Abstract: Presented herein are predictive consultation techniques for use with medical devices. The techniques presented herein, sometimes referred to herein as “predictive medical device consultation techniques,” can include, for example, generation of one or more clinical predictions related to timing of future clinical appointments and/or one or more clinical predictions related to the selection of a medical device for the recipient.

Abstract: Diagnosing and treating presbycusis (age related hearing loss) includes measuring basilar membrane stiffness. In an example, a low frequency component of an electrocochleogram stimulation signal is used to bias a region of the basilar membrane, the results of which are used basilar membrane stiffness. The resulting measurement is used to measure a subcomponent of presbycusis. Further, the measurement can be combined with known diagnostic methods to reveal or distinguish other origins of hearing loss such as strial presbycusis, sensory presbycusis, neural presbycusis, and cochlea conductive presbycusis. The relative contributions for each of the diagnosed origins of hearing loss can be determined.

Abstract: A method includes receiving information regarding a position and/or an orientation of an implantable device relative to a body portion of a recipient during and/or after implantation of at least a portion of the device on and/or into the body portion. The device includes a plurality of electrodes configured to apply electroporation to first cells of the body portion while not damaging second cells of the body portion. The method includes estimating, in response at least in part to the information, first interactions of the electrodes with respect to the first cells. The method further includes estimating, in response at least in part to the information, second interactions of the electrodes with respect to the second cells.

Abstract: A method includes applying a stimulation profile having a plurality of stimulation signals to at least one muscle of a recipient and/or to at least one neuron configured to control the at least one muscle. The method further includes monitoring muscle fatigue of the at least one muscle during said applying the stimulation profile. The method further includes automatically modifying the stimulation profile in response to said muscle fatigue.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for generating a combinatory microphone signal from sounds captured at a microphone array. More specifically, sound signals captured by a microphone array are used to generate first and second directional signals. A cross-power signal is computed from the first and second directional signals. The cross-power signal is converted into an amplitude domain output signal, and a phase of the amplitude domain output signal is reconstructed in order to generate a combinatory microphone signal that is useable for subsequent sound processing operations.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body configured to be at least partially implanted on or within a recipient and a plurality of electrodes positioned along the body. The plurality of electrodes includes a first set of electrodes configured to apply electrical stimulation signals to at least a portion of the recipient. The plurality of electrodes further includes a second set of electrodes configured to apply an electric field to cell membranes of the recipient, the electric field configured to increase a permeability of the cell membranes to a substance.

Abstract: An apparatus, including an implantable component of an implantable prosthesis, the implantable component configured to operate in at least two different operation modes, wherein a first mode is a recipient-active mode of at least 6 hours in length where data is at least sometimes streamed from the implantable component to an external component, and an alarm is applyable to the recipient via an internal alarm system of the implantable component, and a second mode is a recipient-passive mode of at least 6 hours length where the recipient sleeps, where the implantable component is powered for functional operation primarily from an external device not magnetically coupled to the recipient, where data is at least sometimes stored internally to the implantable component, and an alarm is applyable to the recipient via an internal alarm system of the implantable component.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for generating a combinatory microphone signal from sounds captured at a microphone array. More specifically, sound signals captured by a microphone array are used to generate first and second directional signals. A cross-power signal is computed from the first and second directional signals. The cross-power signal is converted into an amplitude domain output signal, and a phase of the amplitude domain output signal is reconstructed in order to generate a combinatory microphone signal that is useable for subsequent sound processing operations.

Abstract: A medical device, wherein the medical device is configured to determine whether or not a data collection activity should be commenced, wherein the data is physiological data associated with a recipient of the medical device. In an exemplary embodiment, the medical device can be a prosthesis, such as an implanted prosthesis, and in other embodiments, the medical device is different from a prosthesis.

Abstract: Presented herein are dynamic current steering techniques in which a dynamic stimulation pulse is delivered to a recipient as current stimulation applied across a plurality of stimulation channels. The current stimulation is weighted and applied in a pattern that results in a time varying progressive change in the location of a locus of the current stimulation across the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A method, including obtaining hearing data and speech data for a statistically significant number of individuals, and analyzing the obtained hearing data and speech data using a neural network to develop a predictive algorithm for hearing loss based on the results of the analysis, wherein the predictive algorithm predicts hearing loss based on input indicative of speech of a hearing impaired person who is not one of the individuals.

Abstract: Presented herein are dynamic current steering techniques in which a dynamic stimulation pulse is delivered to a recipient as current stimulation applied across a plurality of stimulation channels. The current stimulation is weighted and applied in a pattern that results in a time varying progressive change in the location of a locus of the current stimulation across the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A method, including obtaining hearing data and speech data for a statistically significant number of individuals, and analyzing the obtained hearing data and speech data using a neural network to develop a predictive algorithm for hearing loss based on the results of the analysis, wherein the predictive algorithm predicts hearing loss based on input indicative of speech of a hearing impaired person who is not one of the individuals.

Abstract: A method, including obtaining hearing data and speech data for a statistically significant number of individuals, and analyzing the obtained hearing data and speech data using a neural network to develop a predictive algorithm for hearing loss based on the results of the analysis, wherein the predictive algorithm predicts hearing loss based on input indicative of speech of a hearing impaired person who is not one of the individuals.

Abstract: Presented herein are dynamic current steering techniques in which a dynamic stimulation pulse is delivered to a recipient as current stimulation applied across a plurality of stimulation channels. The current stimulation is weighted and applied in a pattern that results in a time varying progressive change in the location of a locus of the current stimulation across the plurality of channels.