Abstract: An exemplary method of providing a pre-stimulation visual cue representative of a cochlear implant stimulation level includes a fitting subsystem 1) determining one or more control parameters to be used by a cochlear implant system to apply electrical stimulation to a patient, 2) determining, based on the one or more control parameters, a target stimulation level to be used by the cochlear implant system to apply the electrical stimulation to the patient, and 3) displaying a pre-stimulation visual cue indicative of the determined target stimulation level in a graphical user interface prior to the cochlear implant system using the one or more control parameters to apply the electrical stimulation to the patient. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a cochlear implant fitting subsystem maintaining patient data associated with a cochlear implant patient, maintaining registration data for a cochlear implant emulation device registered with the fitting subsystem and configured to emulate an implanted cochlear device, detecting a coupling of a cochlear implant device to the fitting subsystem, automatically determining, based on the registration data, that the coupled cochlear implant device is the cochlear implant emulation device registered with the fitting subsystem, performing one or more operations while the cochlear implant emulation device is coupled to the fitting subsystem, and preventing data acquired by the fitting subsystem during the performance of the one or more operations while the cochlear implant emulation device is coupled to the fitting subsystem from being included in the patient data. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.

Abstract: An exemplary method of fitting a bilateral cochlear implant patient using a single sound processor includes a fitting subsystem using a first sound processor associated with a first cochlear implant to selectively fit the first cochlear implant and a second cochlear implant to a cochlear implant patient, automatically segregating fitting data generated during the fitting of the first cochlear implant from fitting data generated during the fitting of the second cochlear implant, and transmitting the fitting data generated during the fitting of the second cochlear implant to a second sound processor associated with the second cochlear implant after the fitting of the second cochlear implant to the cochlear implant patient is completed. Corresponding methods and systems are also described.

Abstract: A hearing instrument for direct stimulation of the cochlea of a patient, comprising an audio signal source for providing audio signals, a sound processor for generating auditory nerve stimulation signals from the audio signals, a stimulation assembly to be implanted into the cochlea and comprising an electrode array to be located in the basal part of the cochlea for electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve in the basal part of the cochlea and a plurality of optical fibers extending beyond the electrode array into the apical part of the cochlea for optical stimulation of the auditory nerve in the apical part of the cochlea, and a driver unit for providing the stimulation assembly, according to the auditory nerve stimulation signals from the sound processor, with electric stimulation signals for the electrode array and with stimulation light from at least one light source for the optical fibers.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor (104) included in an auditory prosthesis system includes 1) a clock facility (406) configured to detect an elapsing of a predetermined amount of time and 2) a fitting facility (408) communicatively coupled to the clock facility and configured to automatically perform, in response to the elapsing of the predetermined amount of time, one or more fitting operations with respect to the auditory prosthesis system. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for in-situ evaluation of the performance of an actuator of a hearing instrument to be implanted in a middle ear cavity of a patient and to be mechanically coupled to an ossicle or to the cochlea includes: a reference output transducer assembly for generating sound waves in the middle ear cavity, means for providing test audio signals as input to the actuator and to the reference transducer assembly, a microphone assembly for being inserted at least in part into the middle ear cavity for picking up sound waves in the middle ear cavity generated by vibrations of the actuator and by the reference output transducer assembly according to the test audio signals and for providing for an output signal corresponding to the picked-up sound waves, and means for analyzing the output signals of the microphone assembly in order to evaluate the actuator performance.

Abstract: The stimulation provided in the electrically stimulated cochlea is modulated in accordance with the amplitude of a received acoustic signal and the onset of a sound in a received acoustic signal to provide increased sound perception. An onset time that corresponds to the onset of a sound is detected in an acoustic signal associated with a frequency band. A forcing voltage and a transmitting factor are determined, wherein the forcing voltage and the transmitting factor are associated with the frequency band at the detected onset time. The acoustic signal is modulated as a function of the forcing voltage and the transmitting factor to generate an output signal. The generated output signal can be used to stimulate the cochlea. The modulation strategy can be used in conjunction with sound processing strategies that employ frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, or a combination of frequency and amplitude modulation.

Abstract: Among other things, a stimulation strategy can be customized for a cochlear implant implanted in an individual by testing at least a pair of electrodes selected from an array of electrodes associated with the cochlear implant. Testing the at least a pair of electrodes includes applying a first stimulation to the at least a pair of electrodes using a first pair of pulse trains that are out of phase, and applying a second stimulation to the at least a pair of electrodes using a second pair of pulse trains that are out of phase. A determination is made on whether the at least a pair of electrodes stimulate the same neural population based on a sensitivity of the individual to detect a perceived difference between the two pairs of pulse trains. The one or more electrodes of the array of electrodes are selectively stimulated based on the determination.

Abstract: An implantable microphone, comprising a rigid housing, a sensor membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue, the sensor membrane being arranged to seal an opening of the housing, a transducer, for generating an output signal corresponding to the deflection of the sensor membrane, and a compliant suspension arrangement located opposite to the sensor membrane for being exposed to soft tissue and for supporting the housing on soft tissue in a manner that the housing is moveable relative to said soft tissue upon acceleration of the housing and the soft tissue, the suspension arrangement comprising means for adjusting the spring constant of the suspension arrangement when the microphone is implanted.

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: Among other things, enhancing spectral contrast for a cochlear implant listener includes detecting a time domain signal. A first transformation is applied to the detected time domain signal to convert the time domain signal to a frequency domain signal. A second transformation is applied to the frequency domain signal to express the frequency domain signal as a sum of two or more components. A sensitivity of the cochlear implant listener to detect modulation of each component is obtained.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes a detection facility configured to detect an input sound level of an audio signal presented to an auditory prosthesis patient; and an adaptive gain control (AGC) facility configured to 1) determine whether the detected input sound level is in a quiet region, an intermediate region, or a loud region, and 2) apply a gain to the audio signal in accordance with an AGC gain function that specifies the gain to be substantially equal to or less than a first gain threshold if the detected input sound level is in the quiet region, substantially equal to or less than a second gain threshold if the detected input sound level is in the loud region, and greater than the first and second gain thresholds if the detected input sound level is in the intermediate region. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An implantable microphone, comprising a source of incoherent light, a light detector for outputting a signal corresponding to the total light intensity impinging onto a detector surface, a housing for housing the light source and the detector, and a sensor membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue, the membrane being arranged to seal an opening of the housing and comprising reflector means provided at the inner side of the sensor membrane for reflecting light from the light source onto the detector in manner that the total light intensity reflected onto the detector varies as a function of the position of the reflector means relative to the detector.

Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods for optimizing a compliance voltage of an auditory prosthesis are disclosed. Each stimulation channel formed by electrodes that are coupled to an auditory prosthesis may have an adjustable current steering range associated therewith. Each adjustable current steering range is centered about the midpoint of its respective stimulation channel and defines a range of current steering that may be used within its respective stimulation channel. A compliance voltage of an auditory prosthesis may be optimized by setting a current steering range for one or more stimulation channels to a value that results in an optimum balance between power conservation and performance of the auditory prosthesis.

Abstract: A special accessory adapter for use with a BTE device of a cochlear implant (CI) system provides two inputs: a T-Mic input and an auxiliary audio input. Both inputs (the T-Mic input and the auxiliary audio input) are connected to a special mixer circuit integrated into a body of the accessory adapter. The body of the accessory adapter connects to the BTE using the same earhook attachment mechanism used by other accessories used by the CI system. The special mixer circuit prevents signals from either the T-Mic input or the auxiliary audio input from interfering with each other. Both signals, however, can still be processed by the processing circuits of the BTE and combined in such a way that user is able to perceive both signals at the same time.

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

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear system includes a sound processing unit configured to process an audio signal, an implantable cochlear stimulator communicatively coupled to the sound processing unit and configured to apply stimulation representative of the audio signal to a patient via one or more electrodes in accordance with the processing of the audio signal, and a user input facility communicatively coupled to the sound processing unit. The sound processing unit and the implantable cochlear stimulator are configured to operate in accordance with a plurality of control parameters, which may be selectively associated and disassociated with the user input facility in order to facilitate manual adjustment of one or more of the control parameters. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Exemplary cochlear implant systems include an implantable head module configured to be implanted within a head of a patient. The implantable head module includes a cochlear stimulator configured to be coupled to an electrode lead, the electrode lead including one or more electrodes configured to be in communication with one or more stimulation sites within the patient. The implantable head module also includes a signal receiver configured to receive a telemetry signal representative of an audio signal from a signal transmitter located external to the patient, a sound processor configured to process the telemetry signal and direct the cochlear stimulator to generate and apply electrical stimulation representative of the audio signal to the one or more stimulation sites via the electrode lead, and a power receiver configured to receive power for operating the implantable head module from a power transmitter located external to the patient.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the performance of an in-the-canal hearing aid by temporarily increasing the adaptation speed of an adaptive feedback cancellation filter in response to sudden changes in the acoustic feedback path. The hearing aid employs a sound producing transducer (e.g., a speaker) mounted in a user's open ear canal along with a sound responsive transducer (e.g., a microphone) and a second sound responsive transducer also mounted in the ear canal and spaced a fixed distance from the first sound responsive transducer. The output signals from the first and second sound responsive transducers are applied to a digital processor which compares the respective output signals to detect impedance changes in the audio feedback path. The detected occurrence of an impedance change is then used to influence the adaptation speed of the adaptive feedback cancellation filter.

Abstract: An exemplary system for minimizing a perceptual disturbance caused by shorted electrodes in an auditory prosthesis system includes a sound processor (104) configured to determine that a first electrode and a second electrode included in a plurality of electrodes implanted in a patient are shorted together, detect that a main electrical stimulation pulse intended only for the first electrode is to be delivered by an auditory prosthesis to the first electrode, and direct, in response to the detecting, the auditory prosthesis to concurrently deliver the main electrical stimulation pulse to the first electrode and one or more compensating electrical stimulation pulses to one or more additional electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes.