Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable electromechanical converter for receiving oscillations from an ear ossicle and for converting them into an electrical voltage, for use as a microphone for a cochlea implant or an implantable hearing aid, consisting of one or more piezoelectric converter elements (11) housed in a hermetically sealed hollow body (2) made of a biocompatible material. The converter is characterized in that the hollow body has a thin shell (9) which is connected with its interior side to the piezoelectric converter elements and which can be coupled with its exterior side to an ear ossicle, and which is held by a stable edge (10), whereby the stable edge can be coupled to a counter-support in the middle ear space.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable electromechanical converter for receiving oscillations from an ear ossicle and for converting them into an electrical voltage, for use as a microphone for a cochlea implant or an implantable hearing aid, consisting of one or more piezoelectric converter elements (11) housed in a hermetically sealed hollow body (2) made of a biocompatible material. The converter is characterized in that the hollow body has a thin shell (9) which is connected with its interior side to the piezoelectric converter elements and which can be coupled with its exterior side to an ear ossicle, and which is held by a stable edge (10), whereby the stable edge can be coupled to a counter-support in the middle ear space.

Abstract: An electrode for placement in a human mouth for the measurement of muscle activity in the pharyngeal airway. The electrode includes at least one leg extending from a planer face so as to make electrical contact with the genioglossus muscle. The electrode permits a reduction in the number of patients requiring overnight polysomnography to prediagnose people with sleep apnea.

Abstract: Interference-free coil systems are coil systems having at least two coils which are identical in terms of inductance. These coils are arranged such that their magnetic fields are antiparallel to one another. Consequently, induced voltages within the coils are substantially eliminated when the coils are exposed to a homogeneous electromagnetic field. If exposed to an nonhomogeneous electromagnetic field, however, a net voltage is induced and enables the extraction of data and power. Reed switch configurations in the implantable prostheses protect against induced voltages caused by the radio frequency field generated by an MR imager when the reed switches are mounted parallel to the plane of a receiver. Reed switch configuration may be used to disconnect, de-tune, or short circuit a receiver. For example, they may be used to disconnect the receiver diodes.

Abstract: A hearing prosthesis is described for a user in an acoustic environment having a range of audio frequencies. The prosthesis includes an electrical stimulation module, and acoustic mechanical stimulation module, and a stimulation amplifier. The electrical stimulation module delivers to the auditory nerve of the user an electrical stimulation signal representative of a first subrange of frequencies in the range of audio frequencies in the acoustic environment. The acoustic mechanical stimulation module delivers to the inner ear structure of the user a mechanical stimulation signal representative of a second subrange of frequencies in the range of audio frequencies in the acoustic environment. The stimulation amplifier in communication with the electrical stimulation module and the acoustic mechanical stimulation module that determines, for each stimulation module, an amplification magnitude envelope for the subrange of frequencies for that stimulation module.

Abstract: A digital finite impulse response bandpass filter is described. Analog to digital conversion (A/D) of an input signal uses a Sigma-Delta (.SIGMA.-.DELTA.) converter, resulting in a digital sequence representation of the input signal. A low-pass FIR filter convolves the binary sequence to produce a low-pass vector, and a digital comb filter defined by at least one set of weighted and time-shifted unit impulses convolves the low-pass vector with the comb filter weights. An envelope detector detects a bandpass envelope of the digital FIR bandpass filter. Also described is a filter bank of a plurality of such digital FIR filters arranged in parallel.A square root of a sum of squares of the convolution products of the low-pass vector with the comb filter weights is calculated to estimate the bandpass envelope.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system including primary and secondary coils of wire for transmitting electromagnetic energy between the primary and secondary coils, wherein at least one of the primary and secondary coils are wound with turns of wire that are distributed radially and not concentrated at a single circumference so as to enhance the magnetic coupling coefficient of the primary and secondary coil systems.