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.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a measurement set comprising a plurality of measurement values generated using a plurality of electrodes distributed along an elongate structure configured to be implanted in and/or on a body portion of a recipient. The measurement set is indicative of a pose of the elongate structure relative to the body portion. The method further includes generating, in response at least in part to the measurement set, a gradient vector dataset comprising a plurality of gradient vector phase values. The method further includes generating, in response at least in part to the gradient vector dataset, an evaluation of the pose of the elongate structure relative to the body portion.

Abstract: An implantable medical device includes a sealed flat housing enclosing an electronic circuitry; a recess area formed on a side surface of the housing; at least one feedthrough area protruding from the recess area; at least one feedthrough area protruding from the recess area; and a plurality of feedthrough conductors cumulated on said feedthrough area, each feedthrough conductor comprising a proximal end part connected to the enclosed electronic circuitry and a distal end part extending from said feedthrough area.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for adapting settings/operations of a remote microphone device associated with an auditory prosthesis based on a desired/preferred listening direction of a recipient of the auditory prosthesis. More specifically, an auditory prosthesis worn by a recipient and a remote microphone device, which are configured to wirelessly communicate with one another, are both positioned in the same spatial area. At least one of a recipient-specified (e.g., recipient-preferred) region of interest within the spatial area, or a recipient-specified listening direction, is determined. Based on a determined relative positioning (e.g., location and orientation) of the remote microphone device and the auditory prosthesis, operation of the remote microphone device is dynamically adapted so that the remote microphone device can focus on (e.g., have increased sensitivity to) sounds originating from the recipient-specified region of interest/listening direction.

Abstract: Presented herein is an electroporation shield configured to be removably coupled to an implantable stimulating assembly that includes one or more stimulation electrodes. The electroporation shield is coupled to stimulating assembly such that the electroporation shield electrically insulates the one or more of the stimulation electrodes from an electroporation electrical field generated by one or more electroporation electrodes coupled to the electroporation shield. The electroporation shield may be coupled to the stimulating assembly in a manner that facilitates removal of the electroporation shield and the one or more electroporation electrodes. After electroporation, without having to remove or reinsert the stimulating assembly, thereby exposing the one or more stimulation electrodes to the cells of the recipient for subsequent delivery of stimulation.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing and a circuit including an inductor and at least one capacitor in electrical communication with the inductor. The circuit has a resonance frequency and bounds a non-electrically-conductive region of the housing. The circuit is configured to be operable as an antenna.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for performing fitting of an auditory prosthesis using tactile responses. A tactile feedback device determines a physical manipulation in response to a test stimulus. A type of adjustment can be determined based upon the type of the physical manipulation and the type of the test signal. A scaling of the adjustment can be determined based on the degree of the physical manipulation.

Abstract: An auditory prosthesis comprising an actuator for providing mechanical stimulation to a recipient. The auditory prosthesis comprises a measurement circuit for use in determining the resonance peak(s) of the actuator. In an embodiment, the measurement circuit measures the voltage drop across the actuator and/or current through the actuator during a frequency sweep of the operational frequencies of the actuator. These measured voltages and/or currents are then analyzed for discontinuities that are indicative of a resonance peak of the actuator. In another embodiment, rather than using a frequency sweep to measure voltages and/or currents across the actuator, the measurement circuit instead applies a voltage impulse to the actuator and then measure the voltage and/or current across the actuator for a period of time after application of the impulse. The measured voltages and/or currents are then analyzed to identify resonance peak(s) of the actuator.

Abstract: A method, including determining a change in an actuator impedance based on a change in an electrical property of a system of which the actuator is apart, and determining one or more system characteristics based on the change in the actuator impedance.

Abstract: A system includes an ultrasound device configured to generate sound waves for use in generating data indicating a measurement of a thickness of a skin flap of a recipient. A method includes determining a location of a measurement of a thickness of a skin flap of the recipient based on a current or expected location of an implantable device underneath the skin flap, and generating the measurement of the thickness of the skin flap using the ultrasound device. A computer-readable storage medium includes instructions stored thereon that cause one or more processors to generate the measurement of the thickness of the skin flap of the recipient based on sonic waves applied to the skin flap, and to generate an indication of whether one or more configurations of an external device are able to be retained on the skin flap based on the measurement.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an arm configured to be in mechanical communication with a transducer configured to be implanted within a recipient's body. The arm includes a first mating portion configured to engage and disengage with a plurality of second mating portions positioned along at least one longitudinal surface of a fixation element implanted within a portion of the recipient's body. The arm is configured to be moved between an unlocked state in which the arm is disengaged from the plurality of second mating portions and a locked state in which the arm is engaged with at least one of the second mating portions. The apparatus further includes at least one elastically deformable element configured to apply a restoring force to the arm such that the arm is in the locked state and to respond to an external force applied to the arm such that the arm is in the unlocked state.