Patent ID: 7941222

Claim:
A vision regeneration assisting apparatus for regenerating vision of a patient, the apparatus comprising: an extracorporeal device and an intracorporeal device, wherein the extracorporeal device includes: an image pickup unit, a processing unit that converts image data obtained by the image pickup unit into electrical stimulation pulse signal data, and a transmitting unit that converts the electrical stimulation pulse signal data and power into a predetermined signal and transmits the signal, wherein the intracorporeal device includes: a receiving unit that receives the signal transmitted from the transmitting unit, a first control unit that extracts the electrical stimulation pulse signal data and the power from the signal received by the receiving unit to convert the electrical stimulation pulse signal data and the power into a predetermined alternating current signal, a second control unit that is provided separately at a position distant from the first control unit and outputs an electrical stimulation pulse signal via a plurality of electrodes based on the alternating current signal from the first control unit, and a conductor that is covered with a resin having biocompatibility and insulating property and electrically connects the first control unit and the second control unit to each other to send the alternating current signal, and wherein the alternating current signal flowing through the conductor is set so that, when the conductor is exposed and wetted by bodily fluid, a charge amount per unit area discharged from the conductor does not cause electrical decomposition of the bodily fluid, and a frequency obtained from the following expressions is set as a lowest frequency of the alternating current signal: if a waveform of the alternating current signal is a sine wave, Q = ∫ 0 1 2 ⁢ f ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ ⅆ t = ∫ 0 1 2 ⁢ f ⁢ E ⁢ ⁢ sin ⁡ ( 2 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ ft ) R + 1 j ⁢ ⁢ 2 ⁢ ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ fC ⁢ ⁢ ⅆ t = j ⁢ ⁢ 2 ⁢ CE 1 + j ⁢ ⁢ 2 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ fCR , ⁢ or if the waveform of the alternating current signal is a square wave, Q = ∫ 0 1 2 ⁢ f ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ ⅆ t = ∫ 0 1 2 ⁢ f ⁢ E R ⁢ e t CR ⁢ ⁢ ⅆ t = EC ⁡ ( 1 - e t 2 ⁢ ⁢ RF ) , where Q represents a charge amount per half wave of the alternating current signal, R represents a resistance component of the conductor, C represents a capacitance component of the conductor, E represents a peak voltage of the alternating current signal, f represents the frequency of the alternating current signal, and t represents time.