Cortical visual neuro-prosthesis for the blind:: Retina-like software/hardware preprocessor

This paper describes the implementation of a software/hardware (Sw/Hw) retina-like preprocessor designed for the study of bio-inspired visual processing schemes, and for experimentation in the development of a cortical visual neuro-prosthesis. The goal is to obtain, in a near future, an integrated artificial retina for a visual neuro-prosthesis prototype able to stimulate efficiently an array of intra-cortical implanted microelectrodes. The Sw/Hw platform presented is highly programmable and reconfigurable as required for experimentation, providing real-time video processing and neuromorphic stimulation. But its implementation is also devised to be finally mapped into fully portable hardware, particularized for each implanted blind individual.