Abstract: An illustrative stiffening member includes a body configured to integrate with a portion of an electrode lead so as to maintain the portion of the electrode lead in a substantially linear configuration in an absence of a flexure force. The stiffening member includes a plurality of slots distributed along the body and configured to bias the body, in a presence of the flexure force, to flex inwardly on a first side of the body that is closer to electrodes of the electrode lead than is a second side opposite the first side. The stiffening member also includes an orientation retainer coupled to the body and configured to interface with the electrode lead to maintain, while the body is integrated with the portion of the electrode lead, the first side of the body closer to the electrodes than the second side of the body.

Abstract: An illustrative proximity detection system directs a first electrode of an electrode lead to apply a first pulse and directs a second electrode of the electrode lead to apply a second pulse concurrently with the first pulse so as to form a dipole that generates a field. The first and second electrodes are each configured as stimulating electrodes that apply stimulation to the cochlear tissue when the electrode lead is located at a resting position subsequent to a surgical insertion of the electrode lead into a cochlea of a patient. After the pulses are applied, and based on an energy magnitude of the field that is detected to reflect from cochlear tissue located within the field, the proximity detection system determines a proximity of the electrode lead to the cochlear tissue. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes electronic circuitry that receives a self-clocking differential signal comprising a data signal encoded with a clock signal at a dock frequency. The electronic circuitry is configured to recover, from the self-docking differential signal, the data signal and the dock signal. Then, based on the recovered dock signal, the electronic circuitry is configured to wirelessly transmit, to an implantable stimulator implanted within a recipient, a forward telemetry signal representing data recovered from the data signal. Corresponding systems, methods, devices, and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are also disclosed.

Abstract: An illustrative system includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) sound processor configured to be worn by a patient behind an ear of the patient. The BTE sound processor is configured to direct a cochlear implant implanted within the patient to apply electrical stimulation to the patient. The system further includes a conductive contact configured to detect a signal representative of an evoked response generated by a brain of the patient. The conductive contact is integrated with the BTE sound processor so as to be located between the BTE sound processor and an external surface of a head of the patient while the BTE sound processor is worn by the patient behind the ear of the patient. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary diagnostic system may be configured to direct an acoustic stimulation generator to apply acoustic stimulation to a recipient of a cochlear implant during an insertion procedure in which an electrode lead coupled to the cochlear implant is supposed to be inserted into a cochlea of the recipient, direct the cochlear implant to use an electrode on the electrode lead to record an evoked response signal that occurs within the recipient in response to the acoustic stimulation, detect an anomaly in the evoked response signal, and determine, based on the anomaly, that the electrode lead is being inserted into a vestibular canal instead of into the cochlea.

Abstract: An apparatus, for use with a cochlear implant having a magnet and implanted within a patient having first and second ears, includes a first splint and a strap system, including at least a forehead strap and a chin strap, configured to position the first splint behind the first ear.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system includes a cochlear implant configured to be implanted within a patient and a sound processor communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant. The sound processor detects a unique identifier of the cochlear implant and establishes, by way of a network, an active network link with a remote computing system located remotely from the cochlear implant system. The sound processor transmits the unique identifier of the cochlear implant to the remote computing system over the active network link and, in response, receives data representative of a sound processing program associated with the cochlear implant from the remote computing system over the active network link. The sound processor stores the received data representative of the sound processing program on a local storage facility associated with the sound processor. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An illustrative cochlear implant system is disclosed herein. The cochlear implant system comprises a microphone assembly including a microphone and a retention device configured to hold the microphone near an entrance to an ear canal of an ear of a recipient. The cochlear implant system further comprises an off-the-ear (OTE) sound processor that includes a housing configured to be worn off the ear of the recipient and further configured to physically attach to the microphone assembly so as to allow the microphone assembly to be worn off the ear when the microphone assembly is not being worn at the ear using the retention device. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power without the use of a headpiece.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor is configured to direct a cochlear implant to apply standard electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in an audio signal that are within an upper region to a cochlea of a first ear of a recipient by way of a plurality of electrodes in accordance with a frequency allocation table that maps frequencies in the upper region of the audible frequency range of the recipient to the plurality of electrodes, the upper region of the audible frequency range comprising frequencies above and including a cutoff frequency, and direct the cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in the audio signal that are within a lower region of the audible frequency range to the cochlea of the first ear by way of a most apical electrode and one or more compensating electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes in accordance with an electrode stimulation configuration.

Abstract: A cochlear implant includes a cochlear lead, a housing, an antenna, a stimulation processor operably connected to the antenna and to the cochlear lead, a first fixation element, a second fixation element with a different configuration than the first fixation element, and a connector configured to simultaneously connect the first and second fixation elements to the housing in such a manner that the first and second fixation elements are independently detachable from the housing.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor is configured to maintain data representative of a frequency allocation table that maps frequencies in an upper region of an audible frequency range of a recipient to a plurality of electrodes located within a cochlea of the first ear, direct a cochlear implant to apply standard electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in an audio signal that are within the upper region to the cochlea of the first ear by way of the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the frequency allocation table, and direct the cochlear implant to apply phantom electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in the audio signal that are within a lower region of the audible frequency range to the cochlea of the first ear by way of a most apical electrode and one or more compensating electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes in accordance with a phantom electrode stimulation configuration.

Abstract: A cochlear implant exomagnet that includes a magnet apparatus and a magnet mount configured to secure the magnet apparatus to a cochlear implant in such a manner that the magnet apparatus is not located within the internal magnet pocket of the cochlear implant.

Abstract: An apparatus external to a patient and communicatively coupled to an implant within the patient is disclosed. The apparatus identifies a tentative stimulation parameter adjustment constraint and an absolute stimulation parameter adjustment constraint for a stimulation parameter associated with the implant. The apparatus also determines an impedance of an electrode implanted within the patient and coupled with the implant. Based on the impedance of the electrode, the apparatus automatically adjusts the stimulation parameter within a range between a present value and a first value defined by the tentative stimulation parameter adjustment constraint. Additionally, based on user input manually provided by the patient, the apparatus further adjusts the stimulation parameter within a range between the first value and a second value beyond the first value and defined by the absolute stimulation parameter adjustment constraint. Corresponding apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cochlear implant including a cochlear lead, an antenna, a stimulation processor, and a magnet apparatus, associated with the antenna, including a case and a magnet assembly, having a spine and at least one magnet that is secured to the spine, that is located within the case and is rotatable relative to the case.

Abstract: An antenna assembly for use with a medical implant includes an antenna that defines at least one turn and an electromagnetic shield.

Abstract: An exemplary electrode lead includes a flexible body formed of a flexible insulating material, an electrode contact disposed on a side of the flexible body, a coiled electrode wire provided within the flexible body so as to extend along a length of the flexible body and electrically connect the electrode contact to a signal source, and a coiled reinforcing element provided within the flexible body so as to extend together with the coiled electrode wire along the length of the flexible body. A winding direction of the coiled electrode wire is opposite a winding direction of the coiled reinforcing element and a winding pitch of the coiled electrode wire is smaller than a winding pitch of the coiled reinforcing element. Corresponding methods of manufacturing an electrode lead are also described.

Abstract: An exemplary scalar translocation detection system detects a first evoked response occurring in response to acoustic stimulation applied to a cochlear implant patient. The system detects the first evoked response by way of an electrode configuration disposed on an electrode lead while the electrode configuration is positioned at a first location along an insertion path of the electrode lead into a cochlea of the patient. The system further detects, by way of the electrode configuration while it is positioned at a second location along the insertion path, a second evoked response occurring in response to additional acoustic stimulation applied to the patient. The system further determines an amplitude change and/or a phase change between the first and second evoked responses, and then determines whether a scalar translocation of the electrode lead from one scala of the cochlea to another has occurred based on the amplitude change and/or the phase change.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system may include a cochlear implant configured to be implanted within a user and a sound processor configured to detect an amount of sound exposure to the user; gradually adjust a most comfortable level (“M level”) from an initial value towards a target value in accordance with an adaption time course and in accordance with the detected amount of sound exposure to the user by increasing the M level when the detected amount of sound exposure is above a first threshold and decreasing the M level when the detected amount of sound exposure is below a second threshold; and direct the cochlear implant to apply stimulation having the gradually adjusted M level to the user.

Abstract: A cochlear implant headpiece, for use with a cochlear implant, including a housing, a diametrically magnetized headpiece magnet, defining an axis and a N-S direction, within the housing and rotatable about the axis, whereby the N-S direction of the headpiece magnet self-aligns with the gravitational direction when the axis is perpendicular to the gravitational direction, and a headpiece antenna associated with the housing.