# Neuromorphic Retina: An FPGA-based Emulator

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.08943 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.08943/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 15 Jan 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Programmable Silicon Retina on Pixel Processor Array](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.08370/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Implementing accurate models of the retina is a challenging task, particularly in the context of creating visual prosthetics and devices. Notwithstanding the presence of diverse artificial renditions of the retina, the imperative task persists to pursue a more realistic model. In this work, we are emulating a neuromorphic retina model on an FPGA. The key feature of this model is its powerful adaptation to luminance and contrast, which allows it to accurately emulate the sensitivity of the biological retina to changes in light levels. Phasic and tonic cells are realizable in the retina in the simplest way possible. Our FPGA implementation of the proposed biologically inspired digital retina, incorporating a receptive field with a center-surround structure, is reconfigurable and can support 128*128 pixel images at a frame rate of 200fps. It consumes 1720 slices, approximately 3.7k Look-Up Tables (LUTs), and Flip-Flops (FFs) on the FPGA. This implementation provides a high-performance, low-power, and small-area solution and could be a significant step forward in the development of biologically plausible retinal prostheses with enhanced information processing capabilities