Abstract: A cochlear implant system comprising an external component having an external speech processor unit, and an internal component. The speech processor unit monitors one or more parameters, and the speech processor unit is configured to reduce the power consumption of the cochlear implant system in the absence of one or more parameters.

Abstract: An external component of a cochlear implant system. The external component includes a support configured to house one or more electronic components and to be mounted to an outer ear of a recipient, and an external antenna configured to provide one or more of power and data signals from the electronic components to an implantable component of the cochlear implant system, wherein the external antenna is mounted to the support such that the external antenna moveable relative to at least a portion of the support.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system comprising an external component having an external speech processor unit, and an internal component. The speech processor unit monitors one or more parameters, and the speech processor unit is configured to reduce the power consumption of the cochlear implant system in the absence of one or more parameters.

Abstract: A speech processor unit (12) for a cochlear implant system. The speech processor unit (12) comprises a signal processor for processing incoming auditory signals and for forwarding processed signals to an implanted component (18) of the system, a monitoring means for monitoring a predetermined parameter, and a controller, controlled by the signal processor, for placing the unit in an idle state in the absence of the parameter. The predetermined parameter can comprise the presence or absence of the implanted receiver antenna coil (22) relative to the external antenna coil (16). The invention allows the speech processor unit (12) to be supplied without a physical on and off switch.

Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is described that has both passive RFID tag features and active RFID tag features. In one example, the tag has a first radio transponder to transmit by backscattering a received signal, a second radio transponder to operate on a multiple access wireless network, and a connection from the first radio transponder and to the second radio transponder to transfer information about communications over the multiple access wireless network from the first radio transponder to the second radio transponder.