Apparatus and method for visual stimulation indication

1. An external testing device for simulation of a implantable retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject, comprising:

A non-implantable wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving visual information signals generated from a video processing unit, the non-implantable wireless receiver simulating and minicking electrical functionalities of the implantable retinal stimulation system; and

a non-implantable display unit, viewable by a clinician, connected to an output of the non-implantable wireless receiver, the non-implantable display unit visually monitoring the visual information signals wirelessly received through the non-implantable wireless receiver and displaying the visual information signals using image elements, in an array pattern simulating and mimicking an array of electrodes of the implantable retinal stimulation system, each image element corresponding to a specific electrode of the array of electrodes of the implantable retinal stimulation system, to test the function of the video processing unit.

2. The external testing device of claim 1 , wherein the non-implantable wireless receiver and the non-implantable display unit are two separate components.

3. The external testing device of claim 1 , wherein the non-implantable wireless receiver and the non-implantable display unit are part of a single component.

4. The external testing device of claim 1 , further comprising an external coil connectable with the non-implantable wireless receiver and adapted to send the visual information signals to the non-implantable wireless receiver.

5. The external testing device of claim 4 , wherein the external coil is configured to receive stimulation patterns from the video processing unit, wherein the stimulation patterns are based on visual information signals processed by the video processing unit.

6. The external testing device of claim 1 , wherein the non-implantable display unit comprises a plurality of visualization devices, each visualization device displaying one image element.

7. The external testing device of claim 6 , wherein each visualization device of the plurality of visualization devices corresponds to a specific electrode of an array of electrodes of the retinal stimulation system.

8. The external testing device of claim 6 , wherein the non-implantable display unit comprises a power switch to switch on power supply to the non-implantable display unit and a test button to turn on all visualization devices of the plurality of visualization devices.

9. The external testing device of claim 1 , wherein the non-implantable wireless receiver is adapted to simulate electrical functionalities of another retinal stimulation system, wherein the visual information signals to the retinal stimulation system do not correspond to the signals to the another retinal stimulation system.

10. A method for externally simulating a retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject and testing the function of a video processing unit, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving visual information signals generated from a video processing unit using a non-implantable wireless receiver, the non-implantable wireless receiver simulating electrical functionalities of the retinal stimulation system;

visually monitoring the visual information signals received through the non-implantable wireless receiver using a non-implantable display unit;

displaying the visual information signals using image elements in an array pattern simulating and mimicking an array of electrodes of the implantable retinal stimulation system, each image element corresponding to a specific electrode of the array of electrodes of the implantable retinal stimulation system, to test the function of the video processing unit.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-implantable wireless receiver and the non-implantable display unit are two separate components.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-implantable wireless receiver and the non-implantable display unit are part of a single component.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the visual information signals processed through the non-implantable wireless receiver are from an external coil.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising selecting a video processing unit adapted to process visual information signals and transform the visual information signals to stimulation patterns to be sent to the external coil.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-implantable display unit comprises a plurality of visualization devices, each visualization device displaying one image element.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each visualization device of the plurality of visualization devices corresponds to a specific electrode of an array of electrodes of the retinal stimulation system.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the non-implantable display unit comprises a power switch to switch on power supply to the non-implantable display unit and a test button to turn on all visualization devices of the plurality of visualization devices.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-implantable wireless receiver is adapted to simulate electrical functionalities of another retinal stimulation system, wherein the signals to the retinal stimulation system do not correspond to the signals to the another retinal stimulation system.

19. A method for simulating a retinal stimulation system implanted on a subject, the method comprising:

providing a video camera associated with a pair of glasses;

capturing an image through the video camera;

sending the image to a video processing unit;

converting the image to a digital image;

processing the digital image to obtain a processed digital image;

wirelessly receiving visual information signals generated from the video processing unit using a non-implantable wireless receiver, the non-implantable wireless receiver simulating electrical functionalities of the retinal stimulation system;

visually monitoring the visual information signals received through the non-implantable wireless receiver using a non-implantable display unit;

displaying the visual information signals using image elements in an array pattern simulating and mimicking an array of electrodes of the implantable retinal stimulation system, each image element corresponding to a specific electrode of the array of electrodes of the implantable retinal stimulation system, to test the function of the video processing unit.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the test array system comprises:

a non-implantable wireless receiver for processing the visual information signals associated with the processed digital image; and

a non-implantable display unit for visually monitoring the visual information signals processed through the test board unit.