Abstract: Embodiments are generally directed to a securable inner drug delivery plug or stopper that is configured to be inserted into, and secured (retained) within, an opening of the inner ear of a recipient. The securable inner drug delivery plug is configured to deliver drugs directly into the inner ear.

Abstract: A vibrator including a housing, a transducer mounted in the housing such that there is a gap between the housing and transducer; and an impulse force damper that substantially fills the gap. Such a damper includes: a first layer in contact with the housing; and a second layer in contact with the transducer and the first layer; wherein substantially no adhesion is exhibited between the first and second layers or between at least one of the first and second layers and at least one of the housing and the transducer.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of conduits and a plurality of valves in fluidic communication with the plurality of conduits. The plurality of conduits is configured to receive liquid from at least one liquid reservoir configured to be implanted on or within a recipient. Each conduit of the plurality of conduits has a corresponding flow resistance to the liquid. The plurality of valves is configured to controllably allow flow of the liquid through a selected set of the conduits to be administered internally to the recipient with a selected flow rate.

Abstract: A vibrator including a housing, a transducer positioned within the housing such that there is a gap between the transducer and housing, and a damper assembly, disposed in the gap between the housing and at least a portion of the transducer, the damper assembly extending a sub-distance of the total distance of the gap.

Abstract: A method, including obtaining data relating to electric hearing, obtaining data relating to acoustic hearing and preparing a prescription for a multimodal hearing prosthesis for an individual based on the obtained data relating to the electric hearing and the acoustic hearing. In an exemplary embodiment, the method entails comparing the data relating to electric hearing to the data relating to acoustic hearing and preparing the prescription based on the results of the comparison.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid a cochlear implant comprising a) at least one input transducer for capturing incoming sound and for generating electric audio signals which represent frequency bands of the incoming sound, b) a sound processor which is configured to analyze and to process the electric audio signals, c) a transmitter that sends the processed electric audio signals, d) a receiver/stimulator, which receives the processed electric audio signals from the transmitter and converts the processed electric audio signals into electric pulses, e) an electrode array embedded in the cochlear comprising a number of electrodes for stimulating the cochlear nerve with said electric pulses, and f) a control unit configured to control the distribution of said electric pulses to the number of said electrodes.

Abstract: Presented herein are implantable sound sensors that include a non-uniform diaphragm mechanically coupled to a vibrating structure of a recipient's middle or inner ear. The non-uniform diaphragm includes a central region and a peripheral region, where the thickness of the central region is greater than the thickness of the peripheral region.

Abstract: Presented herein are binaural hearing prosthesis systems that are configured to provide a recipient with pitch cues at both ears, while preserving/retaining binaural timing cues.

Abstract: A neural stimulator, suitable for implanting in a recipient, and configured to combine vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) with cochlear stimulation, to result in faster adaptation to new sounds and maps, and alleviation of tinnitus in the recipient.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques that use acoustic scene (environmental) analysis to determine the sound class of sound signals received at a hearing prosthesis and, accordingly, assess the estimated listening difficulty that the acoustic environment presents to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis. This difficulty of the recipient's listening situation can be used to adjust, adapt, or otherwise set the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals delivered to the recipient to evoke perception of the sound signals. In other words, the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals is dynamically adapted based on the present acoustic environment of the hearing prosthesis.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for training a hearing prosthesis to classify/categorize received sound signals as either including a recipient's own voice (i.e., the voice or speech of the recipient of the hearing prosthesis) or external voice (i.e., the voice or speech of one or more persons other than the recipient). The techniques presented herein use the captured voice (speech) of the recipient to train the hearing prosthesis to perform the classification of the sound signals as including the recipient's own voice or external voice.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as an implantable medical device, including an implantable device configured to cause trauma in an inner ear and/or a middle ear recipient. In an exemplary embodiment, the implantable device is a cochlear implant. In an exemplary embodiment, the implantable device is configured to deliver a therapeutic substance to body tissue of the recipient.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for clinical-based automated control of the delivery of treatment substances to at least one inner ear of a recipient of an implantable medical device. More specifically, in-vivo biomarkers are analyzed to determine a biological state/status of one or more physiological elements of the inner ear. Subsequent delivery of one or more treatment substances to the inner ear of the recipient are controlled based on the determined biological state of the one or more physiological elements of the inner ear.

Abstract: A bone conduction device, including a transducer and a housing, wherein the housing is directly flexibly connected to the transducer at a dynamic component of the bone conduction device and directly flexibly connected to a static component of the bone conduction device. In an exemplary embodiment, the bone conduction device is a percutaneous bone conduction device.

Abstract: A drill bit for drilling into bone, including at least a first, second and third longitudinally extending substantially straight flute blades, wherein the drill bit has an extrapolated outer profile established by rotation of the first, second and third flute blades 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis thereof, the extrapolated outer profile includes a first surface having tangents more perpendicular than parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the extrapolated outer profile includes a second surface having tangents more parallel than perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: At least one of the first or second hearing prostheses of a binaural hearing prosthesis system includes a dual-mode sound processing unit that is configured to selectively operate in a “sound processing mode” or in a “wireless streaming mode.” When operating in the sound processing mode, the dual-mode sound processing unit is configured to convert received sound signals into output signals for use in stimulating a first ear of a recipient. However, while operating in the wireless streaming mode, the dual-mode sound processing unit is configured to capture input signals (e.g., sound signals, data signals, etc.) and to encode those input signals for direct or indirect wireless transmission to the sound processing unit of the other hearing prosthesis of the binaural hearing system.

Abstract: A cochlear implant hearing aid system is disclosed. The system comprises an external unit configured to receive acoustic sound and process the acoustic sound into a coded audio signal, and an implantable unit configured to receive the coded audio signal. Further, the external unit comprises a power supply unit connected via a first path to a switching unit, wherein the switching unit is connected via a second path to ground and is connected at an output thereof to a first coil. Furthermore, the switching unit is configured to operate as a switching element configured to switch between switching states, wherein the switching states include a first state for applying and a second state for not applying a current to the first coil. The coded audio signal is supplied to the switching unit as a control signal, and the first coil is inductively linked to a second coil arranged in the implantable unit.

Abstract: Presented herein are dual-function surgical tools for insertion of implantable stimulating assemblies, such as intra-cochlear stimulating assemblies. In addition to facilitating intra-operative positioning of a stimulating assembly within a recipient (e.g., operating to guide the stimulating assembly of an implantable medical device into position), the surgical tool also includes a plurality of electrodes configured to apply an electroporation electrical field to a recipient's nerve cells to enable introduction of treatment substance into the nerve cells.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for extracting features from sound signals received at a hearing prosthesis at least partially based on an environmental classification of the sound signals. More specifically, one or more sound signals are received at a hearing prosthesis and are converted in to stimulation control signals for use in delivering stimulation to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis. The hearing prosthesis determines an environmental classification of the sound environment associated with the one or more sound signals and is configured to use the environmental classification in the determination of a feature-based adjustment for incorporation into the stimulation control signals.

Abstract: A hearing device is provided. The hearing device comprises a first portion configured to be arranged at a head of a user and to provide a signal to a second portion.