Restoring vision and touch with cortical microstimulation

Review article, 2026

The restoration of sensory function following injury or disease represents a critical challenge in neuroengineering. Sensory neuroprostheses, particularly those targeting the primary visual (V1) and somatosensory (S1) cortices, promise to bypass damaged afferent pathways and reintroduce sensory percepts through direct cortical stimulation. Building on foundational insights from non-human primate research, epicortical and intracortical microstimulation has been used to evoke artificial visual and tactile experiences in early human trials. In this Review, we examine the state of cortical sensory prostheses, focusing on visual and somatosensory applications. We compare neural encoding strategies for touch and vision, discuss the technical and clinical requirements of cortical stimulation, and evaluate the qualitative advantages of these devices over conventional assistive technologies. We also highlight emerging directions, including biomimetic encoding, multisensory integration and alternative implant sites, that could enhance the fidelity and usability of future interfaces. Together, these developments mark a critical step towards clinically viable, high-resolution restoration of naturalistic sensation.