Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power without the use of a headpiece.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power without the use of a headpiece.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power without the use of a headpiece.

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear implant system for a patient includes a cochlear implant, a sound processor, and an implantable battery configured to be implanted within the patient. The cochlear implant is configured to 1) determine that a signal is not being provided to the cochlear implant by a device external to the patient, 2) determine, in response to the determination that the signal is not being provided to the cochlear implant, that an amount of power remaining in the implantable battery is above a predetermined threshold amount, and 3) initiate, in response to the determination that the amount of power remaining in the implantable battery is above the predetermined threshold, an idle mode in which the cochlear implant remains powered on while waiting for one or more signals to be provided to the cochlear implant by the device external to the patient.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power without the use of a headpiece.

Abstract: An exemplary auditory prosthesis system includes a sound processor apparatus having 1) an interface assembly that includes at least a first contact that facilitates interchangeable connectivity of a plurality of external components to the sound processor apparatus, the plurality of external components including a programming system, and 2) a control module communicatively coupled to the first contact and that communicates with each of the plurality of external components by way of the first contact. The exemplary auditory prosthesis system may also include a wireless module configured to be interchangeably connected to the interface assembly in place of the programming system, wherein, while the wireless module is interchangeably connected to the interface assembly, the wireless module is communicatively coupled to the control module by way of the first contact. Corresponding auditory prosthesis systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power without the use of a headpiece.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for installing a magnet into a cochlear implant.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for installing a magnet into a cochlear implant.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of distributed power.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes cochlear implant circuitry, which is disposed within a cochlear implant module configured to be implanted within a patient, performing the following: 1) detecting that an implantable antenna is connected to a modular connector coupled to the cochlear implant module, 2) operating in accordance with a radio frequency (“RF”) inductive link communication protocol while the implantable antenna is connected to the modular connector, 3) detecting a disconnection of the implantable antenna from the modular connector and a connection of an implantable sound processor to the modular connector, and 4) dynamically switching from operating in accordance with the RF inductive link communication protocol to operating in accordance with a hard wired baseband link communication protocol in response to the connection of the implantable sound processor to the modular connector.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for installing a magnet into a cochlear implant.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor apparatus includes 1) an earhook interface assembly that includes a plurality of contacts and that is configured to interchangeably connect to a microphone assembly and an EAS receiver assembly by way of the plurality of contacts, and 2) a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of contacts. In some examples, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as output ports to output one or more EAS signals to the EAS receiver assembly while the EAS receiver assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly.

Abstract: Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of a head mountable power supply to power an implantable cochlear stimulator.

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear implant system for a patient includes a cochlear implant, a sound processor, and an implantable battery configured to be implanted within the patient. The cochlear implant is configured to 1) determine that a signal is not being provided to the cochlear implant by a device external to the patient, 2) determine, in response to the determination that the signal is not being provided to the cochlear implant, that an amount of power remaining in the implantable battery is above a predetermined threshold amount, and 3) initiate, in response to the determination that the amount of power remaining in the implantable battery is above the predetermined threshold, an idle mode in which the cochlear implant remains powered on while waiting for one or more signals to be provided to the cochlear implant by the device external to the patient.

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear implant system includes 1) a cochlear implant configured to be implanted within a patient, 2) a sound processor configured to be located external to the patient and to direct the cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative of one or more audio signals to the patient, and 3) an implantable battery configured to be implanted within the patient and to provide operating power for the cochlear implant. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor apparatus includes 1) an earhook interface assembly that includes a plurality of contacts and that is configured to interchangeably connect to a microphone assembly and an EAS receiver assembly by way of the plurality of contacts, and 2) a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of contacts. In some examples, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as output ports to output one or more EAS signals to the EAS receiver assembly while the EAS receiver assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly.

Abstract: An exemplary system includes 1) a cochlear implant module configured to be implanted within a patient and comprising cochlear implant circuitry configured to apply electrical stimulation representative of one or more audio signals to the patient, 2) an implantable sound processor module configured to be implanted within the patient and comprising sound processor circuitry configured to optically transmit data and/or power to the cochlear implant circuitry, and 3) an optical connector assembly configured to facilitate removable coupling of the implantable sound processor module to the cochlear implant module by way of the optical connector assembly. The optical connector assembly comprises one or more optical fibers configured to facilitate the optical transmission of the data and/or the power from the sound processor circuitry to the cochlear implant circuitry while the implantable sound processor module is removably coupled to the cochlear implant module by way of the optical connector assembly.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes cochlear implant circuitry, which is disposed within a cochlear implant module configured to be implanted within a patient, performing the following: 1) detecting that an implantable antenna is connected to a modular connector coupled to the cochlear implant module, 2) operating in accordance with a radio frequency (“RF”) inductive link communication protocol while the implantable antenna is connected to the modular connector, 3) detecting a disconnection of the implantable antenna from the modular connector and a connection of an implantable sound processor to the modular connector, and 4) dynamically switching from operating in accordance with the RF inductive link communication protocol to operating in accordance with a hard wired baseband link communication protocol in response to the connection of the implantable sound processor to the modular connector.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor apparatus includes 1) an earhook interface assembly that includes a plurality of contacts and that is configured to interchangeably connect to a microphone assembly and an EAS receiver assembly by way of the plurality of contacts, and 2) a control module communicatively coupled to the plurality of contacts and that is configured to selectively operate in an input mode or in an output mode. While operating in the input mode, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as input ports to receive one or more audio signals detected by the microphone assembly while the microphone assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly. While operating in the output mode, the control module uses the plurality of contacts as output ports to output one or more EAS signals to the EAS receiver assembly while the EAS receiver assembly is connected to the earhook interface assembly.