Abstract: A system includes an electrical stimulator configured to provide at least one asymmetric multiphasic stimulation to a recipient for affecting tinnitus in the recipient. A method includes generating asymmetric multiphasic stimulation. The method can also include providing the asymmetric multiphasic stimulation to an ear of a recipient to affect tinnitus in the recipient.

Abstract: An inductive charging case in accordance with certain embodiments presented herein comprises a base and a lid mechanically coupled together via a hinge mechanism. When the inductive charging case is in a closed arrangement (e.g., the lid is positioned adjacent to the base), the lid and base collectively define an interior volume that is configured to enclose an electronic device therein. The electronic device includes one or more rechargeable batteries, a receiver coil, and circuitry for recharging the one or more rechargeable batteries, while the inductive charging case includes inductive charging circuitry, including at least one inductive charging coil, that is configured to provide power to the electronic device which is then used to charge the one or more rechargeable batteries and/or power the electronic device.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first element and a second element configured to be repeatedly mechanically coupled to and decoupled from one another, a first seal between the first element and the second element, and a second seal between the first element and the second element. The first seal is configured to inhibit moisture ingress from an environment surrounding the first and second elements to a first region enclosed at least partially by the first seal and the second seal is configured to inhibit moisture ingress from the first region to a second region enclosed at least partially by the second seal. One of the first and second seals includes two first surfaces of the first and second elements in contact with one another, and another one of the first and second seals includes a second surface and a resiliently bendable protrusion of the first and second elements in contact with one another.

Abstract: Presented herein are distributed implantable hearing systems that have at least a main implant module that is physically separated from a distally positioned inner radio-frequency (RF) coil. Embodiments presented herein may include a main implant module positioned within a recipient's mastoid and an implantable coil positioned within a recipient's middle ear cavity.

Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure is to provide a system and a method of fitting a cochlea implant system to a patient, the method including determining an insertion angle of at least one electrode of a first electrode array of the cochlea implant system inserted into a cochlea of the patient, determining a plurality of natural frequencies as a function of a cochlea spiral length based on a natural frequency allocation model and the insertion angle, determining a plurality of characteristic frequencies as a function of a cochlea spiral length by frequency downshifting the plurality of natural frequencies until an objective is obtained and while preserving the harmonic relationship between the natural frequencies of the plurality of natural frequencies in the plurality of characteristic frequencies, and allocating the plurality of characteristic frequencies to each electrode of the first electrode array based on the insertion angle of the at least one electrode.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques to calculate long-term loudness measures for each of the prostheses in a bimodal hearing system and exchange this information across the two sides. The bimodal hearing system operates to ensure that the loudness differences between the two sides follow the ILDs between the two sides. Stated differently, the techniques presented herein determine a target loudness ratio based on the input signals (sound signals) received at each of the first second hearing prostheses in a bimodal hearing system. The techniques presented herein further determine an estimated inter-aural loudness ratio based on output signals that would be generated by each of the first and second hearing prostheses based on the input signals. Operation of either or both of the first or second hearing prostheses is adjusted so as to substantially match the estimated inter-aural loudness ratio to the target loudness ratio.

Abstract: Presented herein are implantable housing arrangements that are configured to receive and retain an implantable magnet therein, while also facilitating both in-plane rotation and out-of-plane rotation of the implantable magnet in the presence of external magnetic, such as that applied with an MRI. That is, the housing arrangements presented herein allow a planar (e.g., conventional/standard) implantable magnet to rotate circumferentially around a central axis of the implantable magnet (in-plane rotation), as well as angularly rotate relative to the central axis (out-of-plane rotation). The in-plane rotation and out-of-plane rotation can reduce torque during an MRI because the magnet is able to rotate so as to more closely align with the applied MRI magnetic field, resulting in less pain and less risk of tissue or device damage.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to testing capacitors to identify potentially faulty DC blocking capacitors in implantable stimulators. In an example, the test includes selecting an active electrode, a return electrode, and a reference electrode. Short duration monophasic stimulation is used to charge up the DC blocking capacitors of the active and return electrodes. The electrodes are subsequently disconnected from all other nodes except a discharge circuit (e.g., a star circuit) and the tissue. The reference electrode is used to measure the voltage of the DC blocking capacitor of the active electrode during the charging phase and the discharging phase (via the discharge circuit). The characteristics of one or more of the capacitors charging or discharging can be sensed and then analyzed to determine whether the one or more capacitors are functioning properly. Faulty capacitors can be identified by comparing actual and expected characteristics.

Abstract: A hearing prosthesis, comprising: a microphone; a sound processor; an external transmitter unit including a coil; an internal receiver unit including a coil; a stimulator unit, wherein the stimulator unit includes a control circuit, a voltage measurement component, a resistor and a signal generator, wherein the measurement circuit is configured to output a signal indicative of the voltage across the resistor; and a stimulating lead assembly array, wherein at least a portion of the hearing prosthesis is configured to apply an electrical signal to tissue inside a cochlea of a recipient, and at least a portion of the hearing prosthesis is configured to sense an electrical property inside of the cochlea that results from the applied electrical signal and the interaction of the applied electrical signal to the tissue.

Abstract: Presented herein are predictive consultation techniques for use with medical devices. The techniques presented herein, sometimes referred to herein as “predictive medical device consultation techniques,” can include, for example, generation of one or more clinical predictions related to timing of future clinical appointments and/or one or more clinical predictions related to the selection of a medical device for the recipient.

Abstract: A method, including subjecting a subcutaneous medical device containing a first magnet to a magnetic field of an MRI machine, thereby imparting a torque onto the first magnet and resisting the imparted torque via an external device that includes a second magnet, wherein the second magnet is movable relative to another component of the external device.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for estimating skin flap thickness (“SFT”) of a recipient of an implantable medical device system. In particular, in accordance with the techniques presented herein, the implantable medical device comprises an external component having a magnet configured to magnetically couple the external component to an implantable component of the implantable medical device system through a skin flap of a recipient of the implantable medical device system. The SFT is estimated based on a strength of the magnet. One or more operational parameters for the implantable medical device system may be determined and/or set based on the estimated SFT.

Abstract: Presented herein are hybrid multi-phasic stimulation techniques for stimulation of tissue of a recipient of an implantable medical device. In particular, in accordance with the hybrid multi-phasic stimulation techniques, at least one stimulation current pulse is delivered to the tissue of the recipient in order to stimulate the tissue. The at least one stimulation current pulse injects charge into the tissue that is then removed through the combination of at least one discharging current pulse and a period of electrode shorting.

Abstract: An implant system includes an implantable component and an external component. The implant system switches communication between the implantable component and the external component from a first communication link to a second communication link in response to detecting interference in the first communication link above a threshold. The implant system switches communication between the implantable and external components from the second communication link back to the first communication link in response to detecting interference in the first communication link below the threshold.

Abstract: A device including a yoke, a counterweight apparatus and a flexible apparatus connecting the yoke to the counterweight apparatus and enabling the counterweight apparatus to move relative to the yoke, wherein the flexible apparatus is attached to the counterweight apparatus via a radial connection, and the device is an electromagnetic transducer.

Abstract: A computing system includes a processing unit that implements an artificial neural network. The artificial neural network generates an output at a single output node that indicates whether a measurement performed after a stimulus to a neural region of an individual includes a neural response. A method includes receiving, at an artificial neural network in a computing system, values indicative of a measurement performed after a stimulus provided to a neural region of an individual, and generating an output that indicates whether the measurement includes a neural response at a single output node of the artificial neural network.

Abstract: Diagnosing and treating presbycusis (age related hearing loss) includes measuring basilar membrane stiffness. In an example, a low frequency component of an electrocochleogram stimulation signal is used to bias a region of the basilar membrane, the results of which are used basilar membrane stiffness. The resulting measurement is used to measure a subcomponent of presbycusis. Further, the measurement can be combined with known diagnostic methods to reveal or distinguish other origins of hearing loss such as strial presbycusis, sensory presbycusis, neural presbycusis, and cochlea conductive presbycusis. The relative contributions for each of the diagnosed origins of hearing loss can be determined.

Abstract: An inductance communication coil, including a conductor having at least one conductive turn, wherein a width of the conductor is wider at a first location relative to that at a second location. The conductor can be made out of metal. In some embodiments, the first location and the second location are on the same turn. In some embodiments, the conductor includes a plurality of turns, wherein the first location is at a first turn and the second location is at a second turn.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for dynamically changing how a recipient-associated device (e.g., external component and/or user device linked to an external component) interacts with a user based on whether the external component of a medical device system is coupled to the recipient. In particular, a recipient-associated device in accordance with embodiments presented herein provides a first type of user interaction while the external component is coupled to the recipient, but the recipient-associated device provides a second (and different) type of user interaction when the external component is uncoupled/decoupled from the recipient (e.g., dynamically adjusting a user interface provided by a recipient-associated device based on whether the external component is coupled or decoupled from the recipient).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an inductive coil arrangement for a transcutaneous inductive link arrangement, to devices incorporating the inductive coil arrangement and to a method of transmitting power and data using the inductive coil arrangement.