Abstract: An external unit for an implantable neuro stimulator system and a method of operating the same, comprising an external coil inductively couplable to an implant coil of an implantable neural stimulator unit when in close proximity to each other. An RF-signal generating module for generating and outputting an RF-signal to the coil for inductive power and/or data transfer to the implantable neural stimulator unit, a measurement unit connected to the coil for measurement of an electrical parameter at the coil and a controller connected to the measurement unit and comprising a comparator and a storage for storing the electrical parameter.

Abstract: A system and method of fitting an Electric Acoustic Stimulation (EAS) system of a patient that has binaural hearing is provided. The patient has an ipsilateral ear and a contralateral ear opposite the ipsilateral ear, with the EAS system associated with the ipsilateral ear of the patient. Stimulation parameters of the EAS system are developed unilaterally while taking into account hearing abilities of the contralateral ear. The EAS system is configured based on the developed stimulation parameters.

Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrical stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant array. An input sound signal is processed to generate band pass signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A spectrogram representative of frequency spectrum present in the input sound signal is generated. A characteristic envelope signal is produced for each band pass signal based on its amplitude. An active contour model is applied to estimate dominant frequencies present in the spectrogram, and the estimate is used to generate stimulation timing signals for the input sound signal. The electrode stimulation signals are produced for each electrode contact based on the envelope signals and the stimulation timing signals.

Abstract: An electrode for use with a cochlear implant system includes an electrode array with electrode contacts distributed along the electrode array, and an electrode lead adjacent to the electrode array. The electrode lead has (1) a flexible region configured to allow the electrode lead to bend, (2) an attachment mechanism with an internal portion positioned within and along a longitudinal direction of the electrode lead, and an external portion configured to be bent and secured to bone, the external portion having an attachment element configured to secure the attachment mechanism to the bone, and (3) a securing element extending from the electrode lead and located further back from the flexible region toward a rear end of the electrode lead, the securing element configured to secure the electrode lead to the bone. A method of securing the electrode to bone is also disclosed.

Abstract: An implantable bone conduction transducer has a center rotational axis radially surrounded by an outer surface, and at least one radial projection projecting radially outward from the outer surface. An implantable transducer receptacle has a receptacle outer surface configured to fit into a receptacle recess in skull bone of a recipient patient, a receptacle inner surface configured to fit around the outer surface of the transducer, and at least one projection bracket projecting radially inward away from the receptacle inner surface. The at least one projection bracket and the at least one radial projection are configured to cooperate so that rotation of the transducer around the center rotational axis creates increased lateral force between the transducer and the skull bone surrounding the receptacle recess so as to securely engage the transducer with the skull bone.

Abstract: A method of fitting a cochlear implant in an ipsilateral ear of a subject, the cochlear implant having an electrode array with one or more electrode contacts, includes applying broad-band white noise stimulus to a contralateral ear in order to mask efferent nerve fibers, applying a single pulse stimulus to the ipsilateral ear and then measuring base-line evoked compound action potential (CAP) signals in the ipsilateral ear for an electrode contact during a refractory period, applying a sequence of separated single pulse stimuli to the contralateral ear and then measuring attenuated CAP signals in the ipsilateral ear for the electrode contact during the refractory period, comparing the measured attenuated CAP signals to the measured base-line CAP signals in order to determine a CAP threshold for the electrode contact and adjusting processing parameters of the cochlear implant based on the CAP threshold.

Abstract: A vestibular electrode is described that is for implantation into a vestibular semi-circular canal. An intra-labyrinthine electrode carrier with a C-shaped cross-section has an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, and is configured to fit through an electrode opening in an outer surface of the bony labyrinth into the perilymph fluid without breaking the membranous labyrinth so as to fit the inner concave surface of the electrode carrier adjacent to the membranous labyrinth and the outer convex surface adjacent to the bony labyrinth. There are one or more electrode contacts on a surface of the electrode carrier that are configured for electrical interaction with adjacent neural tissue.

Abstract: A bilateral hearing implant system has a left side and a right side. There is an interaural time delay (ITD) processing module on each side that adjusts ITD characteristics of the stimulation signals based on defined groups of stimulation channels that include: i. an apical channel group on each side corresponding to a lowest range of audio frequencies up to a common apical channel group upper frequency limit, wherein a common number of one or more stimulation channels is assigned to each apical channel group, and wherein corresponding apical channel group stimulation channels on each side have matching bands of audio frequencies, and ii. one or more basal channel groups on each side corresponding to higher range audio frequencies above the apical channel group upper frequency limit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring, preventing and/or treating upper airway disorders such as apnea, dysphagia, reflux and/or snoring are described. The methods and systems monitor the upper airway disorders by processing one or more neural signals obtained from one or more upper airway afferents. Upper airway disorders are prevented and/or treated by delivering one or more stimulations to one or more reflex-related afferents, efferents, muscles, and sensory receptors to manipulate the threshold and/or trigger an upper airway reflex including, but not limited to a swallow reflex and/or a negative-pressure reflex.

Abstract: A middle ear prosthesis coupling member is described that includes a transducer coupling element adapted for coupling to a mechanical signal transducer, and an ossicle fastener coupled to the transducer coupling element and adapted for secure attachment to the short process of the incus ossicle of a patient middle ear. The ossicle fastener includes parallel separated first and second fastener clips. Each fastener clip has two opposing bendable legs adapted for forming an interior region for receiving the short process of the incus ossicle and a relieved opening between opposing leg ends displaceably providing access for the incus ossicle to the interior region. The fastener clips securely enclose the short process of the incus ossicle within the interior region. The first fastener clip is adapted for exerting a force to pull the ossicle fastener toward the short process of the incus ossicle.

Abstract: An electrical feedthrough assembly for an implantable medical device includes an outer ferrule of metallic material having an outer surface hermetically sealed to an implantable device housing. There is an inner feedthrough assembly which is hermetically sealed within the ferrule and which has a structure of sintered layers that include: i. an electrical insulator of ceramic insulator material, ii. one or more electrically conductive vias of metallized conductive material embedded within and extending through the electrical insulator, and iii. a transition interface region around each of the conductive vias comprising a gradient mixture of the ceramic insulator material and the metallized conductive material forming a gradual transition and a mechanical bond between the electrical insulator and the conductive via.

Abstract: An implantable neural tissue electrode assembly includes a cylindrical electrode lead with at least one electrode contact on the outer surface of the electrode lead. An active distal end fixation anchor is located at the distal end of the electrode lead and is adapted to fasten to adjacent tissue by rotation in a fastening direction. A passive rear fixation anchor is located on the outer surface of the electrode lead offset a longitudinal distance back from the distal end and has at least one curved blade with a blade tip directed away from rotation in the fastening direction. The rear fixation anchor is adapted to permanently fasten to adjacent tissue by rotation opposite to the fastening direction so that the blade tip cuts into the adjacent tissue, and the electrode assembly is adapted such that physiological induced strains are distributed along the electrode lead.

Abstract: A method is described for determining an optimal placement location for an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) electrode array. A cochlear implant (CI) electrode array is inserted into a patient cochlea, and the ABI electrode array is initially placed at an initial placement location on a patient brainstem. The optimal placement location for the ABI electrode array is then determined by, for multiple electrode contacts on the ABI electrode array: i. selecting a specific electrode contact, ii. delivering a stimulation signal to the selected electrode contact, iii. sensing an efferent nerve signal from the stimulation signal using the electrode contacts of the CI electrode array, and iv. determining a maximum response location in the patient cochlea where a largest efferent nerve signal is sensed. The ABI electrode array is then repositioned to the optimal placement location.

Abstract: A respiration sensor is described of a respiration implant system for an implanted patient with impaired breathing. A sensor body is made of electrically insulating material and is configured to fit between two adjacent ribs and between the pectoralis muscle and the parasternal muscle of the implanted patient, with the bottom surface adjacent to an superficial surface of the parasternal muscle and the top surface adjacent to a profound surface of the pectoralis muscle. At least one parasternal sensor electrode is located on the bottom surface of the sensor body and is configured to cooperate with the electrically insulating material of the sensor body to sense a parasternal electromyography (EMG) signal representing electrical activity of the adjacent parasternal muscle with minimal influence by electrical activity of the nearby pectoralis muscle.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system is described which includes an implant housing containing a stimulation processor for processing externally produced communications signals to generate electrical stimulation signals for the cochlea of an implant patient. The implant housing lies substantially in a plane and has an outer perimeter adapted to fit within a surgically prepared housing recess in skull bone of the implant patient. Multiple housing fixation features are located on the outer perimeter and cooperate to develop lateral force in the plane of the implant housing between the implant housing and adjacent skull bone of the housing recess to fixedly secure the implant housing within the housing recess.

Abstract: An implantable processor arrangement is described for an active implantable medical device (AIMD) system implanted under the skin of a patient. An implantable communications coil arrangement is configured for transdermal transfer of an implant communications signal. An implantable processor is coupled to and controls the implantable communications coil arrangement so as to operate in two different communications modes. In a normal operation mode, the processor configures the communications coil arrangement for peridermal communication with an external communications coil placed on the skin of the patient immediately over the implantable communications coil arrangement using load modulation of the communications coil arrangement, wherein the implantable communications coil has a resonance frequency matching the transmission frequency.

Abstract: A system and method detect neuronal action potential signals from tissue responding to electrical stimulation signals. A sparse signal space model for a set of tissue response recordings has a signal space separable into a plurality of disjoint component manifolds including a neural action potential (NAP) component manifold corresponding to tissue response to electrical stimulation signals. A response measurement module is configured to: i. map a tissue response measurement signal into the sparse signal model space to obtain a corresponding sparse signal representation, ii. project the sparse signal representation onto the NAP component manifold to obtain a sparse NAP component representation, iii. when the sparse NAP component representation is greater than a minimum threshold value, report and recover a detected NAP signal in the tissue response measurement signal.

Abstract: A sound processing arrangement is described for a patient with a bilateral cochlear implant system having implanted electrode arrays in each ear. There is a left-side sensing microphone and a right-side sensing microphone, each configured for sensing the sound environment surrounding the patient and generating corresponding microphone signals. A sound object identification module is configured for analyzing the microphone signals to identify one or more sound objects within the sound environment. A sound object selection module is configured for processing the microphone signals to generate a sound object signal for each of the one or more sound objects. A stimulation side selector module is configured for selecting on which side or sides of the bilateral cochlear implant arrangement to process each sound object signal. One or more sound processors processes the sound object signals to generate stimulation signals to the implanted electrode arrays on the selected side or sides.

Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrode stimulation signals to stimulation contacts in a cochlear implant electrode array. A signal filter bank transforms an input sound signal into band pass signals, which each represent an associated frequency band of audio frequencies. An envelope processing module processes the band pass signals in a sequence of sampling time frames, wherein for each time frame, the processing includes calculating for each band pass signal at least one signal envelope dynamic property that is changing during the time frame. A channel selection module selects one or more of the band pass signals for each time frame based on the dynamic properties to produce the electrode stimulation signals to the stimulation contacts.

Abstract: A bone conduction hearing aid system includes a hearing aid housing with a hearing aid vibrator. A skin interface has an interface connector offset on an outer interface surface and detachably connected to a housing connector. A skin adhesive connects to the skin of a patient user to transmit the sound vibrations through the skin to underlying skull bone for transmission by bone conduction to a hearing organ of the user. When the skin adhesive is pressed against the skin of the user, the skin is initially engaged during an initial engagement period with an initial adhesive force that promotes removal and relocation of the skin interface, and the skin is fully engaged after the initial engagement period with a full adhesive force greater than the initial adhesive force that promotes a fixed secure connection that resists removal of the skin interface.