The iVISION project, a step forward in restoring vision

20/08/2026

Under the title “Adaptive retinal implant technology for vision restoration” (iVISION), the iVISION project has developed and validated the key components of a new generation of retinal prostheses, a decisive step towards implants capable of restoring vision in degenerative retinal diseases.

Degenerative retinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa or advanced macular degeneration, cause photoreceptor cells to lose their function, but often preserve much of the neural circuitry that transmits visual information to the brain. It is precisely for this reason that the iVISION project provides a validated technological foundation and an integration roadmap to improve the quality of implantable devices designed to restore vision.

The Barraquer Foundation, together with IFAE, ICFO, ICN2 and the Institut de la Vision at Sorbonne University, is part of the research consortium that has made iVISION possible, a pioneering project funded by the ”la Caixa” Foundation through its Health Research Grants programme.

Sharing knowledge beyond the laboratory

iVISION has not remained confined to research centres. The project has been presented through science outreach activities, such as talks aimed at primary and secondary school pupils in Catalonia. These include “#100tifiques: The next one could be you”, aimed at promoting science among teenagers on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and the interactive activity “ICFO Decide Game”, designed to encourage informed decision-making and bring secondary school pupils into contact with real research projects at the Institute of Photonic Sciences. The project has also participated in the creation of “#Escolab meets ICFO”, an outreach video promoted by Barcelona City Council to inspire secondary school pupils to study STEM subjects; that is, fields related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

The iVISION project has also featured in the media, including the science outreach podcast “La Mandarina de Newton”, Catalunya Ràdio and La Vanguardia, particularly in the article “Los Ciegos verán (The blind will see)”.

In the professional sphere, the Barraquer Institute organised the seminar “Inside Retina 2020”, which brought together around fifty specialists to discuss the state of the art in vision restoration. These kinds of meeting spaces between basic research and clinical practice are precisely what allow advances such as those achieved by iVISION to ultimately translate into real benefits for patients.

Where is iVISION heading now?

The project has laid the groundwork for the next phase: completing the assembly of the integrated device, validating it electrically and subjecting it to long-term functional testing. Two AGAUR grants from the IDC programme —Innovadors 2024 and Producte 2025— will support, respectively, the analysis of its technology transfer potential and the engineering development required to advance the prototype.

The consortium is also holding discussions with INBRAIN Neuroelectronics to explore whether this technology could be incorporated into future graphene-based neurotechnology applications. This is a clear indication that iVISION, beyond its scientific results, has opened up a line of work with genuine potential for further development.

You can consult the iVISION project report here.