Fountain Probe is an experimental deep-brain visual prosthesis under development by the Dutch start-up Phosphoenix. The device consists of an ultra-flexible “fountain-shaped” shank that deploys hundreds to >1,000 micro-electrodes throughout a compact three-dimensional volume, giving it a volumetric electrode density several orders of magnitude higher than earlier thalamic or cortical arrays^[1].

Designed for implantation through a single burr-hole in the skull, the probe is intended to fill and electrically address the entire human lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN, ≈120 mm³) with electrodes occupying < 200 mm³ of tissue^[2].

Fountain Probe is presently at the pre-clinical stage: animal studies to evaluate biocompatibility and longevity are under way in mice, and a European Innovation Council “SIGHTED” grant supports advancement from proof-of-concept (TRL-3) to a first-in-human, five-patient feasibility trial targeted for 2027^[1].

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1. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101212687 (opens in a new window) ↩︎
2. https://neurotech-nl.com/project/positioned/ (opens in a new window) ↩︎