Professor of ophthalmology Daniel Palanker is a physicist who has combined his skills in optics and electronics to create PRIMA – the Photovoltaic Retinal Implant. Inserted beneath the retina, it restores vision to patients blinded by retinal degeneration, allowing them to read and write – and with the next-generation software, to recognize faces. PRIMA’s photovoltaic pixels act like tiny solar panels, converting light into electricity to stimulate the remaining retinal neurons. Better yet, the growing field of brain-computer interfaces may have implications beyond ophthalmology. “Unlike medicine, where the road ends with curing a disease or restoring lost function, the prospects for brain-machine interfaces may be infinite,” Palanker tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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Episode Reference Links:

Stanford Profile: Daniel Palanker

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction
Russ Altman introduces guest Daniel Palanker, a professor of ophthalmology and electrical engineering at Stanford University.

(00:03:17) Path into Ophthalmology
How Palanker’s background in physics and optics led him to vision research.

(00:04:33) How Vision Works
A primer on the eye, retina, photoreceptors, and the neural code of sight.

(00:08:50) Retinal Degeneration
How diseases like macular degeneration and inherited retinal disorders damage vision.

(00:13:18) The PRIMA Implant
How a photovoltaic retinal implant converts light into electrical stimulation.

(00:15:05) Augmented Reality Glasses
How camera-equipped glasses amplify and project images to power the implant.

(00:17:42) From Reading to Face Recognition
Why grayscale vision is the next step toward recognizing faces.

(00:20:18) Implanting the Device
How the wireless chip is placed under the retina and powered by light.

(00:21:45) Replaceable Vision Technology
How future generations of implants could be swapped in for higher resolution.

(00:22:28) Limits of Resolution
Why geometry and proximity to neurons determine how small pixels can get.

(00:24:00) Moving to 3D Electrodes
How pillar-shaped electrodes help neurons move closer to the implant.

(00:26:28) Clinical Path Forward
The status of European trials, FDA discussions, and future patient access.

(00:28:10) Safety and Real-World Use
What trials reveal about surgical risks, durability, and patients using implants at home.

(00:30:11) Future In a Minute
Rapid-fire Q&A: neural coding, brain-machine interfaces, and restoring vision.

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

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