Abstract: A vision regeneration assist apparatus includes: a substrate including electrodes; a control unit; a mount that is formed from a sintered element made of an insulating material, the mount including through holes; an internal conductor that is to be filled into the through holes of the mount to electrically connect the control unit with wires extending from the electrodes. The internal conductor includes: a first conductive material which is to be filled to a predetermined depth from an opening of the through holes at the upper surface of the mount, the first conductive material which takes at least one type of conductive material, which is not fused at a sintering temperature of the mount; and a second conductive material which is formed from a conductive material that is to be filled into a remaining of the through holes, which faces the substrate, the second conductive material exhibiting biocompatibility.

Abstract: A living tissue stimulation circuit includes: an H-bridged circuit that includes a first series section in which a first semiconductor switch connected to a power source side and a third semiconductor switch connected to a ground side are connected to each other in series, and a second series section in which a second semiconductor switch connected to the power source side and a fourth semiconductor switch connected to the ground side are connected to each other in series, the first series section and the second series section being connected to each other in parallel; a stimulation electrode connected to a first node between the first and third semiconductor switches; a counter electrode connected to a second node between the second and fourth semiconductor switches; and a current adjusting circuit configured to determine a current value output from the stimulation electrode.

Abstract: A living tissue stimulation apparatus includes: a power supply unit configured to generate alternating-current power and a control signal; a stimulation unit configured to output an electric stimulation pulse signal through a plurality of electrodes disposed in a living body of a patient based on the alternating-current power and the control signal to stimulate living tissue; a periodic modulation circuit configured to periodically modulate the electric stimulation pulse signal based on the control signal and generates a periodic-modulated wave; and a clock signal generation portion configured to detect a waveform for each period of the periodic-modulated wave and generates a clock signal for operating the stimulation unit.

Abstract: A living tissue stimulation circuit includes: an H-bridged circuit that includes a first series section in which a first semiconductor switch connected to a power source side and a third semiconductor switch connected to a ground side are connected to each other in series, and a second series section in which a second semiconductor switch connected to the power source side and a fourth semiconductor switch connected to the ground side are connected to each other in series, the first series section and the second series section being connected to each other in parallel; a stimulation electrode connected to a first node between the first and third semiconductor switches; a counter electrode connected to a second node between the second and fourth semiconductor switches; and a current adjusting circuit configured to determine a current value output from the stimulation electrode.

Abstract: A vision regeneration assist apparatus includes: a substrate including electrodes; a control unit; a mount that is formed from a sintered element made of an insulating material, the mount including through holes; an internal conductor that is to be filled into the through holes of the mount to electrically connect the control unit with wires extending from the electrodes. The internal conductor includes: a first conductive material which is to be filled to a predetermined depth from an opening of the through holes at the upper surface of the mount, the first conductive material which takes at least one type of conductive material, which is not fused at a sintering temperature of the mount; and a second conductive material which is formed from a conductive material that is to be filled into a remaining of the through holes, which faces the substrate, the second conductive material exhibiting biocompatibility.

Abstract: A vision regeneration assisting apparatus for regenerating vision of a patient includes an extracorporeal device and an intracorporeal device. The extracorporeal device includes a transmitting unit that converts an electrical stimulation pulse signal data of image data and power into a predetermined signal and transmitting the signal. The intracorporeal device includes a receiving unit that receives the signal transmitted from the transmitting unit, and a conductor that is covered with a resin having biocompatibility and insulating property and electrically connects a first control unit for converting the received stimulation pulse signal data and the power into a predetermined alternating current signal and a second control unit for outputting an electrical stimulation pulse signal from electrodes based on the alternating current signal to each other to send the alternating current signal.

Abstract: A vision regeneration assisting device for regenerating vision by applying electrical stimulation to cells that form a retina, comprises: a plurality of electrodes: a bendable substrate having a first face on which the electrodes are disposed; and a holding portion provided on a second face of the substrate opposite to the first face, the holding portion holding an installation tool used when the substrate is installed in an eye. In this manner, the substrate having the electrodes disposed thereon can be easily installed in the eye.

Abstract: A biological implantable functional device comprises: a casing having a space for accommodating an electronic device and formed with an opening; a bendable flexible wiring substrate in which a wiring is formed in a predetermined pattern so as to correspond to an device-side terminal of the electronic device; a casing inner connecting terminal to be connected to an electric substrate provided outside the casing; and a bump to be electrically connected with the flexible wiring substrate and the casing inner connecting terminal; and a cover for sealing the opening of the casing to hermetically seal the electronic device.

Abstract: A vision regeneration assisting apparatus for regenerating vision of a patient includes an extracorporeal device and an intracorporeal device. The extracorporeal device includes a transmitting unit that converts an electrical stimulation pulse signal data of image data and power into a predetermined signal and transmitting the signal. The intracorporeal device includes a receiving unit that receives the signal transmitted from the transmitting unit, and a conductor that is covered with a resin having biocompatibility and insulating property and electrically connects a first control unit for converting the received stimulation pulse signal data and the power into a predetermined alternating current signal and a second control unit for outputting an electrical stimulation pulse signal from electrodes based on the alternating current signal to each other to send the alternating current signal.

Abstract: A vision regeneration assisting apparatus for regenerating vision by applying electrical stimulation to cells that compose a retina, the apparatus comprising: a substrate formed in a thin plate shape of insulating and bendable material, provided with a plurality of first lead wires being wired therein and an electrode for outputting an electrical stimulation pulse signal being provided at one end of each of the first lead wires; a multiplexer for distributing the electrical stimulation pulse signal to each electrode; a base formed of sealing and insulating material, one face of which being united to the substrates and the other face of which being united with the multiplexer, and provided with a plurality of second lead wires for connecting the multiplexer and each of the first lead wires in the substrate being wired therein; and a cap formed of sealing material, and united to the base so that the multiplexer is to be hermetically sealed.

Abstract: A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient comprises: a plurality of substrates which are placed on or under a retina of a patient's eye; a plurality of electrodes which are mounted on each substrate to apply an electrical stimulation pulse signal to cells constituting the retina; and a connecting unit which has flexibility and connects the substrates.

Abstract: A vision regeneration assisting device for regenerating vision by applying electrical stimulation to cells that form a retina, comprises: a plurality of electrodes: a bendable substrate having a first face on which the electrodes are disposed; and a holding portion provided on a second face of the substrate opposite to the first face, the holding portion holding an installation tool used when the substrate is installed in an eye. In this manner, the substrate having the electrodes disposed thereon can be easily installed in the eye.

Abstract: A rectifier circuit for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage has a first MOS transistor having a source connected to a first input terminal of an AC power supply, and also having a drain connected to an output terminal thereof, a first parasitic diode formed between the first input terminal and the output terminal, a first detection circuit, connected to the first input terminal and to the output terminal, for detecting a difference in voltage between the first input terminal and to the output terminal, a second MOS transistor, adapted to be reverse in polarity to the first MOS transistor, having a source connected to a second input terminal of the AC power supply and also having a drain connected to a ground terminal, a second parasitic diode formed between the input terminal and the ground terminal, a second detection circuit, connected to the second input terminal and the ground terminal, for detecting a difference in voltage between the second input terminal and the ground terminal, and a capacitor co

Abstract: A vision regeneration assisting apparatus includes: a substrate which is to be placed in a body of a patient; a plurality of electrode groups each having a plurality of electrodes which are arranged on the substrate, the electrodes applying electrical stimulation pulse signals to cells forming a retina of the patient; and a plurality of switch units which are arranged on the substrate and of which one is provided for each electrode group, the switch units selectively switching output of the electrical stimulation pulse signals from each of the electrodes.

Abstract: A rectifier circuit for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage has a first MOS transistor having a source connected to a first input terminal of an AC power supply, and also having a drain connected to an output terminal thereof, a first parasitic diode formed between the first input terminal and the output terminal, a first detection circuit, connected to the first input terminal and to the output terminal, for detecting a difference in voltage between the first input terminal and to the output terminal, a second MOS transistor, adapted to be reverse in polarity to the first MOS transistor, having a source connected to a second input terminal of the AC power supply and also having a drain connected to a ground terminal, a second parasitic diode formed between the input terminal and the ground terminal, a second detection circuit, connected to the second input terminal and the ground terminal, for detecting a difference in voltage between the second input terminal and the ground terminal, and a capacitor co

Abstract: A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient comprises: a plurality of substrates which are placed on or under a retina of a patient's eye; a plurality of electrodes which are mounted on each substrate to apply an electrical stimulation pulse signal to cells constituting the retina; and a connecting unit which has flexibility and connects the substrates.

Abstract: A combination of a light emitting element and a light receiving element for monitoring the amount of light emitted from the light emitting element are provided. Also, a control circuit is added for controlling the amount of light emitted from the light emitting element in response to an output of the light receiving element. As their combination constitutes a pixel, a plurality of the pixels are arrayed in a matrix form. With the light emitting elements connected to a line for switching on and off the elements, a resultant display device enables to render the pixels uniform in the luminance. As a result, each pixel can emit a desired level of the illumination determined by an input signal regardless of discrete emission characteristics of the pixel, whereby a reproduced image is free from color blurs and creates highly explicit steps of gradation.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion integrated circuit device for converting a light signal into a voltage signal has a photodiode that outputs a current in accordance with a light signal it receives, a current-to-voltage conversion circuit that outputs a voltage signal in accordance with a current signal it receives, and a test circuit that outputs a current and whose on/off state is controllable from the outside. At the output of the photodiode, two output terminals are provided, of which one is connected to the current-to-voltage conversion circuit and the other to the test circuit. This photoelectric conversion integrated circuit device allows a fault in the wiring between the photodiode and the current-to-voltage conversion circuit to be detected by feeding an input current to the current-to-voltage conversion circuit without shining light on the photodiode.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device has a package which contains inside a laser diode which outputs light according to an applied voltage and a protective element. The protective element has a control terminal and is connected in parallel with the laser diode, and its impedance is significantly smaller than that of the laser diode when no voltage is applied to the control terminal and is significantly larger when a specified voltage is applied to the control terminal. The protective element may be a depletion mode FET connected in parallel with the laser diode between its drain and source, its gate serving as the control terminal. A photoelectric conversion IC for converting a received light signal into an electrical signal may also be contained inside the package and containing the protective element.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes a diffraction element for causing diffraction in a reflection beam from a disc. This diffraction element is divided into two of first and second regions. On four light receiving elements are converged respectively a first reflection beam from a first region and a second reflection light from a second region. A switch performs switching-over between four output signals individually taken from four light receiving elements and three output signals in total taken out by adding together two output signals of four output signals.