Abstract: A device includes a hermetically sealed case with electronic circuitry housed within. One surface of the hermetically sealed case includes a metallic plate and a co-fired ceramic electrical feedthrough with a number of vias. The co-fired ceramic electrical feedthrough is hermetically joined to the metallic plate and a hybrid circuit is connected to the feedthrough.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor included in a cochlear implant system associated with a patient may 1) identify a loudness level of an audio signal presented to the patient, 2) determine that a stimulation pulse amplitude corresponding to the loudness level is greater than a maximum stimulation pulse amplitude allowed by a compliance voltage associated with a cochlear implant implanted within the patient, and 3) direct, in response to the determination that the stimulation pulse amplitude is greater than a maximum stimulation pulse amplitude allowed by the compliance voltage, the cochlear implant to represent the loudness level to the patient by directing the cochlear implant to generate and apply one or more stimulation pulses to the patient in accordance with at least one of a first encoding scheme that includes pulse density modulation and a second encoding scheme that includes a combination of pulse amplitude modulation and pulse width modulation.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor apparatus includes 1) an earhook interface assembly that includes a plurality of contacts and that is configured to interchangeably connect to a microphone assembly and an EAS receiver assembly by way of the plurality of contacts, and 2) a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of contacts and that is configured to selectively operate in an input mode or in an output mode. While operating in the input mode, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as input ports to receive one or more audio signals detected by the microphone assembly while the microphone assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly. While operating in the output mode, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as output ports to output one or more EAS signals to the EAS receiver assembly while the EAS receiver assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a template for implanting a housing of an implantable unit of a partially implantable hearing instrument, comprising a template plate comprising an implant position marking opening and a template position indicating element which extends substantially normal with regard to the surface of the template plate, wherein the implant position marking opening is designed to mark the position of a receptacle to be created in the patient's temporal bone for receiving an elevated housing positioning portion of the housing, and wherein the template position indicating element is a projection designed to be seen or felt by a surgeon through the patient's skin when the template plate is positioned at the patient's skull to mark the position of said receptacle.

Abstract: Sound processors and systems including sound processors are disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor (104) 1) identifies a stimulation site within a cochlea of a patient that is to be stimulated in order to represent acoustic content presented to the patient, the stimulation site included within a plurality of stimulation sites associated with a stimulation channel corresponding to a plurality of electrodes, 2) determines a target excitation field width associated with the stimulation channel and 3) dynamically sets, based on the identified stimulation site, an amplitude and a polarity of current to be applied to each electrode included in the plurality of electrodes in order to represent the acoustic content so that an excitation field created by the current has a width that roughly matches the target excitation field width. A system and a corresponding method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for sterile packaging of a surface modified implantable device includes irradiating a surface of the device such that the hydrophobicity of the surface is decreased and, optionally, the device is simultaneously sterilized. The surface of the sterile, surface-modified implantable device is then covered in a polar solution to prevent hydrophobic recovery of the surface.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes 1) a fitting facility configured to maintain data representative of a library of one or more sounds and data representative of a library of one or more environments, and 2) a detection facility configured to detect a selection by a user of a sound included in the library of one or more sounds an environment included in the library of one or more environments. The fitting facility is further configured to generate, based on the selected sound and the selected environment, an audio signal representative of an acoustic scene and use the audio signal to fit a cochlear implant system to a patient. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary system for facilitating sound localization by a bilateral cochlear implant patient includes 1) a processing facility configured to determine an interaural difference between a first audio signal detected by a first microphone associated with a first ear of a bilateral cochlear implant patient and a second audio signal detected by a second microphone associated with a second ear of the bilateral cochlear implant patient and generate, based on the determined interaural difference, an enhanced interaural level difference (ILD) associated with the low frequency acoustic content of the first and second audio signals and 2) a control facility configured to direct a first cochlear implant associated with the first ear and a second cochlear implant associated with the second ear to generate electrical stimulation representative of the low frequency acoustic content in accordance with the enhanced ILD. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor apparatus included in an auditory prosthesis system includes 1) an interface assembly that includes at least a first contact, 2) a first switchable current source having an output coupled to the first contact of the interface assembly by way of a first data line, and 3) a control module that detects a connection of a battery module to the interface assembly by way of the first contact, enables the first switchable current source while the battery module is connected to the interface assembly, detects a logic level of the first data line while the first switchable current source is enabled and while the battery module is connected to the interface assembly, and identifies, based on the detected logic level of the first data line, a battery type associated with the battery module. Corresponding sound processor apparatuses, systems, and methods are also described.

Abstract: An implantable microphone for placement in soft tissue, comprising a sensor arrangement comprising a housing, a first pressure sensor having a first membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue and a second pressure sensor having a second membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue and a compensation circuitry for combining the output signals of the first and second sensor in a manner so as to eliminate signals resulting from acceleration forces acting on the sensor arrangement, wherein the first and the second sensor are of a mirror-symmetric design with regard to each other, with the first and the second membrane being arranged parallel to each other.

Abstract: A cochlear implant includes a processor, an array of electrodes disposed along a flexible body and a lead body connecting the processor to the array of electrodes. The lead body includes a first tube having a first outside diameter, a second tube having a second outside diameter smaller than the first diameter, a portion of the second tube being disposed within the first tube, and wires passing through the first tube and the second tube, the wires comprising a helically coiled portion. A method for forming a lead body is also provided.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes 1) a cochlear implant module configured to be implanted within a patient and comprising cochlear implant circuitry configured to apply electrical stimulation representative of one or more audio signals to the patient, and 2) a modular connector coupled to the cochlear implant module by way of a cable and configured to be implanted within the patient. The modular connector may be removably connected to an implantable antenna in order to facilitate communicative coupling of the implantable antenna to the cochlear implant circuitry. In this configuration, the cochlear implant circuitry may wirelessly communicate with a sound processor located external to the patient. The modular connector may alternatively be removably connected to an implantable sound processor. In this configuration, the cochlear implant circuitry and the implantable sound processor may communicate one with another by way of a wired connection. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for converting one type of speech processor unit into another type of speech processor unit.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes 1) a programming device configured to be located external to a cochlear implant patient and communicatively coupled to a cochlear implant system associated with the patient, 2) a programming interface device communicatively coupled to the programming device and configured to be located external to the patient, and 3) a receiver communicatively coupled directly to the programming interface device. The programming device directs at least one of the cochlear implant system and the receiver to apply stimulation to the patient, records an evoked response that occurs in response to the stimulation, and performs a predetermined action in accordance with the evoked response. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor 1) identifies at least one frequency bin, included in a plurality of frequency bins included in a frequency spectrum of an audio signal that is presented to a cochlear implant patient, that contains spectral energy above a modified spectral envelope, 2) identifies each frequency bin that contains spectral energy below the modified spectral envelope, 3) enhances the spectral energy contained in the at least one frequency bin identified as containing spectral energy above the modified spectral envelope, and 4) compresses the spectral energy contained in each frequency bin identified as containing spectral energy below the modified spectral envelope.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes 1) a sound detector configured to detect an audio signal, 2) an implantable stimulator configured to be implanted within a user, and 3) a sound processor communicatively coupled to the implantable cochlear stimulator and the sound detector. The sound processor is configured to determine that a level of the audio signal exceeds a predetermined threshold and direct, in response to the determination that the level of the audio signal exceeds the predetermined threshold, the implantable stimulator to elicit a stapedial reflex within the user by applying electrical stimulation to one or more stimulation sites within the user. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes generating, by an external control device selectively and communicatively coupled to an implantable stimulator, a calibration table indicating transmit power levels required to achieve a plurality of distinct combinations of compliance voltages and maximum stimulation current levels by the implantable stimulator, determining, by the external control device, a maximum stimulation current level to be delivered by the implantable stimulator via one or more electrodes to one or more stimulation sites within a patient during a stimulation frame, determining, by the external control device, an optimal compliance voltage that allows the implantable stimulator to deliver the determined maximum stimulation current level, and selecting, by the external control device in accordance with the calibration table, a transmit power level that results in the implantable stimulator operating at substantially the optimal compliance voltage during the stimulation frame.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes an electro-acoustic stimulation (“EAS”) device, a cochlear implant, an electrode lead comprising a plurality of basal electrodes configured to be disposed within a basal region of a cochlea of a patient and a plurality of apical electrodes configured to be disposed within an apical region of the cochlea; and a loudspeaker communicatively coupled to the EAS device. The EAS device is configured to operate in an EAS mode by 1) disabling the apical electrodes for standard electrical stimulation, 2) detecting, while the apical electrodes are disabled for standard electrical stimulation, audio content presented to the patient and included in an acoustic stimulation frequency range, 3) directing the loudspeaker to apply acoustic stimulation representative of the audio content included in the acoustic stimulation frequency range to the patient, and 4) periodically directing the cochlear implant to apply conditioning stimulation by way of the disabled apical electrodes.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a processing facility configured to process an audio signal presented to a cochlear implant patient and a control facility configured to direct a cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative of the audio signal to the cochlear implant patient by 1) directing the cochlear implant to concurrently apply a first biphasic stimulation pulse by way of a first electrode and a second biphasic stimulation pulse by way of a second electrode during a first time slot, and 2) directing the cochlear implant to concurrently apply a third biphasic stimulation pulse by way of the second electrode and a fourth biphasic stimulation pulse by way of a third electrode during a second time slot that immediately follows the first time slot. The third and fourth biphasic stimulation pulses are flipped in phase compared to the first and second biphasic stimulation pulses.