Abstract: A floating mass transducer for a hearing implant includes a cylindrical transducer housing that is attachable to a middle ear hearing structure and that has an outer surface with one or more electric drive coils thereon. A cylindrical transducer magnet arrangement is positioned within an interior volume of the transducer housing and includes a magnetic pair of an inner rod magnet and an outer annular magnet. Current flow through the drive coils creates a coil magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement to create vibration in the transducer magnet which is coupled by the transducer housing to the middle ear hearing structure for perception as sound. Opposing magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement cancel each other to minimize their combined magnetic field and thereby minimize magnetic interaction of the transducer magnet arrangement with any external magnetic field.

Abstract: The present invention relates to implantable medical devices for improving sound perception by subjects with conductive or mixed conductive/sensorineural hearing loss. In particular, the present invention provides methods and devices for vibrating the skull of a hearing impaired subject.

Abstract: A magnet arrangement is described for use with hearing implant systems. An external device for use with an implant system has an external device housing that contains external elements of a hearing implant system. A cylindrical external magnet arrangement within the housing has multiple magnetic sections lying in a common plane, including an inner center disc having an inner magnetic orientation in an inner magnetic direction, and an outer radial ring having an outer magnetic orientation in an outer magnetic direction opposite to the inner magnetic direction.

Abstract: An implantable hearing prosthesis for a recipient patient is described. An implantable attachment magnet is fixable beneath the skin of the patient to underlying skull bone and is adapted to magnetically connect with an external attachment magnet over the skin. An implantable signal transducer also is fixable beneath the skin of the patient to underlying skull bone and is adapted to transform a magnetic audio signal from an external signal drive coil into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal for delivery by bone conduction of the skull bone as an audio signal to the cochlea. A connector member flexibly connects and positions the attachment magnet a fixed distance from the signal transducer.

Abstract: An acoustic drive device for an implantable hearing prosthesis is described. A cantilevered positioning stalk has a base end fixedly coupled to an implantable signal processor, an elongated center beam supported by the base end, and an unsupported free end of the positioning stalk. An acoustic drive unit is located at the free end of the positioning stalk and adapted to convert an electrical stimulation signal from the signal processor into an acoustic mechanical stimulation signal directed to an outer surface of a patient cochlea.

Abstract: An electro-magnetic transducer assembly includes a first component. The first component includes at least one magnet, and optionally a first attachment mechanism for attaching the first component to a vibrating structure. A coil assembly includes a second attachment mechanism for removably attaching the coil assembly to the first component. The coil assembly further includes at least one coil that produces a signal representative of the vibration of the at least one magnet. An output port provides the signal.

Abstract: A hearing system for use by a user is presented. The hearing system includes an external portion for placement external the user. The external portion includes a sound processing unit for providing amplified acoustic sound to an ear of the user. The hearing system further includes an implantable portion for implantation under the skin of the user. The implantable portion and the sound processing unit have magnetic characteristics such that a magnetic attraction exists there between to retain the sound processing unit in a desired position.

Abstract: A system and method for restricting an anatomical passageway includes a plurality of ring magnet pieces. Each of the plurality of ring magnet pieces has an inner and outer surface, and a pair of magnetic end sections between the outer surface and the inner surface, each end section having a characteristic magnetic field arrangement. An insert includes at least one of a magnet and a magnetic material. The ring magnet pieces are capable of forming, due to their magnetic field arrangements, an enclosed ring around an anatomical passageway. The insert is magnetically held in place by the ring magnet pieces when positioned in the anatomical passageway.

Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis is described which includes an elongated prosthesis member having a proximal end and a distal end. A cochlea striker mass is at the distal end of the prosthesis member and includes an outer striking surface for coupling vibration of the striker mass to an outer cochlea surface of a recipient patient. A locking clamp is at the proximal end of the prosthesis member and includes a clamp strap having a fixed end and a free end, and a locking head at the fixed end of the clamp strap which has a strap opening for insertion of the free end of the clamp strap. The clamp strap passes around an ossicle of the middle ear in a closed loop and is fixedly engaged by the locking head such that acoustic vibration of the ossicle is coupled by the prosthesis member to the cochlea surface.

Abstract: A magnetic vascular clamp for vascular repair is described. There are two clamp pieces, where each clamp piece forms a partial cylindrical section of an annular cylinder. Each clamp piece has an outer surface and an inner surface, structural ribs arranged across the inner surface from one sectional end to the other, and a pair of magnetic sectional end surfaces connecting the outer surface and the inner surface and having a characteristic magnetic field arrangement. The sectional end surfaces and magnetic field arrangements of each clamp piece cooperate with the sectional end surfaces and magnetic field arrangements of the other clamp piece to form a complete annular cylinder held together by the magnetic field arrangements and enclosing an inner cylinder so as to structurally support damaged vascular tissue therein with minimal fluid leakage.

Abstract: An implantable electrode for a cochlear implant system is described. A basal electrode lead goes from an implant housing to a cochleostomy opening and contains electrode wires for carrying one or more electrical stimulation signals. An apical electrode array fits through the cochleostomy opening into a patient cochlea and has multiple electrode contacts for applying the electrical stimulation signals to target neural tissue in the cochlea. Resilient array projections extend radially outward from an outer surface of the electrode array.

Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis is described which includes an elongated prosthesis member having a proximal end and a distal end. A cochlea striker mass is at the distal end of the prosthesis member and includes an outer striking surface for coupling vibration of the striker mass to an outer cochlea surface of a recipient patient. A locking clamp is at the proximal end of the prosthesis member and includes a clamp strap having a fixed end and a free end, and a locking head at the fixed end of the clamp strap which has a strap opening for insertion of the free end of the clamp strap. The clamp strap passes around an ossicle of the middle ear in a closed loop and is fixedly engaged by the locking head such that acoustic vibration of the ossicle is coupled by the prosthesis member to the cochlea surface.

Abstract: Implantable microphone devices that may be utilized in hearing systems are provided. An implantable microphone device allows the implantable microphone's frequency response and sensitivity to be selected. A microphone device with an increased membrane flexibility and a decreased acoustic compliance of the sealed cavity. Vibrations of a membrane are transmitted through a primary air cavity and through an aperture of a microphone. Keeping a flexible membrane and decreasing the sealed air cavity compliance are the preferred way to simultaneously increase overall sensitivity of the device, and move the resonance peak to higher frequencies.

Abstract: An implantable hearing prosthesis is described for a recipient patient. An implantable receiving coil receives an externally generated communication data signal. An implantable signal processor is in communication with the receiving coil for converting the communication data signal into a transducer stimulation signal. An implantable enclosed acoustic transducer is in communication with the signal processor for converting the transducer stimulation signal into an acoustic signal for generating acoustic vibrational stimulation of one or more hearing structures in the middle ear of the patient. The transducer can be enclosed in an implantable signal delivery baffle. A probe microphone system includes a baffle to seal middle ear structures to reduce ambient noise pickup.

Abstract: An electronic connection device is described. A magnetic connector interface has at least two adjacent magnetic interface elements. One is a north wiring interface element having an outer surface with a north magnetic field orientation and at least one wiring contact for providing electrical connection to at least one north electrical wire. The other interface element is a south wiring interface element having an outer surface with a south magnetic field orientation and at least one wiring contact for providing electrical connection to at least one south electrical wire.

Abstract: A magnet arrangement is described for use in implantable devices. An implantable housing contains a portion of an implantable electronic system. A cylindrical implant magnet arrangement within the housing includes multiple adjacent magnetic sections wherein at least two of the magnetic sections have opposing magnetic orientations in opposite magnetic directions. There may also be a similar external housing having a corresponding magnet arrangement.

Abstract: A prosthetic hearing system is described that provides multi-path stimulation of the patient auditory system. A mechanical stimulation component applies mechanical stimulation signals to cerebral tissue such as the dura mater, cerebrospinal fluid, vestibular structures, etc. using multiple separate mechanical stimulation channels. And an electrical stimulation component provides electrical stimulation of auditory neural tissue of the patient user.

Abstract: A floating mass transducer for assisting hearing in a person is provided. Inertial vibration in the floating mass transducer (100) produces vibrations in the inner ear. In an exemplary embodiment, the floating mass transducer comprises a magnet assembly (12) and a coil (14) secured inside a housing (10) which is attached to bone within the middle ear. The coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet. The magnet assembly and coil are configured such that conducting alternating electrical current through the coil results in vibration of the magnet assembly and coil relative to one another. The vibration is caused by the interaction of the magnetic fields of the magnet assembly and coil. Because the coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet assembly, the vibrations of the coil cause the housing to vibrate. The floating mass transducer may generate vibrations in the inner ear by being attached to the skull or through a mouthpiece.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving sound perception in a subject equipped with an implantable vibratory unit comprising a transducer and a transduction medium in which the transducer is disposed within or against the transduction medium. The transducer is configured to impart vibrations to a vibratory structure of a subject's ear through the transduction medium in response to an electrical signal corresponding to sound. In certain embodiments, the transduction medium directly contacts the vibratory structure of the subject's ear, whereas the transducer does not.

Abstract: Implantable microphone devices that may be utilized in hearing systems are provided. An implantable microphone device allows the implantable microphone's frequency response and sensitivity to be selected. A microphone device with an increased membrane flexibility and a decreased acoustic compliance of the sealed cavity. Vibrations of a membrane are transmitted through a primary air cavity and through an aperture of a microphone. Keeping a flexible membrane and decreasing the sealed air cavity compliance are the preferred way to simultaneously increase overall sensitivity of the device, and move the resonance peak to higher frequencies.