Abstract: According to an embodiment, a system for acquiring ECAP recordings at a later session for a cochlear implant patient is disclosed. The system includes a receiving unit configured to receive, corresponding to an electrode, a stored prior individual value from a plurality of stored prior individual values of ECAP/an ECAP prior growth function, the plurality of stored prior individual values or the ECAP prior growth function being obtained at a previous session. Furthermore, a processing unit configured to process the received prior individual value/ECAP growth function to determine a stimulus signal value corresponding to the received individual value/a selected point on the ECAP prior growth function, instruct a signal delivery unit to provide to the electrode a first stimulus signal comprising a first level that is same or above said stimulus signal value, and determine a resulting ECAP generated in response to said first stimulus signal.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a system for acquiring ECAP recordings at a later session for a cochlear implant patient is disclosed. The system includes a receiving unit configured to receive, corresponding to an electrode, a stored prior individual value from a plurality of stored prior individual values of ECAP/an ECAP prior growth function, the plurality of stored prior individual values or the ECAP prior growth function being obtained at a previous session. Furthermore, a processing unit configured to process the received prior individual value/ECAP growth function to determine a stimulus signal value corresponding to the received individual value/a selected point on the ECAP prior growth function, instruct a signal delivery unit to provide to the electrode a first stimulus signal comprising a first level that is same or above said stimulus signal value, and determine a resulting ECAP generated in response to said first stimulus signal.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a system for acquiring ECAP recordings at a later session for a cochlear implant patient is disclosed. The system includes a receiving unit configured to receive, corresponding to an electrode, a stored prior individual value from a plurality of stored prior individual values of ECAP/an ECAP prior growth function, the plurality of stored prior individual values or the ECAP prior growth function being obtained at a previous session. Furthermore, a processing unit configured to process the received prior individual value/ECAP growth function to determine a stimulus signal value corresponding to the received individual value/a selected point on the ECAP prior growth function, instruct a signal delivery unit to provide to the electrode a first stimulus signal comprising a first level that is same or above said stimulus signal value, and determine a resulting ECAP generated in response to said first stimulus signal.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a system for acquiring ECAP recordings at a later session for a cochlear implant patient is disclosed. The system includes a receiving unit configured to receive, corresponding to an electrode, a stored prior individual value from a plurality of stored prior individual values of ECAP /an ECAP prior growth function, the plurality of stored prior individual values or the ECAP prior growth function being obtained at a previous session. Furthermore, a processing unit configured to process the received prior individual value /ECAP growth function to determine a stimulus signal value corresponding to the received individual value /a selected point on the ECAP prior growth function, instruct a signal delivery unit to provide to the electrode a first stimulus signal comprising a first level that is same or above said stimulus signal value, and determine a resulting ECAP generated in response to said first stimulus signal.

Abstract: An exemplary method of conveying fine structure information to a cochlear implant patient includes dividing an audio signal into a plurality of analysis channels, generating electrical stimulation in accordance with the information contained within each of the analysis channels, applying the electrical stimulation to at least one stimulation site within a patient via a plurality of stimulation channels, and at least partially isolating one of the stimulation channels from a rest of the stimulation channels, wherein fine structure information is conveyed to the patient via the isolated stimulation channel. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: In the processes for treating municipal sewage and storm water containing biosolids to discharge standards, biosolids, even after dewatering, contain typically about 80% water bound in the dead cells of the biosolids, which gives biosolids a negative heating value. It can be incinerated only at the expense of purchased fuel. Biosolids are heated to a temperature at which their cell structure is destroyed and, preferably, at which carbon dioxide is split off to lower the oxygen content of the biosolids. The resulting char is not hydrophilic, and it can be efficiently dewatered and/or dried and is a viable renewable fuel. This renewable fuel can be supplemented by also charging conventional biomass (yard and crop waste, etc.) in the same or in parallel facilities. Similarly, non-renewable hydrophilic fuels can be so processed in conjunction with the processing of biosolids to further augment the energy supply.

Abstract: In the processes for treating municipal sewage and storm water containing biosolids to discharge standards, biosolids, even after dewatering, contain typically about 80% water bound in the dead cells of the biosolids, which gives biosolids a negative heating value. It can be incinerated only at the expense of purchased fuel. Biosolids are heated to a temperature at which their cell structure is destroyed and, preferably, at which carbon dioxide is split off to lower the oxygen content of the biosolids. The resulting char is not hydrophilic, and it can be efficiently dewatered and/or dried and is a viable renewable fuel. This renewable fuel can be supplemented by also charging conventional biomass (yard and crop waste, etc.) in the same or in parallel facilities. Similarly, non-renewable hydrophilic fuels can be so processed in conjunction with the processing of biosolids to further augment the energy supply.

Abstract: In the processes for treating municipal sewage and storm water containing biosolids to discharge standards, biosolids, even after dewatering, contain typically about 80% water bound in the dead cells of the biosolids, which gives biosolids a negative heating value. It can be incinerated only at the expense of purchased fuel. Biosolids are heated to a temperature at which their cell structure is destroyed and, preferably, at which carbon dioxide is split off to lower the oxygen content of the biosolids. The resulting char is not hydrophilic, and it can be efficiently dewatered and/or dried and is a viable renewable fuel. This renewable fuel can be supplemented by also charging conventional biomass (yard and crop waste, etc.) in the same or in parallel facilities. Similarly, non-renewable hydrophilic fuels can be so processed in conjunction with the processing of biosolids to further augment the energy supply.

Abstract: Errors in pitch (frequency) allocation within a cochlear implant are corrected in order to provide a significant and profound improvement in the quality of sound perceived by the cochlear implant user. In one embodiment, the user is stimulated with a reference signal, e.g., the tone “A” (440 Hz) and then the user is stimulated with a probe signal, separated from the reference signal by an octave, e.g., high “A” (880 Hz). The user adjusts the location where the probe signal is applied, using current steering, until the pitch of the probe signal, as perceived by the user, matches the pitch of the reference signal, as perceived by the user. In this manner, the user maps frequencies to stimulation locations in order to tune his or her implant system to his or her unique cochlea.

Abstract: A system and method uses an electrical stimulator to stimulate the auditory system with a relatively simple signal that contains temporally challenging information in order to preserve neuronal survival and plasticity of the auditory system, and also to preserve residual hearing. The stimulation provided need not be continuous, but may be provided only during limited periods of time each day, or only on selected days. The system or method is particularly suited for very young children who acquire hearing impairment or deafness early in life and who may not yet be ready for a cochlear implant. The invention requires only minimal surgical intervention, if any, and may be carried out without the need for intra-cochlear electrodes. Under special circumstances, the invention may also be used with older children or adults with a hearing impairment or deafness.

Abstract: An implantable microstimulator, or equivalent neural stimulator, generates a relatively simple signal containing temporally challenging information and delivers such signal to the middle or outer portion of the ear contra-lateral to an ear having a cochlear implant of a bilaterally deafened patient. Such stimulation delivered to the contra lateral ear advantageously increases the survival rate of neurons therein, and further helps maintain or extend the plasticity of the higher auditory pathways of the contra-lateral ear, thereby allowing a cochlear implant to be more effectively used in such ear at a later date. The stimulation provided by the microstimulator, or equivalent simple neural stimulator, need not be continuous, but may be provided only during limited periods of time each day, or only on selected days. Further, such stimulation preserves whatever residual hearing may be left in the contra lateral ear.

Abstract: A neurostimulator system (170) stimulates excitable muscle or neural tissue through multiple electrodes (E1, E2, . . . En) fast enough to induce stochastic neural firing, thereby acting to restore “spontaneous” neural activity. The type of stimulation provided by the neurostimulator involves the use of a high rate, e.g., greater than about 2000 Hz, pulsatile stimulation signal generated by a high rate pulse generator (172). The stream of pulses generated by the high rate pulse generator is amplitude modulated in an output driver circuit (176) with control information, provided by a modulation control element (178). Such amplitude-modulated pulsatile stimulation exploits the subtle electro physiological differences between cells comprising excitable tissue in order to desynchronize action potentials within the population of excitable tissue.

Abstract: A neurostimulator system (170) stimulates excitable muscle or neural tissue through multiple electrodes (E1, E2, . . . En) fast enough to induce stochastic neural firing, thereby acting to restore “spontaneous” neural activity. The type of stimulation provided by the neurostimulator involves the use of a high rate, e.g., greater than about 2000 Hz, pulsatile stimulation signal generated by a high rate pulse generator (172). The stream of pulses generated by the high rate pulse generator is amplitude modulated in an output driver circuit (176) with control information, provided by a modulation control element (178). Such amplitude-modulated pulsatile stimulation exploits the subtle electro physiological differences between cells comprising excitable tissue in order to desynchronize action potentials within the population of excitable tissue.

Abstract: A multichannel cochlear implant system spatially spreads the excitation pattern in the target neural tissue by either: (1) rapid sequential stimulation of a small group of electrodes, or (2) simultaneously stimulating a small group of electrodes. Such multi-electrode stimulation stimulates a greater number of neurons in a synchronous manner, thereby increasing the amplitude of the extra-cellular voltage fluctuation and facilitating its recording. The electrical stimuli are applied simultaneously (or sequentially at a rapid rate) on selected small groups of electrodes while monitoring the evoked compound action potential (ECAP) on a nearby electrode. The presence of an observable ECAP not only validates operation of the implant device at a time when the patient may be unconscious or otherwise unable to provide subjective feedback, but also provides a way for the magnitude of the observed ECAP to be recorded as a function of the amplitude of the applied stimulus.

Abstract: Methods of automatically identifying whether a neural recording signal includes a neural response signal include fitting an artifact model to a neural recording signal to produce a fitted artifact model signal, determining a strength-of-response (SOR) metric that describes a distance of the neural recording signal from the fitted artifact model signal, and identifying the neural recording signal as including a neural response signal if the strength-of-response metric is above a pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: Methods of automatically determining a neural response threshold current level include identifying one or more neural response signals at one or more corresponding stimulation current levels, identifying one or more non-response signals at one or more corresponding stimulation current levels, and analyzing a trend between the neural response signals and the non-response signals. Systems for automatically determining a neural response threshold current level include one or more devices configured to identify one or more neural response signals at one or more corresponding stimulation current levels, identify one or more non-response signals at one or more corresponding stimulation current levels; and analyze a trend between the neural response signals and the non-response signals.

Abstract: In the processes for treating municipal sewage and storm water containing biosolids to discharge standards, biosolids, even after dewatering, contain typically about 80% water bound in the dead cells of the biosolids, which gives biosolids a negative heating value. It can be incinerated only at the expense of purchased fuel. Biosolids are heated to a temperature at which their cell structure is destroyed and, preferably, at which carbon dioxide is split off to lower the oxygen content of the biosolids. The resulting char is not hydrophilic, and it can be efficiently dewatered and/or dried and is a viable renewable fuel. This renewable fuel can be supplemented by also charging conventional biomass (yard and crop waste, etc.) in the same or in parallel facilities. Similarly, non-renewable hydrophilic fuels can be so processed in conjunction with the processing of biosolids to further augment the energy supply.

Abstract: Methods and systems for modifying the parameters of at least one hearing device for a patient with residual hearing provide needed orchestration of acoustic and electric stimulation of patients wearing such devices.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of treating a patient with epilepsy include applying a stimulus to a stimulation site within the patient with an implanted system control unit in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters. The stimulus includes a stimulation current having a frequency substantially equal to or greater than 400 Hz. Exemplary systems for treating a patient with epilepsy include a system control unit configured to apply a stimulus to a stimulation site within the patient in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters. The stimulus includes a stimulation current having a frequency substantially equal to or greater than 400 Hz.