What if a blind person could use a pair of glasses where information is transmitted wirelessly to an implant in the visual cortex, allowing them to perceive shapes, movement, and elements of their surroundings?
In this episode of the Med Device Cyber Podcast, Christian Espinosa speaks with Frederik Ceyssens, CEO and co-founder of ReVision Implant, about the development of a visual prosthesis designed to restore useful vision by stimulating the brain directly.
Frederik explores why his team chose to bypass the eyes and optic nerve, how flexible electrode arrays can stimulate thousands of points within the visual cortex, and what researchers have learned through long-term animal studies.
The conversation also explores the cybersecurity risks surrounding neurotechnology. An attacker could potentially interfere with wireless communication, alter the device’s algorithm, or increase stimulation to unsafe levels. The implant may also remain inside a patient for decades, creating difficult questions about encryption, software updates, and technologies that may become obsolete during the device’s lifetime.
In This Episode:
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00:38 Frederik’s background in neural implant research
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02:31 Why ReVision Implant targets the visual cortex instead of the eye
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04:26 Developing flexible brain electrodes through long-term testing
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06:48 Raising €4 million to advance the technology
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07:42 Preparing for the first proof of concept with a human volunteer
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09:24 How the glasses and brain implant work together
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11:04 What vision through the implant may look like
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12:33 Why colour and depth perception remain difficult
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16:16 The cybersecurity implications of a visual prosthesis
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17:43 How an attacker could manipulate the device
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20:25 The hardest parts of developing neurotechnology
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22:42 How the implant was tested using monkeys
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26:12 Designing an implant that can last 15 to 25 years
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28:28 Why today’s encryption may not remain secure for decades
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30:16 Why replacing the implant would require months of rehabilitation
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34:51 How close the technology is to science fiction
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36:07 The next steps towards testing with blind volunteers
Find ReVision Implant at:https://revisionimplant.com[https://revisionimplant.com](https://revisionimplant.com)
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