Patent ID: 7263404

Claim:
A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient, the device comprising: an electrode array which is placeable in an eye of the patient and in which a plurality of electrodes are arranged for applying an electrical stimulation pulse signal to cells constituting the retina; a photographing unit which photographs an object to be recognized by the patient; a converting unit which converts photographic data transmitted from the photographing unit to data for electrical stimulation pulse signals; and a control unit which outputs a bipolar electrical stimulation pulse signal including a negative pulse and a positive pulse through each electrode based on the data for electrical stimulation pulse signals the control unit outputting the electrical stimulation pulse signals through a first electrode and a second electrode at substantially the same time by producing pulse output at shifted output timings so as to output at least one of the negative pulse and the positive pulse of the electrical stimulation pulse signal outputted through one of the first and second electrodes on the electrode array during a halt time between the negative pulse and the positive pulse of the electrical stimulation pulse signal outputted through the other electrode, the first and second electrodes being arranged within a distance such that the electrical stimulation pulse signals outputted therethrough at the same time are likely to interfere with each other.