessarily looking to improve my own vision but to help develop the technology, so
that in the future it will be able to assist people in Third World countries. If anything
comes out of it for me that’s a big plus, but you go in with an open mind.”
Mr Murray Rowland
Known to Carlton football fans as “Muzza from Geelong,” Murray was motivated to
participate in the bionic eye research to do something for the benefit of his fellow
members of the vision impaired community.
“Yes! Just a little, quick flash. Thunderbirds are go!”
“I am so proud to be chosen for this trial. I did 12 months of testing and I didn’t know
if I’d be a successful candidate, so when I was finally asked I just went ‘yes, yes,
yes’, and then I kept asking them how soon they could do it. To actually see light
through my own eyes was just mind-blowing and it was brilliant. I can’t believe what
I’ve seen. The nervousness has gone now.”
Photo caption : Peter Dimitrov checks the patient’s devices before switch on
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The surgery
Dr Penny Allen, a specialist eye surgeon at CERA, led a surgical team to implant the
prototype at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
“We implanted a device in this position behind the retina and choroid, demonstrating
the viability of our approach. Every stage of the procedure was planned and tested,
so I felt very confident going into theatre,” Dr Allen said.
The surgical team developed a novel surgical procedure for implanting the bionic eye
device into the suprachoroidal space.
The surgeries were completed between May and August 2012. All three patients had
successful implantation surgeries with an average stay of three days post-operatively
at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. Each of the three surgeries took
between three and a half to four hours, which is significantly shorter than other retinal
implant surgeries being conducted internationally. Each of the patients has been
assessed weekly since their surgery to monitor ocular and general health, implant
stability and visual function. The recovery process is different for each patient,
however the implant is only switched on after the eye has recovered fully from the
effects of surgery.
Photo caption: The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital surgical team after the surgery
Photo caption: 24-channel prototype retinal implant and behind-the-ear unit.
Ms Tamara brawn
Project Manager
As BVA Project Manager, Tamara supports the Director and Research Leaders in
the strategic and day-to-day management of the project. She visits each BVA site
regularly to ensure work is on track to meet milestones and to help bring together
researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds.
Tamara played a pivotal role in ensuring plans for the first patient study with the 24electrode device became a reality. From regulatory affairs to risk mitigation and
intellectual property management, Tamara’s tireless efforts have resulted in a
number of significant outcomes for the project.
Tamara’s academic background is in behavioural neuroscience. She also holds an
MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management. Prior to joining BVA in
2010, Tamara was Manager of the Neuroimaging Division in the Florey
Neuroscience Institutes.
“The dedication of this group of researchers and clinicians is a constant inspiration; I
am honoured to work with them.”
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The implant switch on
The first switch on moment on 16 July 2012 took place at the Bionics Institute, while
researchers and family held their breaths in a nearby room, observing via video link.
When Dianne Ashworth’s implant was switched on for the first time, she saw flashes
of light and consistently reported seeing shapes and lines that corresponded to the
input being sent to the implant.
This initial outcome exceeded BVA’s best expectations and provided much
encouragement and confidence in commencing studies with the further two patients.
In the months that followed, Murray Rowland and Maurice Skehan also had their
implants switched on and the three patients continue with regular visits to the clinic at
CERA and the purpose-built laboratory at the Bionics Institute to have their eye
health monitored and to participate in psychophysics studies.
Professor Hugh McDermott
Professor McDermott has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of medical
implant design. His PhD work in the 1980s focused on an innovative nerve
stimulator, which in its final iteration was packaged by Cochlear Ltd and implanted
successfully into a small number of deaf volunteers. He has also developed
commercially successful sound-processing techniques for cochlear implants and
hearing aids.
Professor McDermott is now applying this expertise to development of the bionic
eye. In preparation for the early prototype implant with 24 channels, Prof McDermott
led a team of engineers at the Bionics Institute to design and build the neuroBi
stimulator to control the implanted device during psychophysics sessions. He is now
also contributing to vision processing for bionic eye users.
“Having had the privilege of contributing to the huge international success of the
cochlear implant, which came out of Melbourne-based research, I am excited about
the prospects for an Australian bionic eye. It is a great opportunity to apply the
expertise and knowledge we have developed to new devices that could benefit even
more people worldwide.”
Maurice Skehan and his guide dog Bailey, with researchers Dr Lauren Ayton,
Professor Peter Blamey, Ms Mary Varsamidis, Mr Thushara Perara, Dr Peter Dimitrov
and Mr Nick Sinclair after his implant was switched on for the first time.
The results
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Our expert psychophysics team is working with all three patients to determine exactly
what each of them is seeing each time the retina is stimulated. The team is looking
for consistency of shapes, brightness, size and location of perception to determine
how the brain interprets this visual information after years of blindness.
An eye tracker is used to monitor eye gaze during each testing session and a motion
tracker monitors head movements and orientation. Patients can also point in the
direction of the perceived vision and draw with their finger to provide information
about the size and shape of what they see.
The phosphenes contain both light and dark regions and can be quite irregular
shapes, for example, some are described as hotdog, banana and duck shapes.
Single-electrode data have been collated into a phosphene map – essentially a
‘recipe’ for how to produce phosphenes of a controlled size, brightness and location.
BVA’s vision processing researchers and software engineers have developed a
format for this phosphene map, which allows an image to be painted using multiple
electrodes.
The development of this prototype device not only provides proof-of-concept that
useful visual percepts can be elicited from electrodes implanted in the suprachoroidal
position, but also enables researchers to determine the most appropriate form of
electrical stimulation for functional visual perception. This process is crucial to
informing the development of the full Wide-View and High-Acuity implant systems
with wireless transmission of power and data.
Professor Peter Blamey
Project Leader – Psychophysics
Professor Blamey is leading the team that will provide the perceptual data necessary
to guide the vision-processing strategy development. This will also enable the
collection and use of the data required to optimise the vision processor for individual
patients.
Professor Blamey has over 30 years experience in research, development and
commercialisation of cochlear-implant and hearing-aid technologies. He is currently
Assistant Director of the Bionics Institute (BI), Chairman of Blamey Saunders and
Honorary Professorial Fellow in the Department of Otolaryngology at The University
of Melbourne.
Photo caption: Dr Omid Kavahei and Dr Nhan Tran at the University of Melbourne
Next steps
Throughout 2013, our three patients will continue working with researchers through
weekly visits to the laboratories at CERA and the Bionics Institute.
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In addition to having the device stimulated in the laboratory, in the coming months
the patients will be fitted with an external vision processing unit to allow vision
rehabilitation, mobility and activities of daily living. Clinicians have worked with the
psychophysics team to develop and implement an approach to fitting the system for
each patient.
This will then form the basis for subsequent development of the external system for
both the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices.
Researchers at NICTA in Canberra have drafted the architecture for software to be
used in the vision processing and a semi-portable external unit for the 24-channel
device. Once the external system is functional, patient feedback will allow the team
to further advance stimulation strategies for the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices.
Dr Chi Luu
Surgical Project Coordinator
Dr Luu (below) is a Senior Research Scientist in the Macular Research Unit at
CERA. He is an experienced electrophysiologist who, prior to his appointment at
CERA, ran the electrophysiology service at the Singapore National Eye Centre from
2001 to 2008. He is coordinatuing the surgeries for the prototype implant patients.
Dr Luu’s active research into the use of electrophysiology instrumentations in various
aspects of the visual system and ocular diseases has been rewarded by his winning
the prestigious Eberhard Dodt Award in visual electrophysiology, from the Society for
the Advancement of Neuro-Ophthalmological Research in Germany and the
International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision.
Wide-View Research Program
The aim of the Wide-View bionic eye system, with 98 electrodes, is to enable
improved mobility and independence for patients, and the ability to identify simple
objects against a contrasting background.
The Wide-View system comprises a two-part implant supported by external
hardware. It includes an implant with 98 electrodes and a custom designed microchip
that will drive the electrodes; with the chip passing extensive bench testing in 2012.
This technology provides a number of advantages:
• the device has the capacity to generate 98 phosphenes with the possibility of
substantially more, using current steering techniques
• the implantable components have been designed to last for the remaining
lifetime of the patient
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• suprachoroidal position of the implant means that there is scope to treat
patients with residual vision
• the surgical technique is relatively straightforward and easy for the patients
• future improvements to stimulation strategies can be passed on to existing
implant recipients by modifying external rather than implanted components
A sophisticated fabrication technique has been developed in state of the art facilities
at UNSW to complete a 98-electrode system that builds on the progress of the
patient study with the 24-channel prototype device. Initial results from the first patient
study provide input into the electrode size, compliance voltages, and the hexpolar
stimulation strategy. This data is included with the modelling and in vitro work at the
University of Western Sydney to devise the best stimulation strategies for the 98
channel Wide-View device.
Using a simulation of the Wide-View device, researchers at NICTA in Canberra have
been working with sighted people to optimise computer vision in detecting trip
hazards. Wearing a portable simulation of prosthetic vision, participants navigated an
environment with obstacles and researchers recorded their progress. Trip hazards
were highlighted in the prosthetic vision display to ensure that they appeared despite
small size and low contrast. In comparison to control methods, the number of
contacts with obstacles was significantly reduced. The results suggest that the WideView device may be most effective for orientation and mobility outcomes.
The final design of the Wide-View device is being developed through an iterative
process of fabrication, surgical implantation, feedback and design refinement. In
2012, Wide-View prototypes commenced preclinical studies assessing the safety
and efficacy of the design. Efficacy studies allow us to assess the impact of
techniques such as current steering on improving the resolution of bionic vision.
These studies will continue throughout 2013 as the team works towards commencing
patient studies towards the end of the year, subject to further funding being available
to complete the study.
Engineers have also developed a microchip for the ‘Behind the Ear’ unit, which
provides the data and power to the implantable system. This work has progressed
well and functionality testing will commence in mid-2013.
In preparation for selecting patients for the Wide-View patient tests, clinicians at
CERA have carried out studies investigating the structure and function of the eye to
understand more about retinitis pigmentosa. As part of this study, the team has
developed more reliable methods of assessing functional integrity of the retinal
ganglion cells in eyes with profound loss of photoreceptors. This will allow engineers
to design devices that are more tailored to this patient group.
The focus of research for the Wide-View program for the remainder of the BVA
funding period will be to:
• complete pre-clinical testing of the 98 electrode system,
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• reach a design freeze for the “form factor” of the implanted system (i.e., its
physical characteristics),
• ensure the hermeticity of the implanted components,
• finalise fabrication procedures, and
• finalise stimulation strategies.
Dr Paul Matteucci
Paul graduated from Dublin City University with a B.Sc. in Software Engineering and
obtained a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Universita’ degli Studi di
Genova while working in oil services and decommissioning. He moved to Australia
and began work at UNSW, as a post-doctoral researcher with Bionic Vision Australia.
Paul has worked on many aspects of the Wide-View project, from software and
electronics to encapsulation and materials. His main focuses and interests are in
psychophysics, researching new and improved stimulation paradigms in vivo and
supervising students.
“I love this project because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to really help people
to lead better lives, and to be able to see the effects of our research in the short
term.”
Chris Dodds
Chris is part of the Wide-View Device Development team working at UNSW. He has
a Bachelors degree in computer engineering, a Masters degree in biomedical
engineering and has been involved in bionic vision research since 2006. Chris is
currently working on the development of the Wide-View “Unit 2” implant, covering
research areas such as electrode array fabrication, flip chip assembly, and hermetic
encapsulation.
“Working on the bionic eye has allowed me to gain experience in a wide range of
technologies, giving me skills which I will be able to utilise in various implantable
bionics projects in years to come.”
Photo caption: Dr Paul Matteucci and Chris Dodds at UNSW
High-Acuity Research Program
The aim of the High-Acuity bionic eye system is to provide patients with functional
central vision, the ability to read large print and recognise faces, and increased
independence in terms of mobility and activities of daily living.
Throughout 2012, this research program has progressed much more rapidly than
anticipated, with the development of completely new and innovative microelectrode
arrays using Nitrogen-doped Ultra-Nano-Crystalline Diamond. The novel use of
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diamond to stimulate the retina in order to elicit neural response is a world-first and
has been proven in preclinical studies.
Researchers at the Melbourne Materials Institute have developed a fabrication
technique that allows the production of electrode arrays with large numbers (more
than 256) of microelectrodes. Each of these electrodes has its own conducting
feedthrough that is electrically isolated and hermetically sealed. A hermetic
encapsulation technique for laser brazing the diamond box that contains the
stimulating chip has also been developed and is currently undergoing testing, as is
the ball-bonding technique to attach the chip to the array. In order to fast track
development towards patient testing the team decided to work with 256 electrodes in
a design that is scalable to 1024 electrodes and beyond for future iterations.
The second generation High-Acuity microchip has recently returned from fabrication
and, pending further bench testing at NICTA in Melbourne, will be used in pre-clinical
studies throughout 2013. The development of safe surgical and tacking techniques
for the epi-retinal placement has also proceeded well. Further, researchers has
developed a new electrode shape to provide closer proximity of the array to the
retina and this is now undergoing testing.
While the device design is being finalised, engineers are working on methods of
current steering to improve resolution of the perceived image by shaping the pattern
of neural stimulation. To aid this work, the team has been creating models of the
retina and the retina/visual cortex connection to inform the development and
optimisation of stimulation strategies. These patterns of stimulation are then tested
using computational models and validated through further in vitro and in vivo studies.
The team hopes that this technique will further enable patients to experience greater
visual detail once the device is operational.
The team at NICTA in Canberra have been writing and testing algorithms for
simulated prosthetic vision with sighted volunteers. The aim of this work is to
establish the efficacy of those algorithms to deliver more complex visual tasks, such
as face recognition and depth perception.
Going forward, the focus of the research for the High-Acuity program for the
remainder of the BVA funding period is to:
• complete the pre-clinical testing of the 256 channel High-Acuity system,
• reach a final design for the implanted system,
• establish the hermeticity of the implanted components,
• finalise fabrication procedures, and
• validate stimulation strategies using computational models with in vitro and in
vivo studies.
Photo caption: The diamond box that will encapsulate the High-Acuity microchip
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Dr Chris McCarthy
Dr Chris McCarthy is a Senior Researcher with NICTA’s Canberra Research Lab, as
part of BVA’s vision processing team. His research focuses on the development of
vision algorithms and visual representations to support safe mobility and orientation
with a visual prosthesis. He has developed novel methods for enhancing the
perception of obstacles and scene structure, and estimating time-to-impact with other
surfaces in the scene.
“The bionic eye project not only gives me the opportunity to contribute to technology
that can genuinely change lives, it forces me to ask fundamental questions about
human perception itself.”
Dr David Garrett
Dr Garrett’s expertise lies in evaluating new materials for use as electrical interface
materials between electronics and living nervous systems. Currently he is working on
the encapsulation, biocompatibility and electrode design of the retinal implant for the
High-Acuity device at the Melbourne Materials Institute. His expertise in carbon
electrode electrochemistry is being applied to diamond which is being used to
fabricate the stimulating electrodes of the High-Acuity device.
“It is deeply satisfying to be part of a project that brings together so many disciplines
and high quality researchers from around the world. I am looking forward to the
moment when we can restore significant vision to someone who has been unable to
see for a long time.”
Photo caption: Dr David Garrett and Samantha Lichter with the diamond reactor at the Melbourne Materials
Institute
A bionic eye in the making
1997
Start of bionic eye research at University of New South Wales
2000
Early funding for bionic eye research through ARC, NHMRC, State Governments of
Victoria and New South Wales, Multimedia Victoria and private donations
2006
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First discussions commence between Bionics Institute, CERA, NICTA, University of
Melbourne and University of New South Wales
2009
Announcement of a $42 million grant to BVA from Australian Research Council, over
four years
2010
• Launch of Bionic Vision Australia by the Prime Minister
• Engineers design prototype implant for Wide-View device
• Surgeons develop a safe and effective technique for implantation
• Engineers create image encoding techniques to stimulate vision
• Preclinical testing of saftey and efficacy of Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
underway
2011
• Design of electrode array for Wide-View device is completed
• Engineers complete first microchips for Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
• Clinicians complete structure and function study with retinitis pigmentosa
patients
• Materials scientists establish use of polycrystalline diamond as a stimulating
interface for electrodes in High-Acuity device
• Vision processing algorithms for phosphenated vision developed
• Development and preclinical testing of the 24-channel prototype, with
percutaneous connection, as a first step towards testing the Wide-View
device
2012
• New labs opened at the UNSW Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering
• Surgeons safely implant bionic eye prototype in the first recipient – Dianne
Ashworth
• Engineers complete, equip and test booths for clinical and psychophysics
evaluations
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• Dianne Ashworth’s prototype implant successfully switched on and she reports
seeing flashes of light when electrodes are stimulated
• Murray Rowland and Maurice Skehan are also implanted with prototype device
and begin testing
2013
• Finalise the form factor of both the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
• Complete preclinical safety testing of the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
• Preparation for first patient tests with Wide-View and High-Acuity devices
2014–2016
• Progress full wireless Wide-View and High-Acuity systems through clinical
testing for proof of concept in preparation for commercialisation
Research leaders
Director
Professor Anthony N. Burkitt
Director of BVA and Chief Investigator – High-Acuity Electrical Stimulation
Strategy
Professor Anthony Burkitt holds the Chair in Bio-Signals and Bio-Systems in the
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Melbourne
and has worked in a number of areas of medical bionics for over 15 years, including
cochlear-implant speech processing, computational auditory neuroscience and
epilepsy.
In addition to his role as Director of BVA, Professor Burkitt leads the team developing
electrical stimulation strategies for the High-Acuity device and chairs the Research
Management Committee.
Leadership Group
Professor Robyn Guymer
Clinical Program Leader
Retinal Specialist Professor Robyn Guymer is the Head of the Macular Research
Unit and Deputy Director at CERA. She is a practicing clinician, appointed as a
medical retinal consultant at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
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Professor Guymer’s contribution to the bionic eye project is to establish clinical tests
for appropriate selection of implant recipients, and to assess and monitor patients
pre- and post-implantation. Through her role in the Leadership Group Professor
Guymer is contributing to the management of the project. She is also a member of
the Research Management Committee.
Professor Nigel Lovell
Stimulation Strategy Program Leader
Professor Nigel Lovell is a Scientia Professor at the Graduate School of Biomedical
Engineering at the University of New South Wales.
Professor Lovell leads the BVA electrical stimulation strategy program. The goal of
the program is to design, test and validate algorithms for transforming information
from the visual scene into patterns of electrical stimulation and to assess how these
stimulation approaches equate to visual perception. Through his role in the
Leadership Group and the Research Management Committee, Professor Lovell also
contributes to the management and research direction of the project.
Research Management Committee
Dr Penny Allen
Surgical Program Leader
Dr Penny Allen is a specialist surgeon with CERA. She is also on staff at The Alfred
Hospital and an ophthalmologist in the medical and vitreoretinal unit at the Royal
Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
Dr Allen led the surgical team in the first implants of the 24-channel prototype bionic
eye. She is now focussing on developing safe and reproducible surgical procedures
for implantation of the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices. Dr Allen collaborates
closely with engineers in the development of both devices to ensure they are
optimised for biocompatibility and safety.
Dr Hamish Meffin
High-Acuity Principal Program Leader
Dr Hamish Meffin is a senior researcher at NICTA and an Honorary Fellow in the
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Meffin leads the development of the High-Acuity device across programs for
microelectronics, materials, pre-clinical testing and surgery. He is also actively
involved in the High-Acuity stimulation strategy research team working to devise
strategies for communicating information on visual scenes to the brain using
electrical neural stimulation.
Professor Rob Shepherd
Preclinical Program Leader
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Professor Robert Shepherd is the Director of the Bionics Institute and
Professor/Head of the Medical Bionics Department, University of Melbourne.
Professor Shepherd is leading a team of researchers at the Bionics Institute to
demonstrate the safety and efficacy of retinal implants using in vitro and in vivo
models, prior to the application of these devices in patient tests.
Professor Shepherd’s team has contributed to the design and safety of medical
bionics devices for over
30 years including performing the pre-clinical safety and efficacy studies used by
Cochlear Ltd as part of their successful FDA submissions in 1985 and 1990.
Associate Professor Gregg Suaning
Wide-View Principal Program Leader
Associate Professor Gregg Suaning is Co-director of the Centre for Implantable
Bionics and the Australian Vision Prosthesis Group at the Graduate School of
Biomedical Engineering at the University of New South Wales. Associate Professor
Suaning’s research interests include the design of cochlear implants, cardiac-assist
devices, functional electrical stimulation and bionic vision.
As the leader of the Wide-View device development program, Associate Professor
Suaning directs the team across multiple BVA members, developing an implantable
device, and supporting hardware capable of delivering safe and effective electrical
stimuli to the human visual system.
Partner and Chief Investigators
Associate Professor Nick Barnes
Partner Investigator – Vision Processing
Associate Professor Barnes is Research Group Leader for the Computer Vision
Research Group at NICTA. The Computer Vision Research Group is internationally
recognised as a leading group in computer vision. Working with CERA, Associate
Professor Barnes has focused on identifying the key tasks that a bionic eye must
enable. Associate Professor Barnes’s team is developing vision processing
algorithms to transform images from cameras into visual input. This will be converted
to patterns of electrical stimulation for both the Wide-View and High-Acuity devices.
Professor Jonathan Crowston
Chief Investigator – Clinical Research
In addition to his appointments at the University of Melbourne as Professor of
Opthalmology and Head of the Department of Opthalmology, Professor Crowston
holds a medical appointment at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, and is
Managing Director of CERA. Professor Crowston’s research is focused on
neurodegeneration of the retina and optic nerve, and the impact of aging on the optic
nerve. Professor Crowston is providing institutional and governance
support for the bionic eye project.
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Associate Professor Socrates Dokos
Chief Investigator – Stimulation Strategy for the Wide-View device
Associate Professor Socrates Dokos is an academic in the Graduate School of
Biomedical Engineering at the University of New South Wales. Associate Professor
Dokos was promoted to the level of Chief Investigator on the Bionic Vision Australia
project in 2011. His research interests include characterising the response of retinal
neural tissue to electrical stimulation. He is currently coordinating a number of
computational modeling projects within BVA and also undertaking in vitro
experimentation to acquire data to validate the models.
Associate Professor Erica Fletcher
Chief Investigator – Preclinical research
Associate Professor Fletcher is a Reader in the Department of Anatomy and
Neuroscience, at The University of Melbourne where she heads the Visual
Neuroscience Laboratory. She is a clinically trained optometrist who holds both MSc
and PhD degrees. A/Prof Fletcher is internationally recognised for her work on retinal
structure and function and how it changes in retinal disease. She is leading a team
evaluating changes in retinal ganglion cells in preclinical models of retinal
degeneration to aid in optimising the stimulus conditions for the High-Acuity device.
Professor Michael Ibbotson
Chief Investigator – Preclinical and stimulation strategy research
Currently the Director of the National Vision Research Institute (NVRI), Professor
Michael Ibbotson is also a panel Deputy Chair for the National Health and Medical
Research Council (NHMRC), an OzReader for the Australian Research Council
(ARC) and a reviewer for National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. Professor
Ibbotson is leading a team in assessing the efficacy of various stimulating electrode
configurations by measuring neural responses in retinal tissue.
Professor Ibbotson’s research activities investigate how the brain translates patterns
of light received in the eye into complex behaviours. His lab brings together
biologists, psychologists and engineers to study biological vision systems and
translates this knowledge into the development of biologically inspired engineering
solutions.
Dr Torsten Lehmann
Chief Investigator – Wide-View Device Development, Electronics
Dr Torsten Lehmann is a Senior Lecturer in Microelectronics at the University of New
South Wales.
Dr Lehmann’s expertise lies in microelectronics and biomedical engineering. He is
leading the design and testing of the intra-ocular and behind the ear microelectronics
for the Wide-View device. His research interests include solid-state circuits and
systems, CMOS circuits at cryogenic temperatures, ultra low-power CMOS design,
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high-performance analogue circuits in deep sub-micron CMOS, implantable
microelectronics and reusable electronics.
Professor John Morley
Chief Investigator – Preclinical and stimulation strategy research
Professor John Morley is Chair of Anatomy and Cell Biology in the School of
Medicine at the University of Western Sydney. Professor Morley is assessing the
effectiveness of the implant device configuration and stimulus parameters in
activating retinal neurons through in vitro studies and modeling of the degenerate
retina.
His interest and involvement are generally in the area of neural coding in the
somatosensory and visual systems, and he has substantial experience with in vivo
electrophysiological recording and in vitro patch-clamp recording.
Professor Steven Prawer
Chief Investigator – High-Acuity device development (Materials)
Professor Prawer is a Professor of Physics at the University of Melbourne and the
inaugural head of the Melbourne Materials Institute (MMI), a multidisciplinary
research initiative dedicated to using advanced materials science and technology to
address problems of global importance.
Professor Prawer is leading a team of materials scientists to fabricate, test and
optimise the electrode array for the High-Acuity stimulator; integrate the electrode
array with the electronics; and to devise and test methods for the hermetic
encapsulation of the integrated device.
Professor Stan Skafidas
Chief Investigator – High-Acuity device development (Electronics)
Professor Skafidas leads NICTA’s and the University of Melbourne’s research into
the development of the micro electronics for the High-Acuity device, building on his
and his colleagues’ earlier research into developing the world’s first next-generation
CMOS millimetre-wave wireless communications transceiver.
Professor Skafidas is the Director of the Centre for Neural Engineering at the
University of Melbourne and Research Group Leader in Optics and Nanoelectronics
at NICTA in Melbourne.
People and education
BVA is fortunate to have an enormously talented group of staff and students who
make up our research and clinical teams. Their achievements in 2012 have once
again been acknowledged through awards, grants and fellowships. Developing the
next generation of medical bionics experts is critical to Australia’s development as a
medical research leader. We are training a skilled workforce in medical bionics
25
through our support of PhD students, early career researchers and undergraduate
and school students.
Awards and recognition
• Dr Penny Allen received the Chair’s medal at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear
Hospital Excellence Awards for her surgical work on the bionic eye implant.
The bionic eye surgical team received the CEO’s Team Award.
• Dr Lauren Ayton received the CERA Excellence in Research Award to
recognise her outstanding work in coordinating patient tests at CERA.
• Professor Peter Blamey was awarded the Clunies Ross Science and
Technology Medal to recognise his exceptional work on bionic ear
technologies.
• Dr Morven Cameron, Dr David Garrett and Dr Tatiana Kameneva received
ARC Discovery Early Researcher Career Awards (DECRAs).
• Amgad Habib, a PhD student in the Stimulation Strategy team at both UNSW
and UWS, won the Student Paper Competition at the IEEE Engineering in
Medicine and Biology Conference in San Diego.
• Samantha Lichter, who is pursuing her PhD at Melbourne Materials Institute
investigating all diamond encapsulation for the High-Acuity device, was
runner up in the University of Melbourne Three Minute Thesis competition.
• Professor Stan Skafidas was featured in The Age Melbourne Magazine’s annual
list of Melbourne’s 100 most influential, inspirational, provocative and
creative people.
• Professor Stan Skafidas was elected as Fellow to the Australian Academy of
Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).
• Professor Nigel Lovell and Associate Professor Gregg Suaning were presented
with the Bartimaeus Award at The Eye and the Chip conference in Detroit.
The prize is awarded every second year by the Detroit Institute of
Ophthalmology Board of Directors and recognises outstanding contributions
to the field of restoration of vision to the blind through neural prosthesis.
• Board Member Professor Hugh Taylor received the CNIB Chanchlani Global
Vision Research Award from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind
(CNIB) and the Howe Medal from the American Ophthalmologic Society
(AOS). He was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement award from
Research Australia.
• The Vision Processing team at NICTA in Canberra was a finalist for the 2011
A. Richard Newton Excellence in Research Award for their work on the
26
human mobility trials. The team was recognised with a token of appreciation
at Techfest 2012.
Photo caption: Associate Professor Gregg Suaning and Professor Nigel Lovell at UNSW
27
PhD completions in 2012
Amr Al Abed (UNSW): “Electrical activity of atrial tissue: An experimental and
computational study.” Supervised by Associate Professor Socrates Dokos and
Professor Nigel Lovell
Thomas Guenther (UNSW): “Miniaturisation of Neuroprosthetic Implants.”
Supervised by Associate Professor Gregg Suaning.
Yu-Shan Hung (ANU): “Spectral and ocellar inputs to honey bee motion sensitive
descending neurons.” Supervised by Professor Michael Ibbotson.
Emily O’Brien (UoM): “Retinal Implants: The condition of the inner retina during late
stage degeneration.” Supervised by Dr Ursula Greferath, Dr Hamish Meffin,
Associate Professor David Grayden, Professor Anthony Burkitt.
Joel Villalobos (BI/UoM): “Safety of a wide field suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis.”
Supervised by Associate Professor Chris Williams, Dr James Fallon and Dr Hamish
Meffin.
Shijie Yin (UNSW): “Computational Model of the Retinal Network.” Supervised by
Associate Professor Socrates Dokos.
Student interns
BVA members hosted a series of interns throughout 2012. At the Melbourne
Materials Institute Mathilde Escudie assisted with documentation in preparation for
risk assessment, Aaron Lee worked on corrosive testing of silver brazes, Ashley
Rozario worked on a project to optimise Parylene coating on diamond and Ella
Slonim studied the effect of protein absorption on diamond electrode. The Bionics
Institute hosted two interns: Ms Melanie Gault, Whitaker International Fellow,
Vanderbilt University, USA and Mr Austin Mueller from the Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology. Isabel Maskos interned with the team at UNSW.
Photo caption: Mathilde Escudie is a student intern at the Melbourne Materials
Institute
Isabell Kiral-Kornek
Isabell joined the Stimulation Strategy team at the University of Melbourne as a PhD
student in 2011. Her final year project during her Masters in electrical engineering in
Germany looked at cochlear implants – and her work on the bionic eye builds on her
previous medical bionics experience. Her work attempts to measure how well
different stimulation strategies work for healthy observers in order to determine a
good stimulation strategy to work with the implant.
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“My final year project during my Masters in electrical engineering was on cochlear
implants. I was interested in continuing working in the bio-medical field and excited to
work in the field of bionic vision. The feeling of making a contribution to society keeps
me motivated.”
Secondary School and University Student Outreach
Throughout 2012, BVA staff and students gave a number of presentations to high
school and university students. This enabled
BVA researchers to engage with a range of audiences and provided an opportunity
to promote the sciences to a younger audience.
• Dr Kate Fox from the Melbourne Materials Institute hosted 10 secondary
school students as part of the Growing Tall Poppies program.
• Dr Hamish Meffin spoke about his work on the bionic eye at the Secondary ICT
Trails event at Federation Square In Melbourne – an event for secondary
school students that forms part of ICT Week.
• Professor John Morley gave a lecture on the bionic eye to secondary school
students who came to the University of Western Sydney for the
Engineering, Medicine and Science Experience program.
• Dr Craig Savage spoke to secondary school students about his work on the
bionic eye as part of the year nine Summer School at University of
Melbourne’s Graduate School of Education.
• Year 12 students visited the NICTA labs in Canberra in July as part of the
National Youth Science Festival. The team showcased posters and videos
and ran activities where students engaged in experiments using simulated
prosthetic vision and visual representations.
• Prof Nigel Lovell gave presentations to groups of students from residential
Colleges at UNSW titled “What does packing a dishwasher have to do with
making a bionic eye?”.
PhD and early career researcher support
In April, BVA and the Monash Vision Group jointly organised a tour hosted by
MiniFAB labs for students and early career researchers. The event provided an
interactive afternoon for participants to learn more about career opportunities in their
fields.
BVA arranged for all students to visit Cochlear in Sydney as part of the BVA
Research Retreat. The group visited the manufacturing site at Lane Cove, and the
new headquarters at Macquarie. Events such as this provide opportunities to explore
29
a future in the medical bionics field and create valuable connections between
researchers and industry.
A group of students were also supported to attend activities for Students of Brain
Science research held in Melbourne.
An internal BVA seminar is held every two weeks with all sites across Melbourne,
Canberra and Sydney participating via video link. These seminars provide a great
platform for students and early career researchers to fine tune their presentation
skills and engage with material outside their immediate discipline.
Marc Zapf
Marc is a PhD student in the Wide-View Device Development team at UNSW. With a
back-ground in neurobiology and brain imaging, he is now researching in the field of
simulated psychophysics. Creating an environment for simulating the vision provided
by prosthetic devices in healthy subjects, he is testing the efficacy of current and
planned device designs in visual tasks like navigation and object detection and
recognition. He is particularly interested in head and eye scanning strategies under
prosthetic vision.
“Working with the bionic eye project allows me to apply my experience in
neuroscience and to contribute to the development of a device that could – like the
cochlear implant – one day benefit the lives of thousands. The interdisciplinary
setting teaches me new working techniques every day and lets me keep in mind the
big picture – valuable skills for my future career.”
Photo caption: Isabell Kiral-Kornek, Dr Hosung Chun and Dr Nhan Tran
In the media
The bionic eye captures the world’s imagination
In 2012 the bionic eye story captivated the world. The announcement of the
successful implantation of an Australian bionic eye prototype in patient Dianne
Ashworth sparked a plethora of media coverage, and in turn, an enormous amount of
public interest. On the day of the announcement the story was covered by all
Australian national network television news bulletins, and appeared in all
metropolitan daily newspapers. Internationally, the story was covered all over the
world, as well as through major international news channels such as CNN, BBC,
NBC and Reuters. Hundreds of stories followed on online news sites and blogs.
In total, there were over 150 mentions of BVA through main-stream media in 2012.
There were over 80 major mentions on blogs and online news sites.
Many BVA researchers and students contributed their time to BVA media activities
throughout 2012 by providing interviews and insights into their work.
30
In another highlight, Channel 7’s Sunday Night program ran an in-depth story about
BVA’s bionic eye research, featuring the personal story of Dianne and her sons. The
program also launched the BVA public fundraising appeal. The program prompted
significant interest in our work from other media outlets and the public.
In December, Murray Rowland also told his story to the press through a selection of
newspaper articles and a Christmas Day news story on ABC TV.
Fundraising appeal
Following the bionic eye story on Sunday Night, BVA officially launched its public
fundraising appeal with a public event held at the University of Melbourne in late
November. The appeal was launched to raise much needed funds as our ARC grant
comes to an end.
BVA staff and students were joined by supporters from member organisations and
representatives of the vision impaired community to celebrate the BVA’s research
milestones and launch the appeal for public donations. The appeal is supported by a
website – helpbuildthebioniceye.org.au – which enables online donations for the
project.
As the managing agent of the Bionic Vision Australia consortium the University of
Melbourne has provided stewardship and administration of donations.
The appeal has already received some generous support and the whole BVA team
extend their thanks to those who have already donated to the project.
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Public enquiries
Intense publicity around the promise of the bionic eye brought with it immense public
interest – particularly amongst people who have low vision and their families. In 2012
over 300 people contacted BVA to find out more about how the bionic eye may
impact their lives in the future. People from around the world have shared their
stories of living with vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular
degeneration.
In 2012 there has also been an unprecedented number of enquiries regarding patient
tests, internships, employment and media opportunities. The contact form on the
website remains the major channel but many more queries were received through
social media, via post and through direct phone enquiries to CERA and the Royal
Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
BVA is actively using social media to share information about the progress of our
research, relevant news and stories from our members and partners. In turn we have
seen a huge amount of public support through these channels.
www.facebook.com/bionicvisionaustralia
twitter.com/bionicvision
Melissa Northcott
A fantastic story, let’s hope it can educate so many with influence and those with
power, passion and dollars to support this worthy organisation. Keep up the amazing
work and may so many be able to see in the future.
Vanessa D’Amato
The work you do is life changing, amazing and so important to people who cannot
see. I hope you get all the funding you need and more. Let 2013 bring good luck to
your findings.
Tania Barrett
Keep working on it guys, I hope it will help my sonone day!
Charles Tiry Honeycutt
Congratulations! Thanks for your efforts and for providing so many with hope.
Cheering you on from Texas!
Steph Agnew
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Maybe one day I will be able to see my future children’s faces, my mother her
grandchildren and my brother his nieces and nephews. I cannot thank these people
enough for giving us hope.
Kell0907 @Kell0907
@bionicvision could anything be better than seeing the faces of your children/loved
ones again? The fact that this is possible is amazing!
Dr Krystal @dr_krystal
Most exciting Australian science achievement in 2012? First bionic eye implant by
@BionicVision!
Rachael Leahcar
@bionicvision @KRuddMP it’s wonderful what you’re doing for people who are blind.
I was proud to help at all, thank you.
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Events and collaborators
Research Retreat
In June researchers came together for an annual scientific planning retreat, this year
held in Wollongong. The retreat provided a valuable opportunity for all staff and
students to come together and share their work and participate in the planning of
BVA’s research and development.
Events with the vision impaired community
To ensure our final devices are well suited to the needs of the vision-impaired
community, BVA conducted a number of focus groups in 2012 with people who
had lost their vision due to a range of degenerative conditions. In particular, these
focus groups explored participants’ wants and needs in relation to functionality
of the external system and the ‘look and feel’ of the design.
Further, BVA took part in a series of events in order to publicise our research within
the vision-impaired community. These events enabled BVA staff to respond directly
to queries about our work from people who are blind or have low vision, and to share
information about participating in patient tests.
BVA and the Monash Vision Group exhibited at Vision Australia’s annual expo on
assistive technologies, called Texpo, in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
BVA staff also spoke at many events organised by and for the vision-impaired
community, some highlights including:
• Dr Lauren Ayton who spoke at Retina Australia’s national congress, Vision
Australia, Rotary Club meetings, local primary and high schools and at
Guide Dogs Victoria’s Annual General Meeting. Dr Lauren Ayton has also
appeared on RPH Radio several times this year, and on Triple R’s Einstein A
Go-Go as a regular guest and to talk about the project’s progress.
• Professor Anthony Burkitt appeared on RPH Radio’s Vision Extra program as
well as Vision Australia’s Talking Vision program and the Blind Matters radio
program based in the US.
• Ms Veronika Gouskova provided a presentation to Guide Dogs Victoria.
• Dr Chi Luu who spoke at Blind Citizens Australia State convention
Collaboration with the Monash Vision Group
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Throughout 2012, BVA and the Monash Vision Group held a series of joint technical
meetings and also participated jointly in community awareness events. The two
groups remain in close communication and are working together to secure ongoing
funding for Australian bionic eye research.
Further, BVA researchers met with Grey Innovation, a partner of the Monash Vision
Group, to investigate options to share hardware and technologies for the external
patient control system. The Monash Vision Group also participated in an invited
special session at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Engineering in Medicine & Biology Conference organised by the BVA vision
processing team.
Collaboration with Boston Retinal Implant Group
Clinicians at CERA and the Boston Retinal Implant Group are leading an
international collaboration to improve measurement and reporting on functional and
vision outcomes for retinal implant patients. To date, there is no clinical tool available
that is sensitive enough to measure the changes in functional vision before and after
implantation of early bionic eye devices. One of the most important questions the
clinical team is investigating is how much a bionic eye implant will improve an
individual’s quality of life, and secondly, what is the most effective way of measuring
that.
The clinical team has developed a number of new methods to provide both
quantitative and qualitative assessments of functional vision, including clinical
examination, psychological evaluation, retinal imaging, electrophysiology and
psychophysics. The clinical team and their collaborators, we are developing
standards for measuring and reporting visual improvements in people after they
receive a retinal implant. We also plan to launch a website which will give the general
community up to date information about the international research in this area.
Dr David Ng
Researcher
David is a senior researcher at NICTA in Melbourne. His work on the bionic eye
project involves building the implant chip and wireless system for transmission of
power and data telemetry for the High-Acuity device. David’s background in
complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated chip design and
microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device fabrication is of tremendous benefit
to the project. So far, he has patented his work on a wireless system for retinal
prosthesis and was awarded two finalist awards in the Engineers Australia
Engineering Excellence Annual Awards in 2011.
“To be working with multidisciplinary researchers of the highest calibre is a
tremendously rewarding personal experience. To achieve something that will benefit
society directly is, quite literally, priceless.”
35
36
Governance and Management
BVA is governed and advised by an exceptional group of people with a range of
invaluable expertise.
The BVA Board of Directors provide oversight of the consortium’s operations and it is
supported by the Scientific Advisory Board, the Risk and Audit Committee and the
Research Management Committee who provide guidance in specific areas.
Bionic Vision Australia is an unincorp-orated joint venture whose members are: the
Bionics Institute, the Centre for Eye Research, NICTA, the University of Melbourne
and the University of New South Wales. The National Vision Research Institute, the
University of Western Sydney and The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital are
participating partners.
Under the terms of the Joint Venture Agreement the University of Melbourne
administers the program, and is contracted to the Commonwealth to deliver the
program.
The Board
Professor Emeritus David Penington AC (Chair)
Dr Colin Sutton (Deputy Chair) – Director, New South Innovations Pty Ltd
Professor Hugh Taylor AC, MD, FRANZCO – Harold Mitchell Chair
of Indigenous Eye Health, Melbourne School of Population Health
Mr Peter Nankivell (until May 2012) – Chair, CERA and Partner, Herbert Geer
Lawyers
Mr James Joughin (from June 2012) – Director, CERA and Senior Partner, Ernst and
Young
Professor Iven Mareels – Dean, Melbourne School of Engineering, University of
Melbourne
Associate Professor Laurent Rivory – Director, Research Strategy Office, University
of New South Wales
Laureate Professor Rob Evans – Research Group Leader, Control and Signal
Processing Victoria Research Laboratory, NICTA
Ms Christina Hardy – Non-Executive Director, Bionics Institute and Director of
Business Development and Legal Affairs, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Alternate Directors who attended meetings of the Governing Board in 2012 are: Dr
Charlie Day (alternate for Professor Iven Mareels), Professor Anne Simmons
(alternate for Associate Professor Laurent Rivory)
37
Ms Julie Anne Quinn, BVA General Manager, is Secretary to the Board.
Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
The SAB advises the BVA Governing Board on scientific strategy, international
standing, research quality and proposed commercialisation pathways.
In 2012 the SAB met formally on two occasions. There was a one week meeting at
the end of March with visits to Sydney and Melbourne. This was followed by a
teleconference in October.
The SAB focussed its attention on three primary issues; research progress in the last
twelve months towards achieving the global goal; effectiveness of the revised
leadership group; and progress towards preparedness for commercialisation. The
program of activities for the meetings included the Director’s overview and leadership
session and discussions on regulatory and commercial activities, the Wide-View
principal program, the High-Acuity principal program, as well as clinical and
preclinical activities.
The SAB made positive comments on the progress and restructuring that had
occurred in 2011, stating that “overall, the SAB found much more to admire than to
criticize, believes the Australian taxpayer is receiving genuine value for money, and
considers there is some realistic probability of an ultimate commercial success from
the work of BVA.”
Photo caption: Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell Convenor, SAB
Members of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)
Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell (Convenor), Graduate School of Biomedical
Engineering, University of New South Wales
Distinguished Professor Brian Anderson (Chair), Research School of Information
Sciences and Engineering, The Australian National University
Professor Dominique Durand, Department of Biomedical Engineering Neural
Engineering Center, Case Western Reserve University Cleveland Ohio, USA
Professor Dr Thomas Stieglitz, IMTEK – Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik, University of
Freiburg, Germany
Professor Mark Blumenkranz MD, Professor and Chairman, Stanford University
School of Medicine – Ophthalmology
Risk and Audit Committee
The Risk and Audit Committee is comprised of: James Joughin (Chair from June
2012; Peter Nankivell was Chair until May), Ms Christina Hardy and Laureate
38
Professor Rob Evans. The Risk and Audit Committee serves as a subcommittee of
the Governing Board for the general oversight of BVA affairs in the areas of financial
accounting and reporting, risk management and the underlying internal control
environment for the BVA.
Research Management Committee (RMC)
The RMC is comprised of the BVA research program leaders and is responsible for
driving the research strategy and activities for the project. Chaired by the BVA
Director, Professor Anthony Burkitt, the RMC meets monthly to ensure research
milestones and objectives are met. Members of the RMC are: Dr Penny Allen,
Professor Robyn Guymer, Professor Nigel Lovell, Dr Hamish Meffin, Professor Rob
Shepherd and Associate Professor Gregg Suaning and Professor Anthony Burkitt.
The Secretary of the RMC is Project Manager Ms Tamara Brawn.
Commercialisation
Bionic Vision Technologies (BVT) Pty Ltd (ACN 124 162 634) (BVT) was established
to commercialise the technology developed by BVA. As the BVA project moves from
the research phase to development and commercialisation, the company is playing
an important role in providing commercial direction to our plans to bring a retinal
implant to the market.
During 2012 the BVT Board focused on continuing to enhance our understanding of
the market for our technology, including through monitoring of competitor activities
and developments on the regulatory front. A great deal of valuable market
intelligence was obtained from a trip to the Eye and the Chip conference in the US
during the year. This has been combined with a continuing focus, working with the
BVA IP Advisory Group, on developing a robust portfolio of intellectual property that
underpins the core development streams and which
is appropriately protected.
The company continued to be well served by external advisers including Neil
Anderson of Waterfall Commercialisation, Ross McFarlane of Phillips Ormonde
Fitzpatrick, and Ivan Mellado, and thus decided to defer appointment of additional
personnel while vital clinical data was being gathered in the second half of the year.
In the year ahead, BVT will work closely with the BVA Joint venture as the current
ARC funding period comes to an end to ensure the continued development of its
valuable technology portfolio.
Dr Colin Sutton, BVT Chair
Intellectual Property
The BVA consortium is actively developing a portfolio of leading edge intellectual
property, protected by mechanisms such as patents and trade secrets. During the
39
year we filed a number of new provisional patent applications, and continued to
refine and prosecute the more mature patents in our portfolio. We have implemented
clear processes for identifying and capturing new intellectual property as it arises,
and work closely with professional advisers to ensure sound portfolio management
practices.
IP Advisory Group
The Intellectual Property Advisory Group (IPAG) is responsible for making
recommendations to the Director on aspects of intellectual property relevant to the
activities and interests of BVA. The IP Advisory Group consists of: Professor Peter
Blamey (BI) (Chair until September 2012); Mr Ivan Mellado (Chair from October
2012); Mr Tim Griffiths (BI) (from October 2012); Associate Professor Gregg Suaning
(UNSW) (until April 2012); Mr Ken Crane (UNSW) (from April 2012); Dr Kate Fox
(UoM); Mr Peter Lightbody (NICTA); and Dr Khay-Lin Teoh (CERA). The group is
supported by the BVA IP Manager, Mr Ross McFarlane of Phillips Ormonde
Fitzpatrick.
40
Quality
In order to achieve the goal of developing retinal implants and technologies to
restore sight, Bionic Vision Australia seeks to promote a culture of quality. We are
building a quality management system to facilitate the safety and efficacy of clinical
studies, and to contribute to successful commercialisation in an internationally
competitive environment.
The BVA Executive
BVA is supported by an Executive team who provide project management,
communications, financial and administrative support to ensure the efficient running
of the project.
Photo caption: The BVT Board: Dr Charlie Day, Project Director – Carlton Connect, The University of
Melbourne; Ms Julie Anne Quinn, (Company Secretary) General Manager, Bionic Vision Australia; Associate
Professor Laurent Rivory, Director, Research Strategy Office, The University of New South Wales; Dr Colin
Sutton, (Chair) Director, NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd, Deputy Chairman, Bionic Vision Australia.
Photo caption: Back row: Ms Veronika Gouskova, Marketing and Communications Manager; Ms Julie Anne
Quinn, General Manager; Professor Anthony Burkitt, Director; and Mr Wayne Bahr, Finance Manager. Front
row: Ms Yun-Xin Book, Executive Research Assistant; Ms Tracy Painter, Executive Officer; Ms Clare
Chandler (from August 2012), Communications Assistant; and Ms Tamara Brawn, Project Manager.
41
Financial report
Income Statement for the year ended 31 December 2012
Notes
$
Income
Australian Research Council Funding
10,767,190
Total Income
10,767,190
Expenditure
Research Operations
1
Business Operations
10,766,296
1,822,468
Total Expenditure
12,588,765
2012 Balance
-1,821,575
Carry Forward Balance from 2011
8,640,039
Balance of Funds to be carried forward
2
6,818,465
NOTES:
1. Equipment: Research cash expenditure for 2012 includes equipment expenditure
of $2,053,084.
2. Surplus: The surplus is a largely a flow on from the later than expected
commencement of operations in 2010 and will be carried forward into 2013 to fund
strategic research initiatives.
42
Staff and Students
Bionics Institute
Researchers
Ms Rebecca Argent
BSc (Otago)
Prof Peter Blamey
BSc (Hons) (ANU), PhD (Monash)
Mr Owen Burns
BE (Mech) (Wollongong)
Mr Paul Crossley (until May 2012)
BEng (Melb)
Dr James Fallon
BE (Hons), BSc (Monash), PhD (Monash)
Ms Helen Feng
Mr Mark Harrison
BE (PIT), PGradDip (Digital Comp Eng) (RMIT)
Ms Vanessa Maxim
BBSc (La Trobe), Adv Dip Eng Tech (NMIT)
Prof Hugh McDermott
BAppSc (Hons) (Melb), PhD (Melb)
Ms Ceara McGowan
BSc (Hons) (RMIT)
Ms Michelle McPhedran
BBSc (La Trobe)
Mr Rodney Millard
DipElecE
Dr David Nayagam
BSc/BE (Hons) (Melb), PhD (Melb)
Dr Matt Petoe
BSc (Auckland), BE (Hons) (UQ), PhD (UQ)
43
Mr Thushara Perera
BE (La Trobe), ME (La Trobe)
Ms Alexia Saunders
BSc (Hons) (Deakin)
Prof Peter Seligman
BE, PhD (Monash)
Prof Rob Shepherd
BSc, GradDipEd, PhD (Melb)
Dr Mohit Shivdasani
BE (Hons) (Mumbai), ME (La Trobe), PhD (La Trobe)
Mr Nicholas Sinclair
BE (Hons) (Swinburne), BSc (Swinburne)
Mr Kyle Slater
BE (Hons) (Swinburne), BSc (Swinburne)
Dr Joel Villalobos
BE (Elect Sys Eng) (Mexico), PhD (Melb)
A/Prof Chris Williams
BSc (Waikato), MSc (Hons) (Waikato), PhD (Auckland)
Dr Jin Xu
MD MMed, DipRad, MIR
Students
Ms Rosemary Cicione
BE (La Trobe), MBioE (La Trobe)
Ms Melanie Gault (until June 2012)
BSc (BiomedEng), MSc (BiomedEng) (Vanderbilt, USA)
Mr Sam John
B Med Elect (VIT, India), MElecE (La Trobe)
Mr Ronald Leung
BE (Melb)
Mr Austin Mueller (until October 2012)
BSc (BioEng) (Lausanne, Switzerland)
44
Centre for Eye Research Australia
Researchers
Dr Penny Allen
MBBS (Melb), FRANZCO
Dr Khin-Zaw Aung
MBBS (Burma), Grad Dip Applied Science (Swinburne)
Dr Lauren Ayton
BOptom (Melb), PhD (Melb), Grad Cert Oc Ther (UNSW), FACO
Prof Jonathan Crowston
MBBS (London), BSc (London), PhD (UCL), FRANZCP, FRCophth (UK)
Dr Peter Dimitrov
MBBS (Ukraine), BOrth (Hons) (La Trobe)
Prof Robyn Guymer
MBBS (Melb), PhD (Melb), FRANZCO
Dr Wilson Heriot
MBBS, FRANZCO
Ms Fleur O’Hare
MPhil (Melb), BOrth (Hons)
(La Trobe)
Dr Sharon Bentley (Haymes)
BOptom (Melb), MOptom (Melb), PhD (Melb), MPH (Johns H.), FACO, FAAO
Prof Jill Keeffe
BA (New England), PhD (Melb)
Dr Chi Luu
BOrthoptics (Hons) (La Trobe), PhD (La Trobe), GradDip Epidemiology and
Biostatistics (Melb)
Dr Mark McCombe
MBBS (Melb), FRANZCO
Mr Shane McSweeney
B.OT (UQ)
Dr Nicholas Opie
BE (Hons) / BSc (Monash), PhD (Melb)
45
Ms Mary Varsamidis
BSc, BOrth (La Trobe)
Dr Jonathan Yeoh
MBBS, FRANZCO
Students
Mr Felix Aplin (joint supervision with University of Melbourne)
BSc (Hons) (ANU)
Mr Nicholas Apollo (until October 2012)
BS (Pittsburgh)
Ms Lil Deverell
BEd, Grad Dip in Orientation and Mobility
NICTA
Researchers (CRL)
A/Prof Nick Barnes
BSc (Hons) (Melb), PhD (Melb)
Dr Xuming He
PhD (Toronto)
Ms Junae Kim (until May 2012)
BSc (EWHA), MSc (POSTECH),
ME (ANU)
Dr Yi Li
PhD (Maryland)
Dr Paulette Lieby
PhD (Charles Darwin)
Dr Chris McCarthy
PhD (ANU)
Ms Adele Scott
BSc (ANU), BE (ANU)
Mr Ashley Stacey
BE CompSys (Canberra), MComp (Hons) (ANU)
Dr Christiaan Stronks
MSc (Nijmegen), PhD (Utrecht)
46
Dr Janine Walker
MA, MAPS, PhD (Melb)
Students
Mr Khurrum Aftab
MCompSc (Lahor)
Mr Lachlan Horne
BE (Adelaide), BMaCompSc (Adelaide)
Mr Kyoungup Park
MSc (Southern California)
Mr Samunda Perera
BSc (Hons) (Moratuwa)
Mr Song Wang
BEng (Harbin Inst of Tech),
MPhil (HKU)
Mr Tao Wang
BE (South China)
Melbourne
Researchers
Mr Clive Boyd
MSc (Melb)
Dr Mark Halpern (until
October 2012)
PhD (Melb)
Dr Hamish Meffin
BSc (Adel) (Hons), PhD (Sydney)
Dr David Ng
BEng (Singapore), MSc (Singapore), PhD (Nara)
Prof Stan Skafidas
BE (Hons) (Melb), BSc (Melb), MESc (Melb), PhD (Melb)
University of Melbourne, Anatomy and Neuroscience
Researchers
47
A/Prof Erica Fletcher
BScOptom (Melb), MScOptom, PhD (Melb)
Dr Ursula Greferath
BSc (Hons) (Frankfurt), PhD (Frankfurt)
Ms Andrea Rassell (until December 2012)
BBiomedSc (Wellington)
Dr Kirstan Vessey
BSc (Hons) (Melb), PhD (Melb)
Students
Ms Susmita Saha
BScEng (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Melbourne
School of Engineering
Researchers
Mr Shun (Leo) Bai
BSc
Prof Anthony Burkitt
BSc (ANU), BSc (ANU), PhD (Edinburgh)
Dr Hosung Chun
BE (Sydney), PhD (UNSW)
A/Prof David Grayden
BSc (Melb), BE (Melb), PhD (Melb)
Dr Colin Hales (until December 2012)
BE (Electrical) (Monash), CAS (Brunel), PhD (Melb)
Dr Sam (Yuhua) He
BSc (Nankai), MSc (Nankai)
Dr Tatiana Kameneva (until July 2012)
BSc (Kazakhstan), MSc (Kazakhstan), PhD (Melb)
Dr Omid Kavahei
ME (Iran), PhD (Adelaide)
Mr Vijay Muktamath
BE (India), ME (RMIT)
48
Dr Emily O’Brien (until November 2012)
BEng (Hons) (Flinders), BSc (Flinders), PhD (Melb)
Dr Elma O’Sullivan-Green (until December 2012)
BE (Cork), PhD (Melb)
Dr Craig Savage (until October 2012)
BSc (Northwestern), MSc (Arizona), MBA (Arizona), PhD (Melb)
Dr Bahman Tahayori
BE (Shiraz), ME (Tehran), PhD (Melb)
Dr Nhan Tran
MSc (Kyung Hee)
Mr Jiawei (Jeff) Yang
BE (Zhejiang)
Mr Yuanyuan Yang
BE (China), ME (China)
Mr Daniele Zarelli (until July 2012)
Students
Ms Isabell Kiral-Kornek
Dipl.-Ing. (Hanover)
Mr Matias Maturana
BSc (Melb), BA (Melb)
Mr Evgeni Sergeev
BE (Elect&Electr) (Hons), BCM (Hons) (Western Australia)
Mr Nick Venables
BSc (Melb)
Ms Parvin Zarei
BSc (Tehran), MSc (AUT Tehran)
Melbourne Materials Institute
Researchers
Dr Arman Ahnood
MEng (Cambridge), PhD (University College London)
49
Ms Mathilde Escudie
MRI (Risk Management) (ENSi Bourges), MEng(Biomed) (UNSW)
Dr Kate Fox
BEng (Hons)/BSc (Flinders), PhD (UniSA), MIP (UTS)
Dr Kumar Ganesan
BSc (Hons) (Jaffna), MSc (Peradeniya), PhD (Canterbury)
Dr David Garrett
BSc (Hons) (Canterbury), PhD (Canterbury)
Prof Steven Prawer
BSc (Monash), PhD (Monash), DSc (Melb), FAA
Students
Mr Nick Apollo
BSc(Bioeng) (Pitt. (US))
Ms Samantha Lichter
BEng (Hons)/BSc (Monash)
Ms Wei Tong
BSc (USTC)
University of New South Wales, Graduate School of
Biomedical Engineering
Researchers
Dr Miganoosh Abramian
MBiomedE, PhD (UNSW)
Dr Amr Al Abed
BMSc (Hons) (UNSW), MBioE (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Mr Stefan Audick
Dipl. Ing. (Krefeld)
Dr Siwei Bai
BE (SCUT), MEngSc (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Mr Brandon Bosse
BSc (UCSD), MSc (Tübingen)
Mr Kain Bozzetto
BE (UNSW), ME (UNSW)
50
Ms Alexandra Boulgakov (until March 2012)
BE (UNSW)
Mr Philip Byrnes-Preston
BE (UNSW)
Dr Spencer Chen
BE (Hons) (UNSW), MBiomedE (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Mr Chris Dodds
BE (Hons) (UNSW), MBiomedE (UNSW)
A/Prof Socrates Dokos
BE (Hons) (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Dr Rylie Green
BE (UNSW), ME (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Dr Thomas Guenther
MSc (IMTEK, Freiburg), PhD (UNSW)
Ms Cherry Ying Yan Ho
BEng (UNSW) ME (UNSW)
Ms Wenqi Huang
ME (UNSW)
Ms Catherine Jefferies
Mr Louis Jung
BTeleE (UNSW), ME (UNSW)
Mr Sergej Kolke
DipMechE (RUB)
Mr Tom Kulaga
BEng (Hons) (UNSW), BSc (UNSW)
Mr William Lim
BE (Hons) (UNSW), MBiomedE (UNSW)
Prof Nigel Lovell
BE (Hons) (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Dr Paul Matteucci
BE, PhD (Genova)
Mr Manohar Nayak (until August 2012)
BE (Sydney)
Mr Apoorv Mintri
BE (Sydney)
51
Mr Stephen Mow
BE (Sydney)
Mr Mo Nikro
BE Dip Eng. Prac. (UTS)
Mr Sunil Patel
BE (Hons) (UNSW) MBiomedE (UNSW)
A/Prof Gregg Suaning
BSc (California), MSc (California), PhD (UNSW)
Mr David Tsai (until May 2012)
BE (Hons) (UNSW), MBiomedE (UNSW), PhD (UNSW)
Ms Vivienne Wong
BE (Hons) (UNSW) MBiomedE (UNSW)
Dr Robert Wilke (until January 2012)
BE (Hons) (Roma Tre), MSc (Tübingen), MD (Tübingen)
Students
Mr Umar Ansari
BE (Hons) (NUST)
Mr Calvin D. Eiber
BSc (Case Western Reserve University)
Mr Tianruo Guo
BE (Hons) (Beijing), ME (UNSW)
Mr Amgad Habib
BSc (Hons) (Waterloo), PhD (UNSW)
Ms Gita Khalili (until March 2012)
BSc (Hons) (Azad), MSc (Azad)
Ms Isabel Maskos
Mr Nitzan Shany
BE (Hons)
Mr Hamza Toor (until March 2012)
BSc (Riphah)
Mr Shijie Yin
BE (Hons) (Auckland), PhD (UNSW)
Mr Marc Patrick Zapf
BSc (Hons) (Uni Ulm), MSc (Hons) (Freiburg)
52
School of Electrical Engineering and
Telecommunications
Researcher
Dr Torsten Lehmann
MScEE PhD (Denmark)
University of Western Sydney
Researchers
Dr Morven Cameron
BSc (Manchester), PhD (Manchester)
Prof John Morley
BSc (La Trobe), MSc (Melb), PhD (Melb)
National Vision Research Institute
Researchers
Dr Shaun Cloherty
BE (QUT), PhD (UNSW)
Prof Michael Ibbotson
BSc, PhD (Univ of London)
Dr Brendan O’Brien
BA (N. Iowa), PhD (UW)
Dr Yu-Shan Hung
BSc, MSc (NCHU), PhD (ANU)
Students
Mr Alex Hadjinicolaou
BE, B Ma. Comp Sci (Adel)
Mr Raymond Wong
BE, MSc
BVA Executive Team
53
Mr Wayne Bahr
Finance Officer, BCom (Tas)
Mr Greg Brewer
Quality Manager, MBiomedE (UNSW)
Ms Yun-Xin Book
Research Administration Assistant, BSc (Melb), MSc (Melb)
Ms Tamara Brawn
Project Manager, BA (La Trobe), BBSc (Hons) (La Trobe), Grad Dip Ed (Melb), MBA
(UNSW)
Ms Clare Chandler
Communications Assistant, BA (Hons) (Melb)
Ms Mathilde Escudie
Intern (Quality systems), BSc (Ensib)
Ms Alana Faigen (until July 2012)
Communications Assistant, BA (Monash), MCom (RMIT)
Ms Veronika Gouskova
Marketing and Communications Manager, BCom (Melb), MCom (RMIT)
Dr Leila Koushaeian
Casual research assistant, BEng, MEng, PhD (Melb)
Ivan Mellado
Commercial Development Advisor, BBus (Monash)
Ms Tracy Painter
Executive Officer
Ms Julie Anne Quinn
General Manager, BAppSc (RMIT), Grad Dip Mktg (Monash), ME (RMIT)
Contributing Research Collaborators
Individuals
Dr Larry Abel
Dept of Optometry and Vision Sciences
University of Melbourne
Dr Benedicta Ahatari
Department of Physics
La Trobe University
54
Professor Ian Bailey
School of Optometry
University of California – Berkeley
Professor Mark Cook
Chair of Medicine and Professor and Director of Neurology at St Vincent’s Hospital
Professor Nick Donaldson
University College London
Mr Irfan Durmo
Cochlear Ltd
Dr Sue Finch
Statistical Consulting Centre
University of Melbourne
Dr Barry Gow
Senior Visiting Fellow
University of New South Wales
Dr Alan Heritage
Production Microbiologist: Cleanroom Device Manufacture and Sterilisation
Cochlear Ltd
Prof Peter Hunter
Director, Bioengineering Institute
University of Auckland
Professor Penny McKelvie
Anatomical Pathology, St Vincent’s Hospital
Dr Elinore McKone
QEII Discovery Fellow Professor
Australian National University
Professor Gregory Murphy
School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, Department of Public Health
La Trobe University
Juan Ordonez
IMTEK
Uni-Freiburg
Dr Sue Pierce
Veterinary SurgeonSt Vincent’s Hospital
A/Prof Andrew Rhys
University of Sydney
UNSW
55
Professor Joseph Rizzo
Boston Retinal Implant Project
Director of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service
Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
Dr. Cesar M. Salinas-La Rosa
Anatomical Pathology, St Vincent’s Hospital
Dr. Martin Schuettler
IMTEK
Uni-Freiburg
Dr Ross Smith
Research Fellow
University of Adelaide
Prof Bruce Thomas
University of Adelaide
Dr Ehsan Vaghefi
Research Fellow, Bioengineering Institute
University of Auckland
Dr Anne Vanhoestenberghe
University College London
Professor Richard Williams
Director of Anatomical Pathology, St Vincent’s Hospital
Organisations
The Australian Nano Fabrication Facility (ANFF)
Bio21 Imaging
Cochlear Limited
Cogentum
IBM
Johnson Matthey
Mobius Medical
Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick
RayMax Lasers
Sabre Medical
St Vincent’s Pathology and Histology
56
Waterfall Commercialisation Group
57
Publications Listing
Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications and Full Conference
Papers
1.
Abramian, M., Lovell, N.H., Morley, J.W., Suaning, G.J., and Dokos, S. (2012). ‘Computational Model
of Electrical Stimulation of a Retinal Ganglion Cell with Hexagonally Arranged Electrodes’ Annual
International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th
August – 1st September 2012, pp. 3029-3032.
2.
Al Abed, A., Yin, S., Lovell, N.H., Suaning, G.J., and Dokos, S. (2012). ‘A Convolution based Method
for Calculating Dendritic Inputs in a Continuum Model of the Retina’ Annual International Conference of the
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September
2012, pp 215-218.
3.
Ansari, U., Lovell, N.H., and Suaning, G.J. (2012). ‘Measuring the Electric Field of Bioelectrodes in
Saline during Stimulation’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology
Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 807-810.
4.
Ayton, L.N., Guymer, R.H., and Luu, C.D. (2012). ‘Choroidal Thickness Profiles in Retinitis
Pigmentosa’ Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, Epub ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.14429071.2012.02867.
5.
Ayton, L.N., Luu, C.D, Allen, P.J., and Guymer, R.H. ‘The importance of multi-disciplinary
collaborations in the future of bionic vision.’ Expert Review of Ophthalmology, accepted for publication in 2012.
6.
Bae, S.H., Che, J.H., Seo, J.M., Jeong, J., Kim, E.T., Lee, S.W., Koo, K.I., Suaning, G.J., Lovell,
N.H., Cho, D.I., Kim, S.J, and Chung, H. (2012). ‘In vitro Biocompatibility of Various Polymer-based
Microelectrode Arrays for Retinal Prosthesis.’ Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, vol 53, no 6, pp.
2653-2657.
7.
Bai, S., and Skafidas, E. (2012). ‘A Simple Voltage Reference with Ultra Supply Independency’
International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, Seoul, Korea, 20th – 23rd March 2012, pp. 2829-2832.
8.
Barnes, N. (2012). ‘The Role of Computer Vision in Prosthetic Vision’ Image and Vision Computing, vol
30, no 8, pp. 478-439.
9.
Barnes, N., Baumgartner, P., Caetano, T., Durrant-Whyte, H., Klein, G., Sanderson, P., Satta, A.,
Stuckey, P., Thiebaux, S., Van Hentenryck, P., and Waslsh, T. (2012). ‘AI@NICTA’ AI Magazine, vol 33, no
3, pp. 115-127.
10.
Barnes, N.M., He, X., McCarthy, C., Horne, L., Kim, J., Scott, A., and Lieby, P. (2012). ‘The Role of
Vision Processing in Prosthetic Vision’ Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and
Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 308-311.
11.
Chun, H., and Skafidas, E. (2012). ‘A Low-power, Small-area and Programmable Bandgap
Reference’ 55th International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and systems (IEEE MWSCAS), Boise, Idaho, 5th –
8th August 2012, pp. 510-513.
12.
Chun, H., Tran, N., Yang, Y., Kavehei, O., Bai, S., and Skafidas, E. (2012). ‘A Precise Charge
Balancing and Compliance Voltage Monitoring Stimulator Front-end for 1024-electrodes Retinal Prosthesis’
Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego,
USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 3001-3004.
58
13.
Chun, H., Yang, Y., and Lehmann, T. (2012). ‘Required Matching Accuracy of Biphasic Current
Pulse in Multi-channel Current Mode Bipolar Stimulation for Safety’ Annual International Conference of the
IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September
2012, pp. 3025-3028.
14.
Cicione, R., Shivdasani, M.N., Fallon, J.B., Luu, C.D., Allen, P.J., Rathbone, G.D., Shepherd, R.K.,
and Williams, C.E. (2012). ‘Visual Cortex Responses to Suprachoroidal Electrical Stimulation of the Retina:
Effects of Electrode Return Configuration’ Journal of Neural Engineering, vol. 9, 036009.
15.
Cloherty, S.L., Wong, R.C.S., Hadjinicolaou, A.E., Meffin, H., Ibbotson, M.R., and O’Brien, B.J.
(2012). ‘Epiretinal Electrical Stimulation and the Inner Limiting Membrane in Rat Retina’ in Annual
International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th
August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2989-2992.
16.
Duo, S., Matteucci, P., Byrnes-Preston, P., and Suaning, G.J. (2012). ‘Analysis of the Voltage
Response to Identify Macromolecule Quantities in an Electrolyte’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp.
3756-3759.
17.
Eiber, C.D., Lovell, N.H., and Suaning, G.J. (2012). ‘Attaining higher resolution visual prosthetics: a
review of the factors and limitations’ Journal of Neural Engineering, vol 10, no 1, 011002.
18.
Garrett, D.J., Ganesan, K., Stacey, A., Fox, K., Meffin, H., and Prawer, S. (2012). ‘Ultrananocrystalline diamond electrodes: Optimising towards neural stimulation applications’ Journal of Neural
Engineering, vol 9, no 1, 016002.
19.
Green, R.A., Hassarati, R.T., Bouchinet, L., Lee, C.S., Cheong, G.L.M., Yu, J., Dodds, C., Suaning,
G.J., Poole-Warren, L.A. and Lovell, N.H. (2012). ‘Substrate Dependent Stability of Conducting Polymer
Coatings on Medical Electrodes’ Biomaterials, vol 33, no 25, pp. 5875–5886.
20.
Green, R.A., Hassarati, R.T., Goding, J.A., Bae, S., Lovell, N.H., Martens, P.J., and Poole-Warren,
L.A. (2012). ‘Conductive Hydrogels: Mechanically Robust Hybrids for Use as Biomaterials’ Macromolecule
Bioscience, vol 12, no 4, pp. 494-501.
21.
Guenther, T., Lovell, N. H., and Suaning, G. J. (2012). ‘Bionic Vision: System Architectures – A
Review’ Expert Review of Medical Devices, vol 9, no 1, pp. 33-48.
22.
Guo, T., Tsai, D., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., and Dokos, S. (2012). ‘Modeling Normal and Rebound
Excitation in Mammalian Retinal Ganglion Cells’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in
Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 5506-5509.
23.
Habib, A.G., Cameron, M., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., and Morley, J.W. (2012). ‘Efficacy of the
Hexpolar Configuration in Localizing the Activation of Retinal Ganglion Cells under Electrical Stimulation’
Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego,
USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2776-2779.
24.
Hadjinicolaou, A., Leung, R.T., Garrett, D.J, Ganesan, K., Fox, K., Nayagam, D.A.X., Shivdasani,
M.N., Meffin, H., Ibbotson, M., Prawer, S., and O’Brien, B.J. (2012). ‘Electrical Stimulation of Retinal
Ganglion Cells with Diamond: Building Blocks for an all Diamond Retinal Prosthesis’ Biomaterials, vol 33, no
24, pp. 5812-5820.
25.
He, X., Kim, J., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘An Face-based Visual Fixation System for Prosthetic Vision’
Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA,
28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2981-2984.
26.
Horne, L., Barnes, N., McCarthy, C. and He, X. (2012). ‘Image Segmentation for Enhancing Symbol
Recognition in Prosthetic Vision’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and
Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2792-2795.
27.
Hunt, J., Ibbotson, M.R., and Goodhill, G. (2012). ‘Sparse coding on the spot: spontaneous retinal
waves suffice for orientation selectivity’ Neural Computation, vol 24, no 9, pp. 2422-2433.
59
28.
Ibbotson, M.R. (2012). ‘Bionic Eyes – Where Are We and What Does the Future Hold?’ Clinical and
Experimental Ophthalmology,
vol 95, no 5, pp. 471-472
29.
Kiral-Kornek, I., Savage, C.O., Grayden, D.B., and Burkitt, A.N. (2012). ‘Feature Accentuation in
Phosphenated Images’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
(EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 5915-5918.
30.
Lehmann, T., Chun, H., and Yang, Y. (2012). ‘Power Saving Circuit Design Techniques for
Implantable Neuro-stimulators’ Journal of Circuits, Systems and Computers (Special Issue), vol 21, no 6,
1240016.
31.
Lehmann, T., Jung, L., Moghe, Y., Chun, H., Yang, Y., and Alex, A.Z. (2012). ‘Low-power Circuit
Structures for Chip-scale Stimulating Implants’ IEEE Asia Pacific Conference on Circuits and Systems, Taiwan,
2nd – 5th December 2012, pp 312-315.
32.
Li, Y., McCarthy, C., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘On Just Noticeable Difference for Bionic Eye’ Annual
International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th
August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2961-2964.
33.
Matteucci, P.B., Chen, S.C.Y., Dodds, C.W.D., Dokos, S., Morley, J.W., Lovell, N.H., and Suaning,
G.J. (2012). “Threshold Analysis of Quasi-monopolar Stimulation Strategy in Vision Prosthetics” Annual
International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th
August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2997-3000.
34.
McCarthy, C. and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘A Unified Strategy for Landing and Docking using Spherical
Flow Divergence’ IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol 34, no 15, pp. 1024–
1031.
35.
McCarthy, C., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘Time-to-contact Maps for Navigation with a Low Resolution
Visual Prosthesis’ Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC),
San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2780-2783.
36.
Meffin, H., Tahayori, B., Grayden, D.B, and Burkitt, A.N. (2012) ‘Modeling Extracellular Electrical
Stimulation: I. Derivation and Interpretation of Neurite Equations’ Journal of Neural Engineering, vol 9,
065005.
37.
O’Brien, E.E., Greferath, U., Vessey, Kirstan, A., Jobling, A. I., and Fletcher, E. L. (2012). ‘Electronic
Restoration of Vision in Those with Photoreceptor Degenerations’ Clinical and Experimental Optometry, vol 9,
no 6, 065005.
38.
Opie, N.L., Grayden, D.B., Meffin, H., and Burkitt, A.N. (2012) ‘Heating of the Eye by a Retinal
Prosthesis: Modeling, Cadaver and In vivo Study’ IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol 59, no 2,
pp. 339-345.
39.
Opie, N.L., Greferath, U., Vessey, K.A., Burkitt, A.N., Meffin, H., Grayden, D.B., and Fletcher, E.L.
(2012) “Retinal Prosthesis Safety: Alterations in Microglia Morphology due to Thermal Damage and Retinal
Implant Contact’ Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (ARVO Journal), vol 53, no 12, pp. 78027812.
40.
Parera, S., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘Maximal Cliques based Rigid Body Segmentation with a RGB-D
Camera’ Asian Conference on Computer Vision (ACCV), Daejeon, Korea, 5th – 9th November.
41.
Savage, C.O., Grayden, D.B, Meffin, H., and Burkitt, A.N. (2012) ‘Optimized Single Pulse Stimulation
Strategy for Retinal Implants’ Journal of Neural Engineering, vol 10, no 1, 016003.
42.
Savage, C.O., Kameneva, T., Grayden, D.B., Meffin, H., and Burkitt, A.N. (2012). ‘Minimisation of
Required Charge for Desired Neuronal Spike Rate’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in
Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 3009-3012.
60
43.
Savage, C.O., Kiral-Kornek, I., Tahayori, B., and Grayden, D.B. (2012). ‘Can Electric Crosstalk be
used to Control Perception of a Retinal Prosthesis Patient?’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp.
3013-3016.
44.
Shivdasani, M.N., Fallon, J.B., Luu, C.D., Cicione, R., Allen, P.J., Morley, J.W., and Williams, C.E.
(2012). ‘Visual Cortex Responses to Single and Simultaneous Multiple Electrode Stimulation of the Retina:
Implications for Retinal Prostheses’ Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (ARVO Journal), vol 53, no
10, pp. 6291-300.
45.
Tahayori B., and Dokos, S. (2012). ‘Optimal Stimulus Current Waveshape for a Hodgkin-Huxley
Model Neuron’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC),
San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012,
pp. 4627-4630.
46.
Tahayori, B., Meffin, H., Dokos, S., Burkitt, A.N., and Grayden, D.B. (2012) ‘Modeling Extracellular
Electrical Stimulation: II. Computational Validation and Numerical Results’ Journal of Neural Engineering, vol
9, no 6, 065006.
47.
Tran, N., Halpern, M., Bai, S., and Skafidas, E. (2012). ‘Crosstalk Current Measurements using MultiElectrode Arrays in Saline’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology
Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 3021-3024.
48.
Tsai, D., Chen, S., Protti, D.A., Morley, J.W., Suaning, G.J., and Lovell, N.H. (2012). ‘Responses of
Retinal Ganglion Cells to Extracellular Electrical Stimulation, from Single Cell to Population: Model-based
Analysis’ PLoS One, vol 7, no 12, e53357.
49.
Venables, N., Tahayori, B., Meffin, H., Grayden, D., and Burkitt, A.N. (2012). ‘Determining the
Electrical Impedance of the Retina from a Complex Voltage Map’ Annual International Conference of the IEEE
Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp.
3005-3008.
50.
Vessey, K.A., and Fletcher, E.L. (2012) ‘Rod and Cone Pathway Signalling is Altered in the PX27
Knock Out Mouse’ Public Library
of Science One (PLoS One), vol 7, no 1, e29990.
51.
Vessey, K.A., Jobling, A.I., Greferath, U. and Fletcher, E.L. (2012). ‘The role of the P2X7 Receptor in
the Retina: Cell Signalling and Dysfunction’ Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 723, pp. 813819.
52.
Villalobos J., Nayagam D.A.X., Allen P.J., McKelvie P., Luu C.D., Ayton L.N., Saunders A.L.,
McPhedran M., Basa M., McGowan C.C., Shepherd R.K., and Williams, C.E. ‘A wide-field suprachoroidal
retinal prosthesis is stable and well tolerated following chronic implantation.’ Investigative Ophthalmology and
Vision Science, accepted for publication in 2012.
53.
Villalobos, J., Allen, P. J., McCombe, M., Ulaganathan, M., Zamir, E., Ng, D. C., Shepherd, R., and
Williams, C. E. (2012). ‘Development of a surgical approach for a wide view suprachoroidal retinal
prosthesis: Evaluation of implantation trauma.’ Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology,
250(3), 399-407.
54.
Wang, P., Shen, C., Barnes, N., and Zheng, H. (2012). ‘Fast and Robust Object Detection using
Asymmetric Totally Corrective Boosting’ IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems, vol 23,
pp. 33-46.
55.
Wang, S., Li, Y., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘Text Image Processing for Visual Prostheses” Annual
International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th
August – 1st September 2012, pp. 2977-2980.
56.
Wang, T., He, X., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘Learning Hough Forest with Depth-encoded Context for
Object Detection’ in DICTA, Freemantle, WA, Australia, 3rd – 5th December 2012,
10.1109/DICTA.2012.6411700.
61
57.
Wong, R.C.S., Cloherty, S.L., Ibbotson, M.R., and O’Brien, B.J. (2012). ‘Intrinsic Physiological
Properties of Rat Retinal Ganglion Cells with a Comparative Analysis” Journal of Neurophysiology, vol 108, no
7, pp. 2008-23.
58.
Xie, Y., Liu, N., and Barnes, N. (2012). ‘Phosphene Vision of Depth and Boundary from
Segmentation-based Associative MRFs’ Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine and
Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September 2012, pp. 5314-5318.
59.
Yang, J., and Skafidas, E. (2012). ‘A Super-low Power MICS Band Phase-locked Loop for High
Resolution Retinal Prosthesis’ IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, Epub ahead of print,
doi:10.1109/TBCAS.2012.2220545.
Peer-Reviewed Internationally Recognised Conference
Publications: Posters, Papers (other than full conference
papers) and Presentations (other than invited presentations)
1.
Al Abed, A., Lovell, N.H., and Dokos, S. (2012). ‘Electrical restitution properties of rabbit atiral tissue.’
AuPS/PSNZ/ASB Joint meeting. 2nd – 4th December, Sydney, Australia.
2.
Allen, P.J., Yeoh, J, McCombe, M., Wise, A., Heriot, W., Luu, C., Shivdasani, M., Williams, C.,
Nayagam, D., Shepherd, R., Guymer, R. ‘A Feline Model for Chronic Active Stimulation with a
Suprachoroidal Electrode Array (Poster presentation)’ Royal Australian and New Zealand College of
Ophthalmologist Meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 24th – 28th November 2012.
3.
Allen, P.J., Yeoh, J., McCombe, M., Wise, A.K, Heriot, W., Shivdasani, M., Shepherd, R., Nayagam,
D., Williams, C., Luu, C. ‘A Surgical Technique for a Chronic Active Stimulation with a Suprachoroidal Array
in a Feline Model (Poster)’ Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO),
Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
4.
Allen, P.J., Yeoh, J., McCombe, M.F., Wise, A., Heriot, W., Shivdasani, M., Shepherd, R.K.,
Nayagam, D.A., Williams, C.E., Luu, C.D., “A Surgical Technique for Chronic Active Stimulation with a
Suprachoroidal Electrode Array in a Feline Model’ Royal Australian and New Zealand College of
Ophthalmologist Meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 24th – 28th November 2012.
5.
Aplin, F.P., Luu, C.D., Shepherd, R.K., Guymer, R.H., Fletcher, E. ‘Blind Feline Model for Retinal
Prosthesis’ XVth International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration (RD2012), Germany, 16th – 21st July 2012.
6.
Aplin, F.P., Luu, C.D., Shepherd, R.K., Guymer, R.H., Fletcher, E.L. ‘Blind Feline Model for Retinal
Prosthesis’ Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologist Meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 24th –
28th November 2012.
7.
Aplin, F.P., Luu, C.D., Shepherd, R.K., Guymer, R.H., Fletcher, E.L. ‘Blind Feline Model for Retinal
Prosthesis’ International Society for Eye Research (ISER), Berlin, Germany, 21st – 25th July 2012.
8.
Apollo, N.V., and Kameneva, T. (2012). ‘Modeling intrinsic membrane properties of all amacrine cells
(Poster).’ 7th Brain Research Conference-Optogenetics and Pharmacogenetics in Neuronal Function and
Dysfunction. 11th – 12th October, New Orleans, US.
9.
Apollo, N., Opie, N., Ayton, L., Guymer, R., Luu, C. ‘Retinal Surface Curvature and Slope Variation in
Retinitis Pigmentosa (Poster presentation)’ Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
10.
Ayton, L.N., Guymer, R.H., Luu, C.D. ‘How blind is a Flat ERG? An Improved Method of Assessing
Retinal Function in Patients with Extremely Poor Vision (Poster presentation)’ Annual Meeting of the
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
62
11.
Ayton, L.N., Leung, R.T., Nayagam, D.A.X., Allen, P.J., Yeoh, J., Shepherd, R.K., Villalobos, J.,
Williams, C.E., Guymer, R.H., Luu, C.D. ‘Feasibility of Removing Suprachoroidal Electrode Arrays in an
Animal Model (Poster Presentation)’ Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologist Meeting,
Melbourne, Australia, 24th – 28th November 2012.
12.
Barnes, N.M., Walker, J.G., McCarthy, C.D., Botea, V., Scott, A.F., Dennett, H., Lieby, P. ,
‘Evaluating Depth-based Visual Representations for Mobility in Simulated Prosthetic Vision (Conference
Abstract)’ Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th
– 9th May 2012.
13.
Cameron, M.A., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., Morley, J.W. ‘Electrical Activation of Inner Retinal
Neurons’ Vision Down Under 2012, Queensland, Australia, 26th – 29th January 2012.
14.
Cameron, M.A., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., Morley, J.W. ‘Electrical Activation of Inner Retinal
Neurons in Wild-type and Rd1 Mice (Conference Abstract)’ 32nd Annual Meeting of Australian Neuroscience
Society (ANS), Gold Coast, Australia, 29th January – 1st February 2012.
15.
Chen, S.C., Matteucci, P.B., Dokos, S., Lovell, N.H., Suaning, G.J., Morley, J.W. ‘A 3D Spiking
Activity Strength-duration Model of Cortical Response to Suprachoroidal Retinal Stimulation’ 32nd Annual
Meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS), Gold Coast, Australia, 29th January – 1st February 2012.
16.
Chen, S.C., Matteucci, P.B., Dokos, S., Lovell, N.H., Suaning, G.J., Morley, J.W. ‘A 3D Spiking
Activity Strength-duration Model of Cortical Response to Suprachoroidal Retinal Stimulation’ Vision Down
Under 2012, Queensland, 26th – 29th January 2012.
17.
Chun, H., Skafidas, S. ‘Design Approach for Retinal Vision Prosthesis’ IEEE International Symposium
on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), Seoul, Korea, 20th – 23rd May 2012.
18.
Dokos, S., Matteucci, P., Lovell, N.H., Suaning, G.J. ‘Computational Modelling of Quasi-monopolar
Stimulation: A New Paradigm for Suprachoroidal Activation of the Retina’ Australian Biomedical Engineering
Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 17th – 19th September 2012.
19.
Eiber, C., Dokos, S. and Suaning, G. ‘Current Steering in Retinal Prostheses Towards Arbitrary
Resolution’ IEEE Technologies of the Future Conference, 2012
20.
Fox, K., Garrett, D.J., Ganesan, K., Lichter, S., Meffin, H., Prawer, S. ‘The Bionic Eye: Diamond
Electrodes for Retinal Stimulation’ World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Beijing,
China, 26th – 31st May 2012.
21.
Fox, K., Garrett, D.J., Greferath, U., Fletcher E.L., Vessey K., Allen, P., Ganesan, K., Meffin, H.,
Prawer, S. ‘Diamond as an Implantable Material’ 9th World Biomaterials Congress, Chengdu, China, 1st – 5th
June 2012.
22.
Ganesan, K., Garrett, D., Fox, K., Meffin, H., Prawer, S. ‘Diamond Microelectrode Array for HighAcuity Retinal Prosthesis’ 9th World Biomaterials Congress, Chengdu, China, 1st – 5th June 2012.
23.
Green, R.A., Hassarati, R., Martens, P., Poole-Warren, L.A., Lovell, N.H. ‘Conductive Hydrogel
Electrodes for Optimal Neural Interfacing’ 40th Neural Interfaces Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, 18th – 20th
June 2012.
24.
Green, R.A., Hassarati, R.T., Lovell, N.H., Martens, P.J., Poole-Warren, L.A. ‘Conductive Hydrogel
Electrodes for Stimulating Neuroprostheses’ World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering,
Beijing, China, 26th – 31st May 2012
25.
Greferath, U., O’Brien, E.E., Fletcher, E.L. ‘Remodelling in Advanced Retinal Degeneration in Rd1
Mice” Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologist Meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 24th – 28th
November 2012.
26.
Greferath, U., O’Brien, E.E., Fletcher, E.L. ‘Remodelling in Advanced Retinal Degeneration in Rd1
Mice’ International Society for Eye Research (ISER), Berlin, Germany, 21st – 25th July 2012.
63
27.
Guo, T., Tsai, D., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., Dokos, S. ‘Influence of Cell Morphology in
Computational Models of ON and OFF Retinal Ganglion Cells’ AuPS/ PSNZ/ASB Joint meeting, Sydney,
Australia, 2nd – 4th December 2012.
28.
Habib, A.G., Cameron, M.A., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., Morley, J.W. ‘Retinal Ganglion Cell
Thresholds to Electrical Stimulation using Hexagonal Guard Return and Monopolar Return Configurations
(Conference Abstract)’ 32nd Annual Meeting of Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS), Gold Coast, Australia,
29th January – 1st February 2012.
29.
Habib, A.G., Cameron, M.A., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H., Morley, J.W. ‘Localization of Retinal
Ganglion Cell Activation by Electrical Stimulation using Hexpolar Configuration’ Society for Neuroscience
Annual Meeting, LA, USA, 13th – 17th October 2012.
30.
Hadjinicolaou, A.E., Kameneva, T., Wong, R., Grayden, D.B, Cloherty, S.L., Ibbotson, M.R., Burkitt,
A.N., Meffin, H., O’Brien, B. ‘Sinusoidal Stimulation of Retinal Ganglion Cells: Computational Model and
Experimental Results’ 32nd Annual Meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS), Gold Coast, 29th
January – 1st February 2012.
31.
Hadjinicolaou, A.E., Leung, R.T., Garrett, D.J., Ganesan, K., Fox, K., Nayagam, D.A., Shivdasani,
M.N., Meffin, H., Ibbotson, M.R., Prawer, S. and O’Brien, B.J. ‘Use of Diamond Electrode for Epiretinal
Stimulation’ The Eye and the Chip, World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September
2012.
32.
Horne, L. ‘Visual Processing for Symbol Recognition in Prosthetic Vision Systems (Poster)’ The Eye
and The Chip, World Congress
on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
33.
John, S.E., Shivdasani, M. N., Fallon, J.B., Rathbone, G., Williams, C. E. ‘Suprachoroidal Visual
Prosthesis: Cortical Responses to Repetitive Electrical Stimulation of the Retina (Presentation)’ Annual
Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
34.
Kameneva, T., Meffin, H., Burkitt, A.N. ‘ON and OFF retinal ganglion cells: response to sinusoidal
stimulation (Poster)’ 32nd Annual Meeting of Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS), Gold Coast, Australia, 29th
February – 1st March 2012.
35.
Kameneva, T., Meffin, H., Grayden, D.B., Burkitt. A.N. ‘Sinusoidal Stimulation of Retinal Bipolar
Cells: A Modeling Study’ Proceedings of the Ninth IASTED International Conference on Biomedical Engineering
(BioMed2012), Innsbruck, Austria, 15th – 17th February 2012.
36.
Lichter, S., Garrett, D., Ganesan, K., Fox, K., Prawer, S. ‘A Fully Hermetic Diamond Encapsulation
for a High-Acuity Retinal Prosthesis’ 9th World Biomaterials Congress, Chengdu, China, 1st - 5th June 2012.
37.
Lieby, P., Barnes, N., McCarthy, C., Scott, A.F., Botea, V., Walker, J.G. ‘Mobility Experiments using
Simulated Prosthetic Vision with 98 Phosphenes of Limited Dynamic Range (Poster)’ Annual Meeting of the
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
38.
Lovell, N. H. (2012). ‘Medical device technologies for managing disease and wellness: Pitfalls of
translational research.’ IEEE EMBS Conference on Biomedical Engineering & Sciences (IECBES). 17th – 19th
December, Langkawi, Malaysia.
39.
Lovell, N. H. (2012). ‘Retinal stimulation challenge: How to increase spatial and temporal resolution?’
4th International Conference on Neural Prosthetic Devices (ICNPD). 19th – 20th November, Freiburg, Germany.
40.
McCarthy, C., Lieby, P., Walker, J.G., Scott, A.F., Botea, V., Barnes, N. ‘Low Contrast Trip Hazard
Avoidance using Simulated Prosthetic Vision (Conference Abstract-Presentation)’ Annual Meeting of the
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
41.
Ming, Y., Li, H., He, X. ‘Connected Contours: A Contour Completion Model that Respects Closureeffect’ Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, Rhode Island, USA, 6th – 12th June 2012.
64
42.
Nayagam, D.A.X., Allen, P.J., Shivdasani, M.N., Fallon, J.B., Gault, M., Yeoh, J., Wise, A.K., Luu,
C.D., McPhedran, M., Basa, M., Ayton, L.N., Williams, R.A., McGowan C., Bowman E., Shepherd, R.K.,
Williams, C.E. ‘A Pre-clinical Model for Chronic Electrical Stimulation of the Retina via Suprachoroidal
Electrodes (Poster presentation)’ Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
(ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
43.
Nayagam, D.A.X., Allen, P.J., Shivdasani, M.N., Fallon, J.B., Gault, M., Luu, C.D., Ayton, L.N.,
Williams, R.A., Shepherd, R.K. ‘Chronic Electrical Stimulation of the Retina via Suprachoroidal Electrodes
(Poster presentation)’ 40th Neural Interfaces Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, 18th – 20th June 2012.
44.
Opie, N.L., Greferath, U., Vessey, K.A., Burkitt, A.N., Meffin, H., Grayden, D.B., Fletcher, E.L.
‘Retinal Prosthesis Safety: Alterations to Microglia Morphology due to Thermal, Mechanical and ThermoMechanical Trauma’ The Eye and The Chip, World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th
September 2012.
45.
Rozario, A., Fox, K., Garrett, D., Lichter, S., Ganesan, K., Meffin, H., Prawer, S. ‘Optimizing
Adhesion of Parylene-C to Diamond under Long-term in-vivo Conditions’ 36th Annual Condensed Matter and
Materials Meeting, Wagga Wagga, Australia, 31st January – 3rd February 2012.
46.
Saha, S., Fletcher, E., Grayden, D.B., Burkitt, A.N., Greferath, U. ‘Investigation on the Synaptic
Circuitry associated with Retinal Ganglion Cells in Late Stage Degenerate Retina in the Rd1 Mouse’
International Society for Eye Research (ISER), Berlin, Germany, 21st – 25th July 2012.
47.
Savage, C.O. ‘Plateaus in Retinal Response from Electrical Stimulation’ The Eye and The Chip, World
Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
48.
Seo, J.M., Chung, K., Cho, S.J., Suaning, G.J., Lovell, N.H. ‘Design of Retinal Electrodes’ The Eye
and the Chip, World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
49.
Shivdasani, M.N., Cicione, R., Fallon, J.B., Rathbone, G.D., Williams, C.E. ‘Spatiotemporal
Interactions Using Paired Electrical Stimulation of the Retina with a Clinical Grade Implant (Poster)’ Annual
Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6-9 May 2012.
50.
Slonim, E., Fox, K., Garrett, D., Meffin, H., Prawer, S. ‘Effect of Protein on Electrochemical Properties
of Diamond’ 36th Annual Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, Wagga Wagga, Australia, 31st January –
3rd February 2012.
51.
Tahayori, B., Meffin, H., Grayden, D.B., Burkitt, A.N ‘Determining the Dominant Factor in Response
of a Neuron to Extracellular Electrical Stimulation (Poster)’ The Eye and The Chip, World Congress on Artificial
Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
52.
Trogrlic, L., Greferath, U., Martinez, G., Fletcher, E., De Iongh, R. ‘Chronic Activation MAPK Pathway
and EGR Genes during Retinal Remodelling in RD1 Retina’ International society for eye research (ISER),
Berlin, Germany, 21st – 25th July 2012.
53.
Wang F., Li Y. ‘Robust Kernel Estimation for Single Image Blind Deconvolution.’ 21st International
Conference on Pattern Recognition, Tsukuba, Japan, 11th – 15th November 2012, p 4.
54.
Wang, T., He, X., Barnes, N. ‘Glass Object Localization by Joint Inference of Boundary and Depth’
21st International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR), Tsukuba, Japan, 11th – 15th November 2012.
55.
Wilke, R.G.M., Moghadam, G.K., Lovell, N.H., Dokos, S., Suaning, G.J. “Multipolar Return
Configurations in Microelectrode Arrays Designed for Retinal Implants: Modeling Effects on Threshold
Levels and Dynamic Range (Poster)’ Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and
Ophthalmology (ARVO), Florida, USA, 6th – 9th May 2012.
56.
Wong, R.C.S., Marginson, M., Cloherty, S.L., Ibbotson, M.R., O’Brien, B. ‘Spike Waveform Analysis
Can Reliably Identify Some Retinal Ganglion Cell Types (conference abstract)’ 32nd Annual Meeting of the
Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS), Gold Coast, Australia, 29th January – 1st February 2012.
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57.
Zarelli, D., Kameneva, T., Nesic, D., Grayden, D.B., Burkitt, A.N., and Meffin, H. (2012). ‘Modelbased feedback design to control retinal ganglion cells excitation with electrical stimulation (Best Student’s
Poster Award).’ 7th Brain Research Conference-Optogenetics and Pharmacogenetics in Neuronal Function and
Dysfunction. 11th – 12th October, New Orleans, US.
Invitations to present at Peer-Reviewed Internationally
Recognised Conferences
1.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Advanced Retinal Dystrophies: What to do when ERG is Undetectable’ Presented at the
Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) Electrophysiology Congress, Singapore, 16th September 2012.
2.
Ayton, L.N. ‘The Six Million Dollar Man? The Present and Future of Bionic Eyes (Invited Talk)’
Presented at the Orthoptics Australia Congress, July 2012.
3.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Update on the Bionic Eye Project (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Retina Australia
National Congress, Sydney, 23rd – 25th October 2012.
4.
Ayton, L.N., Bentley, S.A., Luu, C.D., Keeffe, J., Barnes, N., Lieby, P., Walker, J., Guymer, R.H.
‘Orientation and Mobility Considerations in Bionic Eye Research (Oral presentation)’ Presented at the
International Mobility Conference (IMC14), Palmerston North, New Zealand; 13th – 16th February 2012.
5.
Ayton, L.N., J. Rizzo ‘Colloborative Proposal to Guide and Monitor Human Psychophysical Testing
for Visual Prosthetic Device (Oral presentation)’ The Eye and the Chip, World Congress on Artificial Vision,
Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
6.
Barnes, N. ‘The Role of Computer Vision in Prosthetic Vision (Keynote Talk)’ Presented at the Image
and Vision Computing, New Zealand, 26th – 28th November 2012.
7.
Barnes, N. The Role of Vision Processing in Prosthetic Vision (Invited Talk). Presented at the Annual
International Conference
of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), San Diego, USA, 28th August – 1st September
2012.
8.
Bentley, S.A. and Ayton, L.N. ‘Orientation and Mobility Rehabilitation: Canes, Canines and Bionic
Eyes (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Australian Ophthalmic and Vision Sciences Meeting (AOVSM), 25th – 27th
November 2012.
9.
Burkitt, A.N. ‘20/20 Vision in 2020: The Development of the Bionic Eye’ Presented at the MedTech
2012 Conference (MTAA 2012), Sydney, 8th November 2012.
10.
Burkitt, A.N. ‘Retinal Implant Development for the Sight Impaired (Keynote Talk)’ Presented at the
7th World Congress for NeuroRehabilitation, Melbourne, 16th – 19th May 2012.
11.
Burkitt, A.N. ‘The Bionic Vision Australia ‘High-Acuity’ Retinal Implant (Invited Talk)’ Presented at The
Eye and The Chip, World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
12.
Deverell, E.A., Ayton, L.N., and Bentley, S.A. ‘What is effective mobility? Defining orientation and
mobility in vision restoration trials (Invited workshop)’. Presented at the International Mobility Conference
(IMC14), Palmerston North, New Zealand; 13th – 16th February 2012.
13.
Dokos, S. ‘Computational Modeling of the Retina Response to Electrical Stimulation (Invited talk)’
Presented at the Auckland Retinal Modeling Initiative Workshop, Auckland, 2nd February 2012.
14.
Fletcher, E.L. ‘Inherited Retinal Disease (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Southern Regional Congress,
Melbourne, Australia, 2012.
15.
Fletcher, E.L. ‘Slowing Photoreceptor Death in Retinal Degenerations (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the
Retina Australia Biannual Conference, 2012.
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16.
Garrett, D.J. ‘A Sparkle in the Eye: A High Acuity Retinal Prosthesis for the Blind Fabricated from
Diamond (Invited Talk)’ Presented
at the De Beers Diamond Conference, Warwick, United Kingdom, 9th July 2012.
17.
Guymer, R.H. ‘Expertise in Bionic Eye’ Presented to Stem Cells Australia Ausbiotech National
Conference, 2012.
18.
Guymer, R.H. ‘Update on Bionic Vision Australia (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Australian
Ophthalmic and Vision Sciences Meeting (AOVSM), 25th – 27th November 2012.
19.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Bionic Vision and Retinal Modeling (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Auckland Retinal
Modeling Initiative Workshop, Auckland, NZ, 2nd February 2012.
20.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Medical Device Technologies for Managing Disease and Wellness (Invited Talk)’
Presented at the Australia-China Symposium on Healthy Aging, Canberra, 23rd July 2012.
21.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Medical Device Technologies for Managing Disease and Wellness (Opening plenary
talk)’ Presented at the eHealth, Vienna, Austria, 10th – 12th May 2012.
22.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Medical device technologies for supporting sensory loss and promoting ageing in place
(Invited plenary talk)’ Presented at the International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation, Toledo, Spain, 15th –
17th November 2012.
23.
Lovell, N.H. and Bonato, P. ‘Wearable Technology and its Applications in Rehabilitation. (Invited preconference workshop)’ Presented at the Congress of International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology
(ISEK), Brisbane, 18th July 2012.
24.
Lovell, N.H. and Suaning, G.J. ‘A Retinal Prosthesis Implanted in the Suprachoroidal Space (Invited
Talk)’ Presented at the Advance in Visual Prosthesis Workshop, Barcelona, Spain, 15th March 2012.
25.
Luu, C.D. ‘Development of a Rapid Feline Model of Outer Retinal Degeneration (Oral presentation)’
Presented at The Eye and the
Chip, World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
26.
Meffin, H. ‘Restoring vision with Retinal Prostheses (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Engineering &
Physical Sciences in Medicine Conference (EPSM), Gold Coast, 4th December 2012.
27.
Shepherd, R. ‘Becoming a World Leader in Neural Prosthesis: The Australian Path to Success
(Invited Talk)’ Presented at the USTAR Neural Interface Translation and Commercialisation Workshop,
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 17th June 2012.
28.
Shepherd, R. ‘Building a Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the TEDx – University of Wollongong,
Wollongong, 29th May 2012.
29.
Shepherd, R. ‘Building a Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the AusMedTech Conference, Sydney,
Australia, 14th – 15th March 2012.
30.
Shepherd, R. ‘Medical Bionics: An Australian Perspective (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the 9th
Australia-China Symposium: “On Healthy Aging”, Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 22nd – 24th July
2012.
31.
Shepherd, R. ‘The Path to Success of the Cochlear Implant (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the
International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS), Banff, Alberta, Canada, 9th – 12th September
2012.
32.
Shepherd, R. K., Nayagam, D.A.X., Allen, P.J., Shivdasani, M.N., Villalobos, J., Cicione, R., Leung,
R.T., Perry, D., Millard, R.E., Luu, C.D., Ayton, L.N., Yeoh, J., and Williams, C.E. (2012). ‘An overview of
preclinical studies for the development of a safe and effective retinal prosthesis (Oral presentation).’
Presented at the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS), Banff, Alberta, Canada, 9th –
12th September 2012.
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33.
Suaning, G.J. ‘Suprachoroidal Visual Prosthesis (Invited Talk)’ Presented at The Eye and The Chip,
World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
34.
Suaning, G.J. and Lovell, N.H. ‘Suprachoroidal Electrical Stimulation for the Blind – Implant
Technology and Stimulation Strategy (Fully funded invited presentation)’ Presented at The Eye and the Chip,
World Congress on Artificial Vision, Detroit, USA, 9th – 11th September 2012.
35.
Suaning, G.J. Invited to chair Hermeticity Discussion Panel. Presented at the International Conference
on Neuroprosthetic Devices, Freiburg, Germany, 1st November 2012.
36.
Vessey K. Invited talk at the Australian Neuroscience Society Satellite Symposium, 3rd February 2012.
Community Outreach Presentations (schools, universities,
professional organisations, general public, vision impaired
community)
1.
Allen, P.J. ‘Update on the Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the CERA Scientific meeting,
Melbourne, 2012.
2.
Allen. P.J. ‘Bionic Eye Update’ Presented at the Australian Ophthalmic Nurses Society Annual Meeting,
November 2012.
3.
Ayton, L.N. ‘All about eyes: The Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’. Presented via videoconference to Berwick
Primary School, Melbourne, 2012.
4.
Ayton, L.N. ‘AMD and RP Research at CERA: The Bionic Eye and LEAD trials (Invited
Talk)’.Presented at Vision Australia, Geelong, 2012.
5.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Clinical trials of the Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’. Presented at the Centre for Eye Research
Australia Research Seminar, Melbourne, 2012.
6.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Giving back sight: The Bionic Eye and other vision restoration treatments (Invited Talk)’
Presented to Eltham Rotary Club meeting, Melbourne, 2012.
7.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Seeing the Future: The Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Clinical Research at St
Vincent’s and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospitals: Academic and Translational Updates in Otolaryngology
and Ophthalmology, Melbourne, 2012.
8.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Seeing the future: The Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’. Presented at Retina Australia,
Melbourne, 2012.
9.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Update on the Bionic Eye patients (Invited Talk)’. Presented at the Royal Victorian Eye
and Ear Hospital for medical & nursing staff, Melbourne, 2012.
10.
Ayton, L.N. ‘Update on the Bionic Vision Australia Project (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Australian
College of Optometry, Melbourne, 2012.
11.
Ayton, L.N. and Ashworth, D. ‘Update on the Bionic Eye (Invited talk)’ Presented at the Guide Dogs
Victoria AGM, 2012.
12.
Burkitt, A. ‘Restoring a sense of sight to the blind’ Presented at Engineer Alumni 50 years and over
lunch, University of Melbourne,
21st September 2012.
13.
Burkitt, A. And Quinn, J.A. ‘Bionic Eye Development’ at MSE Morning Tea, University of Melbourne,
20th June 2012.
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14.
Deverell E. A., ‘The Role of Orientation and Mobility in Bionic Eye Research (Invited Talk)’,
Presented to Visiting Teachers Symposium, Melbourne, 2012.
15.
Fox K. ‘Bionic Eye’ Presented at SSC Morning Tea, University of Melbourne, 5th September 2012.
16.
Fox, K. ‘BVA overview and update’ Presented at the Mawson Institute, University of South Australia,
3rd April 2012.
17.
Fox, K. ‘Growing Tall Poppies visit to MMI’ Presented at Melbourne Material Institute, University of
Melbourne, 27th June 2012.
18.
Fox, K. ‘Overview of the Bionic Eye’ Presented at the RISE (Indigenous science Experience), Gene
Technology Advisory Centre, 27th November 2012.
19.
Gouskova, V., Chandler, C., Quinn, J.A., Bose, B., and Painter, T. TEXPO, Vision Australia
(Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane), 24th August 2012.
20.
Grayden, D. Presented at the Australian Club Tech Talk. 28th June 2012.
21.
Guymer, R. and Crowsten, J. ‘Re-seeing the future: How technology may restore vision’ Presented at
CERA free public forum, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne, 2nd November 2012.
22.
Guymer, R.H. ‘$42 Million Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Distinctive Voices at the Beckham
Centre, Irvine, California, 2012.
23.
Kameneva, T. Computational neuroscience approaches to some of the challenges of retinal
prostheses (Oral Presentation). Presented at Imperial College London, UK, 2012.
24.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Biomedical and Information Technology Aspects of the Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’
Presented at the Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria, 2012.
25.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Implantable and Wearable Bionics: From Rotary Blood Pumps to Bionic Eyes
(Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Medical University,
Vienna, Austria, 2012.
26.
Lovell, N.H. and Suaning, G.J. ‘Advances in Bionic Eye Research (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the
Institution of Engineers, Australia, Mittagong, Australia, 2012.
27.
Lovell, N.H. Australian Advances in the Development of a Bionic Eye (Invited talk)’ Presented at the
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Sydney, 11th July 2012.
28.
Lovell, N.H. ‘Innovation in Medical Bionics (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the NSW Health Innovation
Symposium, Sydney, Australia,
19th October 2012.
29.
Lovell, N.H. ‘What does packing dishwasher have to do with making a bionic eye?’ Presented to
students at residential colleges at UNSW, Sydney, 2012.
30.
Luu, C.D. ‘The Bionic Eye’ Presented at Blind Citizen’s Australia 2012 State Convention, Geelong,
Melbourne, 13th October 2012.
31.
Meffin, H. ‘The Bionic Eye’ Presented at Secondary ICT Trails, Federation Square, Melbourne, 7th
September 2012.
32.
Morley, J. ‘The Bionic Eye’ Presented at Engineering, Medicine and Science Experience, University of
Western Sydney, Sydney, 4th December 2012.
33.
Nayagam, D. ‘Australia’s First Suprachoroidal Retinal Prosthesis – The Journey to Clinical Trials’
Presented at Bionics Institute Seminar, Melbourne, 31st August 2012.
34.
Penington, D. ‘Challenges in developing the bionic eye’ Presented at Twilight Lecture, Graduate
House, University of Melbourne, 19th September 2012.
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35.
Savage, C. Year Nine Summer School, University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
36.
Shepherd, R. ‘Innovation in Medicine: Medical Bionics as a Case Study (Invited talk)’ Presented at
the Power of Innovation: New South Wales Health Symposium, Sydney, 19th October 2012.
37.
Shepherd, R. ‘Innovation in Medicine: Medical Bionics as a Case Study (Invited Talk)’ Presented at
the LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne, 29th October 2012.
38.
Shepherd, R. ‘Medical Bionics: Engineering Interfaces to the Human Body (Invited Talk)’ Presented
at the Melbourne Material Institute, Melbourne, 5th May 2012.
39.
Shepherd, R. ‘Sensory Prostheses: Practical Applications in Neuroscience (Invited Talk)’ Presented
at the University of Western Sydney Sensory Neuroscience Symposium, 2012.
40.
Shepherd, R. ‘Medical Bionics: Engineering interfaces to the human body’ Invited speaker for first
year engineering students, Melbourne School of Engineering, University of Melbourne, 16th October 2012.
41.
Shepherd, R. “Medical Bionics: Neural Interfaces for Damaged Nerves” (Invited talk). Presented at
the Academies of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Australian Academies of Science, Social Sciences and the
Academy of Humanities Joint Function, Woodward Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 23rd August
2012.
42.
Shepherd, R. “Medical Bionics: Neural Interfaces for Damaged Nerves” Invited speaker, presented at
University of Melbourne Medical Students’ Society Academic Forum, Melbourne, 22nd September 2012.
43.
Shepherd, R. “Safety in Electrical Stimulation - Fundamentals of Neuromodulation” Invited Undergraduate lecture, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sydney, 28th March 2012.
44.
Skafidas, S. Invited Talk. Presented the Big Picture Seminar Series, Deakin Waterfront Campus, 14th
March 2012.
45.
Stieglitz, T. ‘Trends and challenges in miniaturised neural implants (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the
University of New South Wales, Kensington, 28th March 2012.
46.
Tahayori, B. ‘An Introduction to the Australian Bionic Eye (Invited Talk)’ Presented at the Indiana
University, Bloomington, USA,
2012.
Inside the bionic eye (diagram)
Researchers are fine-tuning and optimising the design of the Wide-View device and pushing ahead with an
intensive program of preclinical safety and efficacy testing in preparation for the first patient tests in late
2013, pending further funding.
Patient tests with the High-Acuity device will be conducted in stages to enable progressive development.
The first set of patient tests in 2014, pending further funding, will use a completely wired device. In the next
stage of testing, researchers aim to use a device with only some wiring, working towards a totally wireless
system in the final stage, where both data and power will be transferred wirelessly to the implant.
More information about participation in patient tests is available at:
www.bionicvision.org.au/get_involved/test_participant
Bionic Vision Australia
Executive Office
203 Bouverie Street
70
Carlton, Victoria 3053
Australia
Postal address
PO Box 623
Carlton South, Victoria 3053
Australia
www.bionicvision.org.au
Bionic Vision Australia has used its best endeavours to ensure that the material
contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. Copyright to material
in this publication is owned by members of Bionic Vision Australia. Authorised by the
Director. Published by Bionic Vision Australia, March 2013
71