“Nestor” is the world’s first large-scale, chronically implanted, wireless device that imparts visual percepts directly to the visual cortex. Here we are developing the neuroprosthesis that interfaces with the brain, allowing the generation of visual percepts even if there is extensive damage to the eye or the optic nerve. In December 2020 we successfully achieved a major milestone with a publication in Science demonstrating that visual percepts could be created by electrical stimulation with 1024 electrodes implanted in visual cortex. We are pleased that this important step towards restoring lost vision has received national (NOS Journaal) and international (CNN) recognition.

The development of this ambitious solution is made possible is thanks to a €1.8M grant by the Dutch government (NWO), and serves as a proof-of-concept for the combination of artificial intelligence (AI) driven models of the environment that can be re-coded as electrical signals to then directly stimulate the brain.