Abstract: A method of stimulating neurons in a patient's cochlea. The method uses a plurality of cochlear electrodes, substantially arranged in a linear array within the cochlea and a relatively distant electrode. Charge is injected through a first one of the cochlear electrodes and an opposite charge is injected on either the relatively distant electrode; or a set of adjacent cochlear electrodes, being adjacent to the first one of the cochlear electrodes; or on a combination of the relatively distant electrode and the set of adjacent electrodes; and choosing the electrode or electrodes on which to inject charge in dependency on sound volume to be represented.

Abstract: A laminated multi-electrode biocompatible implant, comprising a first layer of flexible, biocompatible dielectric material having a first, exposed surface. A second layer of flexible biocompatible dielectric material, is adhered to the first layer. Further, a third layer of flexible biocompatible dielectric material is adhered to the second layer. Additionally, a first conductive trace is interposed between the first layer and the second layer and a second conductive trace interposed between said second layer and said third layer. Finally, a first conductor, which breaches said first layer, conductively connects the first conductive trace to the exposed surface of the first layer, thereby forming a first electrode and a second conductor, which breaches the first layer and the second layer, conductively connects the second conductive trace to the exposed surface of the first layer, thereby forming a second electrode.

Abstract: A bio-implant having a length and a proximal and a distal end. The bio-implant has at least two lamina of dielectric material joined together, thereby defining a boundary and also defining a side surface that is intersected by this boundary. In addition, at least one set of conductors is interposed between the two lamina and extend lengthwise from the proximal end toward the distal end, each one of the set of conductors being terminated adjacent to the side surface to form a set of conductor terminations. Further, a set of electrode contact points are constructed on the side surface, with each electrode contact point contacting one of said conductor terminations.

Abstract: A method for the real-time transformation of an electrical signal representative of a sound wave that includes the steps of providing an electrical signal representative of a sound wave, transforming that signal to an analytic representation, and passing said electrical signal, in parallel, through a number of bandpass filters to create a set of time domain real and imaginary band limited signals. Next, a stream of instantaneous phase angle and magnitude values for each of said set of time domain real and imaginary band limited signals is computed. Thirdly, a stream of electrical pulses or other digital representation of the phase, instantaneous frequency, and magnitude information is computed for delivery to a cochlear implant or transmission for decoding and synthesis of the original sound.