Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky is a Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford University, where he and his lab are developing a retinal prosthesis. E.J. completed his B.S. in Mathematics at Princeton University, and his Masters in Mathematics and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Stanford University. Top 3 Takeaways * Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky’s lab is developing next-generation retinal prostheses to help restore sight to people with retinal degeneration. * E.J.’s approach relies on activating specific types of retinal cells that perform specific functions based on the image the patient should see, instead of activating retinal cells indiscriminately. * The line between therapeutic and augmentative uses of neurotechnology is very fine. Show Notes * [1:03] E.J. talks about his academic background, and how it led to his work on artificial retinas. * [1:50] E.J.’s unique approach to retinal prostheses. * [3:25] E.J. describes retinal anatomy and physiology, and how his research leverages that. * [5:00] Current retinal prostheses versus E.J.’s cutting-edge prosthesis. * [6:37] The hardware, software, neurophysiological, and surgical aspects of E.J.’s work. * [8:26] Does E.J.’s work apply to the machine vision world? * [9:50] The broader implications of E.J.’s work. * [11:15] The retina as a stepping-stone to other neural interfaces. * [13:12] Timeline for artificial retinas in clinical use. * [15:32] Augmentation with neural interfaces. * [17:03] The fine line between therapeutic and augmentative BMIs. * [18:55] What will be the most impactful application of neurotechnology in the next decade? Selected Links * Chichilnisky Lab * E.J.’s reading suggestion: Portraits of the Mind * Science of the retina Related Podcasts * Episode 003 – Dr. Mikhail Lebedev * Episode 007 – Chad Bouton * Episode 008 – Ian Burkhart Disclaimer: We actively write about the themes in which we invest: artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, and augmented reality. From time to time, we will write about companies that are in our portfolio. Content on this site including opinions on specific themes in technology, market estimates, and estimates and commentary regarding publicly traded or private companies is not intended for use in making investment decisions. We hold no obligation to update any of our projections. We express no warranties about any estimates or opinions we make.