International Symposium on LifeChips 2006

Second Sight Retinal Prosthesis
No abstract

Biography
Robert Greenberg is President and CEO of Second SightŪ Medical Products, Inc. Second Sight was founded in 1998 to create a retinal prosthesis to provide sight to patients blinded from outer retinal degenerations, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Macular Degeneration. Through dedication and innovation, Second Sight's mission is to develop, manufacture and market implantable visual prosthetics to enable blind individuals to achieve greater independence. Second Sight is currently developing an implantable device that acquires power and data from external hardware and electrically stimulates the retina through an array of electrodes. Simple arrays, used in short-term experiments, have produced formed vision in patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa. Further, research conducted by Second Sight has shown that more advanced array designs are possible, and that these arrays should significantly improve the quality of the images seen by patients. From 1997 to 1998, Dr. Greenberg served as a medical officer and lead reviewer of IDEs and 510(k)s at the Office of Device Evaluation at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the Neurological Devices Division. From 1991 to 1997, Dr. Greenberg conducted animal and human trials demonstrating the feasibility of retinal electrical stimulation in patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Greenberg also has biosensor and microsensor experience from work at the Whittaker Sensors Laboratory. Dr. Greenberg has started several other companies including a software company and Campus Security, which designed, manufactured, and marketed an electronic intercom security system called TELEKEY. These intercoms are currently in use in every dormitory at Duke University and several other universities across the US. Dr. Greenberg also sits on the board of directors of the Southern California biomedical Council and the Alfred E. Mann Foundation. Prior to the formation of Second Sight, Dr. Greenberg worked co-directing the Alfred E. Mann Foundation.