title: Head mounted DMD based projection system for natural and prosthetic visual stimulation in freely moving rats.
abstract: Novel technologies are constantly under development for vision restoration in blind patients. Many of these emerging technologies are based on the projection of high intensity light patterns at specific wavelengths, raising the need for the development of specialized projection systems. Here we present and characterize a novel projection system that meets the requirements for artificial retinal stimulation in rats and enables the recording of cortical responses. The system is based on a customized miniature Digital Mirror Device (DMD) for pattern projection, in both visible (525 nm) and NIR (915 nm) wavelengths, and a lens periscope for relaying the pattern directly onto the animal's retina. Thorough system characterization and the investigation of the effect of various parameters on obtained image quality were performed using ZEMAX. Simulation results revealed that images with an MTF higher than 0.8 were obtained with little effect of the vertex distance. Increased image quality was obtained at an optimal pupil diameter and smaller field of view. Visual cortex activity data was recorded simultaneously with pattern projection, further highlighting the importance of the system for prosthetic vision studies. This novel head mounted projection system may prove to be a vital tool in studying natural and artificial vision in behaving animals.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, Optometry Track, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.|Bar Ilan's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arens-Arad
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, Optometry Track, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.|Bar Ilan's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Nairouz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben-Yaish
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zlotnik
authors.affiliation: Bar Ilan's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.|Faculty of Engineering, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zalevsky
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, Optometry Track, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.|Bar Ilan's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA), Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mandel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001766:Blindness / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D005137:Eye, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*