A method of providing artificial vision to a visually-impaired user implanted with a visual prosthesis. The method includes configuring, in response to selection information received from the user, a smart prosthesis to perform at least one function of a plurality of functions in order to facilitate performance of a visual task. The method further includes extracting, from an input image signal generated in response to optical input representative of a scene, item information relating to at least one item within the scene relevant to the visual task. The smart prosthesis then generates image data corresponding to an abstract representation of the scene wherein the abstract representation includes a representation of the at least one item. Pixel information based upon the image data is then provided to the visual prosthesis.
