Abstract: A method of forming a cochlear implant electrode array includes positioning a contact array assembly, which includes at least one carrier and a plurality of contacts on the at least one carrier, in a mold, removing at least a portion of the at least one carrier from the mold without removing the plurality of contacts from the mold, and introducing resilient material into the mold after the at least a portion of the at least one carrier has been removed to form a flexible body.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, a wearable auricular stimulator includes a flexible body adapted to be worn at least partially around an auricle of a wearer, including an exterior for positioning in contact with a wearer's skin, and an interior for supporting a three-dimensional (3D) circuitry layout, including traces deposited on surfaces of the interior of the flexible body, electrodes for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the wearer via a skin-facing side of the flexible body, and electronic component(s) electrically connected with the electrodes and the traces, the electronic components including a processing circuitry element for delivering electrical stimulation treatment(s) via the electrodes.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for stimulating one or more nerves with an implantable device. The implantable device may comprise an antenna circuit including a loop antenna and a control circuit including a rectifying diode for rectifying an alternating voltage induced in the antenna circuit by an external electromagnetic field. The implantable device may also include a chargeable storage element for storing energy from the rectified voltage without using a battery. The device may also include an electrode array containing a set of electrodes for emitting an electric field using the stored energy in response to a control signal received from the control circuit. The components of the device may be affixed onto a soft polymer substrate including a linkable peripheral tab on at least two edges of a substantially rectangular body section of the substrate for forming a cuff about the one or more nerves to be stimulated.

Abstract: A neuromodulation system, device, and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, a neuromodulation method includes providing a neuromodulation system including a processor, a signal generator communicatively coupled to the processor, and at least one transcutaneous electrode communicatively coupled to the signal generator. The method also includes causing the at least one transcutaneous electrode to be applied a human patient having at least one dysfunctional spinal circuit. The method further includes facilitating transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the patient's spinal cord via the processor in cooperation with the signal generator causing activation of at least one spinal network (“SN”) to enable or improve voluntary movements of the patient's arms, trunk, and legs, or autonomic control of at least one of sexual activity, vasomotor activity, speech, swallowing, chewing, cardiovascular function, respiratory activity, body temperature, metabolic processes, or cognitive function.

Abstract: A method, including capturing an individual's voice with a machine, and logging data corresponding to events and/or actions of the individual's real world auditory environment, wherein the individual is speaking while using a hearing assistance device, and the hearing assistance device at least one of corresponds to the machine or is a device used to execute the action of logging data.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed to facilitate creating the sensation of vibrotactile movement on the body of a user. Vibratory motors are used to generate a haptic language for music or other stimuli that is integrated into wearable technology. The disclosed system in certain embodiments enables the creation of a family of devices that allow people such as those with hearing impairments to experience sounds such as music or other input to the system. For example, a “sound vest” or other wearable array transforms musical input to haptic signals so that users can experience their favorite music in a unique way, and can also recognize auditory or other cues in the user's real or virtual reality environment and convey this information to the user using haptic signals.

Abstract: A method for rating the speech quality of a speech signal by a hearing device. An acousto-electric input transducer records sound containing the speech signal and converts it into an input audio signal. At least one articulatory and/or prosodic property of the speech signal is quantitatively acquired through analysis of the input audio signal, and a quantitative measure of speech quality is derived based on the articulatory and/or prosodic property. A hearing device with an acousto-electric input transducer configured to record a sound and convert it into an input audio signal, and a signal processing apparatus that is designed to quantitatively acquire at least one articulatory and/or prosodic property of a component, contained in the input audio signal, of a speech signal based on analysis of the input audio signal and to derive a quantitative measure of the speech quality based on the at least one articulatory and/or prosodic property.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a contact hearing device comprising a piezoelectric actuator. The attachment of the piezoelectric actuator to a tympanic membrane can vibrate the tympanic membrane based on a transmission received by the receiver assembly and produce perception of sounds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hearing aid which includes a lateral ear canal assembly and a medial ear canal assembly. In embodiments of the invention the medial ear canal assembly may include smart circuitry adapted to control parameters and outputs of the medial ear canal assembly. In embodiments of the invention various methods and circuitry are described, wherein the methods and circuitry are adapted to improve the performance and efficiency of the hearing aid.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing model-based cochlear implant programming (MOCIP) on a living subject with a cochlear implant (CI) to determine stimulation settings of a patient-customized electro-neural interface (ENI) model. The method includes: localizing an electrode array of the CI and intracochlear structures of the living subject to determine patient-specific electrode positions of the CI and a patient-specific anatomy shape; generating a CI electric field model based on the patient-specific electrodes positions of the CI and the patient-specific anatomy shape; and establishing an auditory nerve fiber (ANF) bundle model using the CI electric field model, and estimating neural health of the living subject using the ANF bundle model applications of the same.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for neural network-driven feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. Various embodiments include a method of signal processing an input signal in a hearing assistance device to mitigate entrainment, the hearing assistance device including a receiver and a microphone. The method includes performing neural network processing to identify acoustic features in a plurality of audio signals and predict target outputs for the plurality of audio signals, and using the trained neural network to control acoustic feedback cancellation of the input signal.

Abstract: A hearing-aid apparatus includes an audio collector, an audio processor, a speaker and an inner-ear implant device. The audio collector collects audio information. The speaker generates a sound wave by reference to the audio information. The sound wave is transmitted to an inner ear of a user. The inner-ear implant device is implanted aside a round window of the user for generating an electrical signal encoded by the audio processor based on the audio information to stimulate high frequency auditory nerve cells of the user with an electrode of the inner-ear implant device. The audio wave sent to the inner ear of and the electrical signal stimulating the auditory nerve cells together form an integrated auditory recognition corresponding to the audio information.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques that make use of objective measurements obtained in response to acoustic stimulation signals. More specifically, at least one measure of outer hair cell function and at least one measure of auditory nerve function are obtained from a tonotopic region of an inner ear of a recipient of a hearing prosthesis. The at least one measure of auditory nerve function and the least one measure of outer hair cell function are then analyzed relative to one another.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for enhancing a hearing prosthesis recipient's perception of multiple frequencies present in received sound signals. The hearing prosthesis is configured to extract a plurality of frequencies from the received sound signals and to use the plurality of frequencies to modulate the amplitudes of different stimulation pulse sequences that are to be delivered to the recipient via different stimulation channels. The hearing prosthesis may also adapt a stimulation resolution of the stimulation pulse sequences when delivering the modulated stimulation pulses sequences to the recipient.

Abstract: The present invention consists of an implantable device with at least one package that houses electronics that receives input data or signals, and optionally, power, from an external system through at least one coil attached to the at least one package, processes the input data and delivers electrical pulses to neural tissue through at least one array of multiple electrodes that is/are attached to the at least one package. The invention, or components thereof, is/are intended to be installed in the head, or on or in the cranium, or on the dura, or on or in the brain.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system comprising an apparatus for treating a sexually dysfunctional male patient. The apparatus comprises at least one implantable vibrator adapted to be implanted within at least one corpus cavernosum of a human patient, wherein said vibrator is adapted to cause vibration in at least one of the corpus cavernosum for stimulating the sexually responsive tissue of the penis. The system further comprises an operation device adapted to operate the vibrator.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an earphone comprising a sound production component and an ear hook. In a wearing state, the ear hook is configured to place the sound production component at a position near an ear canal but not blocking the ear canal. An inner contour of the ear hook's projection on a user's sagittal plane includes a first curve having an extremum point in a first direction. The first direction is perpendicular to a long-axis direction of a projection of the sound production component on the sagittal plane. The extremum point is located behind a projection point of an upper vertex of the ear hook on the sagittal plane, and the upper vertex is a highest point of an inner contour of the ear hook along the user's vertical axis. An inclination angle of the long-axis direction relative to a horizontal direction is within a range of 13°-21°.

Abstract: An active implantable medical device (AIMD), for electrical stimulation of a tissue includes a light source, lodged in an encapsulation unit, for delivering optical energy pulses of optical power (Popt). A stimulation optical fibre for transferring optical energy from the light source of the encapsulation unit to the tissue coupling unit is also provided. The tissue coupling unit is configured for being coupled to a tissue to be electrically stimulated by electrodes (65) belonging to an electrical circuit. The PV-unit includes Us units arranged in series, each unit having Pp photovoltaic cells (PV-cells) arranged in parallel. Us and Pp, ?N, and Us×Pp=N=constant. The electrical circuit includes switches configured for varying the values of Us and alternatively or concomitantly, the light source is an addressable optical emitters array.

Abstract: A magnet arrangement for a hearing implant device is described. A magnet case is contained within an implantable device and has a central case axis of symmetry that is perpendicular to the outermost surface of the implantable device. The magnet case is configured to be freely rotatable within the implantable device about the case axis of symmetry. An implant magnet is contained within the magnet case and consists of a single cylindrical magnet having a central magnet axis of symmetry perpendicular to the case axis of symmetry. The implant magnet is configured to be freely rotatable within the magnet case about the magnet axis of symmetry.

Abstract: The present invention is related to an implantable medical device. The medical device comprises an implantable component having a receiver unit; an external charging module having a power transmitter unit; and a data module having a data transmitter unit. The units are configured to establish a transcutaneous communication link over which data and power is transmitted on a single frequency channel via a time interleaving scheme comprising successive frames each divided into at least two time slots, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the data transmitter unit, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the power transmitter unit, and wherein data and power are transmitted by the transmitter units during their allotted time slots.

Abstract: An implantable hearing unit is provided that includes an implantable microphone, a rechargeable power storage device and a speech signal processor. The hearing unit further includes a signal coupling device that is adapted for electrical interconnection to an implantable auditory stimulation device, which is operative to stimulate an auditory component of a patient. Such a stimulation device may include cochlear implants, brain stem stimulation systems, auditory nerve stimulation systems, and middle or inner ear transducer systems. The signal coupling device is operative to provide processed drive signals from the signal processor to the stimulation device as well provide power from the power storage device to operate the stimulation device. In one arrangement, the signal coupling device is a wireless coupling between first and second coils. In such an arrangement, the hearing unit may be utilized with an existing implanted stimulation device to make that device a fully implanted hearing system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one first circuit configured to generate a first time-varying magnetic field for magnetic induction power transfer to a device, at least one second circuit configured to generate and/or receive a second time-varying magnetic field for magnetic induction data transfer to and/or from the device, and at least one third circuit configured to generate a third time-varying magnetic field in response to a time-varying electric current. The third time-varying magnetic field is configured to at least partially inhibit degradation of said data transfer from the first time-varying magnetic field. The apparatus further includes at least one fourth circuit configured to generate the time-varying electric current in response to a received portion of the first time-varying magnetic field.

Abstract: An implantable medical device, including a magnet and a body encompassing the magnet, wherein the implantable medical device includes structural components in the body configured to move away from one another upon initial rotation of the magnet relative to the body when the magnet is subjected to an externally generated magnetic field, thereby limiting rotation of the magnet beyond the initial rotation.

Abstract: A portable body carried device, including a mobile computer having a display, wherein the portable body carried device is configured to receive data from a hearing prosthesis, such as a cochlear implant, and present an interface display on the display from among a plurality of different interface displays based on the received data.

Abstract: An example of a system may include electrodes on at least one lead configured to be operationally positioned for use in modulating a volume of neural tissue, where the neural tissue has an activation function. The system may further include a neural modulation generator configured to deliver energy using at least some electrodes to generate a modulation field within the volume of neural tissue. The neural modulation generator may be configured to use a programmed modulation parameter set to generate the modulation field. The programmed modulation parameter set having values selected to control energy delivery using the at least some electrodes to achieve an objective function specific to the activation function of the volume of neural tissue to promote uniformity of a response to the modulation field in the volume of neural tissue along a span of the at least one lead.

Abstract: An implantable medical system including an implantable stimulator device and an implantable auxiliary device. An implantable cable electrically connects the implantable stimulator device and the implantable auxiliary device. The implantable auxiliary device has an auxiliary device rechargeable battery and an auxiliary component. The implantable medical system is configured to selectively operate in a first mode or a second mode. The implantable medical system is configured to, based on the mode, control charging the auxiliary device rechargeable battery from the implantable stimulator device over the implantable cable and control transmission of an auxiliary device signal from the auxiliary component to the implantable stimulator device over the implantable cable.

Abstract: A device for securing an external transmitter of a cochlear implant to the head of the wearer. A pouch containing the external transmitter is secured using a plurality of straps coupled to a decorative shell worn on a person's head. The pouch and the decorative shell are designed to allow sound to pass unhindered from the environment to the inner ear. The plurality of straps is adjustable to allow precise placement of the external transmitter over the internal receiver. The external transmitter is also secured using a pouch coupled to a decorative shell. The external transmitter is further secured using a sealer coupled to the transmitter and further coupled to the head using an adhesive barrier. The sealer is made of a semi-transparent material. The device ensures that an external transmitter remains in place.

Abstract: Presented herein are magnet arrangements for use with encapsulated implantable components. An implantable component comprises an implant body and a plurality of wire loops forming an internal coil that are encapsulated in a biocompatible overmolding. The implantable component also comprises a bone fixture positioned proximate to the plurality of wire loops and an implantable magnet attached to the bone fixture.

Abstract: A cochlear implant system includes a cochlear implant configured to be implanted within a patient and a sound processor communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant. The sound processor detects a unique identifier of the cochlear implant and establishes, by way of a network, an active network link with a remote computing system located remotely from the cochlear implant system. The sound processor transmits the unique identifier of the cochlear implant to the remote computing system over the active network link and, in response, receives data representative of a sound processing program associated with the cochlear implant from the remote computing system over the active network link. The sound processor stores the received data representative of the sound processing program on a local storage facility associated with the sound processor. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cochlear implant hearing aid system is disclosed. The cochlear implant hearing aid system comprises an external part. The external part includes a sound pickup unit configured to pick up sound from the environment and a sound processing unit configured to process said sound. The cochlear implant hearing aid system further comprises an implant part. The implant part includes an implant processing unit and a plurality of cochlea stimulation electrodes for stimulation of a cochlea of a user. The cochlear implant hearing aid system further comprises a near-infrared transmitter configured to transmit a near-infrared wave. The cochlear implant hearing aid system further comprises a near-infrared receiver configured to receive said near-infrared wave.

Abstract: An ear apparatus may comprise one or more of a housing, an electrode, a biometric sensor, a speaker driver, and/or other components. The housing of the ear apparatus may be configured to be attached to an ear. The electrode may be carried by the housing. The electrode may be configured to measure an electrical signal from the ear. The electrical signal may include a reference signal, a ground signal, or a bias signal. The biometric sensor may be carried by the housing. The biometric sensor may be configured to measure one or more biometric characteristics from the ear. The speaker driver may be carried by the housing. The speaker driver may be configured to produce sound.

Abstract: Implantable systems are described that include a stimulation device positionable in vivo and configured to communicatively couple to electrodes configured to stimulate or block body tissue and an auxiliary device positionable in vivo and including one or more coils configured to wirelessly couple, in vivo, to the stimulation device and to wirelessly couple to an ex vivo device. The auxiliary device may include a coil driver and a power source controlled by a processor and memory for storing data instructions for the coil driver and for storing data received from the stimulation device. The auxiliary device may also include a radio transceiver and an antenna. The stimulation device may include a housing, a coil, a power source and an integrated circuit for controlling the electrodes. The stimulation device may be coupled to a cuff via a lead and physically coupled to the auxiliary device.

Abstract: A cochlear implant and analysis system includes a stimulator, an input source, a signal processor, a wireless communication interface, and an external device. The system can receive an acoustic stimulus, generate an input signal representative thereof, and apply a transfer function to the input signal to generate and output a stimulation signal to the stimulator. The signal processor can receive an analysis input indicating a first signal for analysis and generate an analysis signal based on the received analysis input. The first signal can be an input signal from an input source or a result of one or more processing steps. The signal processor can output the analysis signal to the wireless communication interface with the wireless communication interface configured to output a signal representative of the analysis signal to an external device.

Abstract: A processing-in-memory (PIM) device includes a plurality of multiplication/accumulation (MAC) operators and a plurality of memory banks. The MAC operators are included in each of a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of MAC operators performs a MAC arithmetic operation using weight data of a weight matrix. The memory banks are included in each of the plurality of channels and are configured to transmit the weight data of the weight matrix to the plurality of MAC operators. The weight data arrayed in one row of the weight matrix are stored into one row of each of the plurality of memory banks.

Abstract: The present application discloses a hearing prosthesis configured to alert a user of the presence of sound while operating in a sound awareness mode of operation. When a user of the hearing aid removes the external sound processor and microphone, traditionally, a hearing prosthesis does not produce any audio stimulus. Here, the systems and methods will alert a user to sounds in his or her environment when the external sound processor and microphone are decoupled from the internal components of the hearing prosthesis. In some embodiments, the hearing prosthesis may have an acoustic receiver that is implanted in the recipient. The implanted acoustic detector may be used to detect an aspect of a sound above a threshold level. The threshold may be chosen so the detected sound is a loud sound such as a fire alarm.

Abstract: A lead impedance stimulation architecture and a dual current source and sink methodology to output a biphasic current pulse and measure a resulting induced voltage across the stimulation electrodes to determine lead impedance. A common mode capacitance on the electrode interface may have little impact on the stimulation architecture of this disclosure allowing for fast voltage rise time and consistent and accurate impedance measurement. In addition, the dual source and sink includes a monitor circuit on each of the source and the sink circuitry. In the event of an open circuit indicating a lead breakage, loose connection, lead migration, insulation leak, and so on, the monitor circuit may provide an output to indicate specifically which electrode is unable to reach the correct current stimulation amplitude. In this manner the techniques of this disclosure, may also detect a lead break in a single lead impedance measurement.

Abstract: A cochlear implant includes a cochlear lead, a housing, an antenna, a stimulation processor operably connected to the antenna and to the cochlear lead, a first fixation element, a second fixation element with a different configuration than the first fixation element, and a connector configured to simultaneously connect the first and second fixation elements to the housing in such a manner that the first and second fixation elements are independently detachable from the housing.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for adapting/transitioning operation of a medical prosthesis, such as an auditory prosthesis, from a first or initial group of settings to a second or target group of settings. The adaptation in the operation of the medical prosthesis from the first group of settings to the second group of settings occurs over a period of time and in a series of individualized (recipient-specific) incremental steps. That is, the adaptation process occurs in incremental steps that are set based on attributes/characteristics of the recipient of the specific medical prosthesis so that the adaptation is made as unobtrusive to the recipient as possible.

Abstract: A prosthesis including a device configured to deliver a therapeutic substance from outside a cochlea to inside the cochlea and configured to evoke a mechanically based hearing percept. In an exemplary embodiment, the device is configured to drive fluid into and out of the cochlea, thereby evoking a hearing percept.

Abstract: The invention relates to multimodal, e.g., bimodal, hybrid cochlear implants that provide both optical (optogenetic) as well as electrical stimulation to enhance sensitivity.

Abstract: An electric hearing prosthesis, wherein the electric hearing prosthesis includes an implantable portion configured to electrically stimulate a cochlea to evoke a hearing percept, and an external portion configured to be in wired communication with the implantable portion, wherein the electronic components of the implantable portion are all passive electronic components.

Abstract: Cochlear implant systems can include an inner ear sensor configured to receive a stimulus signal from the cochlear tissue of a wearer and generate an input signal based on the received stimulus signal. The inner ear sensor can be configured to detect pressure, for example, within a wearer's cochlear tissue and generate an input signal based on the detected pressure. The inner ear sensor can be integrated with a cochlear electrode implanted in the cochlear tissue. Systems can include a signal processor programmed with a transfer function and configured to receive an input signal and output a stimulation signal based on the received input signal and transfer function. Systems can include an implantable battery and/or communication module in communication with the signal processor. The implantable battery and/or communication module can be configured to interface with and update the transfer function of the signal processor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a transducer assembly for a vehicle having a resonating surface. The transducer assembly comprising a housing, a spacer connected to the housing, and a piezoelectric assembly disposed between the spacer and the housing. The spacer is configured to connect to the resonating surface to form an air gap between the resonating surface and the piezoelectric assembly.

Abstract: A processor comprises instructions to adjust a bias of an input signal in order to decrease a duty cycle of a pulse modulated optical signal. The bias can be increased, decreased, or maintained in response to one or more measured values of the signal. In many embodiments, a gain of the signal is adjusted with the bias in order to inhibit distortion. The bias can be adjusted slowly in order to inhibit audible noise, and the gain can be adjusted faster than the bias in order to inhibit clipping of the signal. In many embodiments, one or more of the bias or the gain is adjusted in response to a value of the signal traversing a threshold amount. The value may comprise a trough of the signal traversing the threshold.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for the determination/selection of a set of electrodes for use in an electrically-stimulating auditory/hearing prosthesis. More specifically, an electrically-stimulating hearing prosthesis includes a plurality of electrodes implanted in a recipient. Based, at least in part on a recipient's subjective preferences, one or more of these electrodes may be deactivated. The remaining (i.e., non-deactivated) electrodes form a final electrode set that is subsequently used by the hearing prosthesis for subsequent hearing rehabilitation operations.

Abstract: An exemplary sound processor is configured to maintain data representative of a frequency allocation table that maps frequencies in an upper region of an audible frequency range of a recipient to a plurality of electrodes located within a cochlea of the first ear, direct a cochlear implant to apply standard electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in an audio signal that are within the upper region to the cochlea of the first ear by way of the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the frequency allocation table, and direct the cochlear implant to apply phantom electrical stimulation representative of frequencies in the audio signal that are within a lower region of the audible frequency range to the cochlea of the first ear by way of a most apical electrode and one or more compensating electrodes included in the plurality of electrodes in accordance with a phantom electrode stimulation configuration.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system that can prevent unintended signal components (noise) in an electric waveform that can be used for at least one of neural stimulation, block, and/or sensing. The system can include a signal generator to generate a waveform that includes an intended electric waveform and unintended noise. The system can also include a signal transformer device (e.g., a very long wire) comprising a first coil and a second coil. The first coil can be coupled to the signal generator to receive the waveform and remove the unintended noise from the electric waveform. The second coil can pass the electric waveform to an electrode. The second coil can be coupled to a capacitor that can prevent the waveform from developing noise at an electrode/electrolyte interface between an electrode and a nerve.

Abstract: Techniques for calibrating a low frequency (LF) clock of an IMD are disclosed, wherein the IMD also includes a high frequency (HF) clock. This includes determining an average, or a surrogate thereof, of how many HF clock cycles of a HF clock signal (produced by the HF clock) occur per LF clock cycle of a predetermined number N of LF clock cycles of the LF clock signal (produced by the LF clock), wherein N is an integer that is at least 2. This also includes comparing the average or a surrogate thereof to a corresponding target value that the average or the surrogate thereof would be equal to if the frequency of the LF clock signal equaled a target frequency for the LF clock, wherein the corresponding target value need not be an integer. The LF clock is calibrated by adjusting the frequency thereof based on results of the comparing.

Abstract: In illustrative implementations of this invention, interferential stimulation is precisely directed to arbitrary regions in a brain. The target region is not limited to the area immediately beneath the electrodes, but may be any superficial, mid-depth or deep brain structure. Targeting is achieved by positioning the region of maximum envelope amplitude so that it is located at the targeted tissue. Leakage between current channels is greatly reduced by making at least one of the current channels anti-phasic: that is, the electrode pair of at least one of the current channels has a phase difference between the two electrodes that is substantially equal to 180 degrees. Pairs of stimulating electrodes are positioned side-by-side, rather than in a conventional crisscross pattern, and thus produce only one region of maximum envelope amplitude. Typically, current sources are used to drive the interferential currents.

Abstract: Implementations provide a method that includes: placing a controller device over a surface region of the patient where the implantable wireless stimulation device has been implanted; configuring the controller device to (i) monitor a return loss representing electrical power reflected from the implantable wireless stimulation device to the controller device; (ii) compute a first path loss metric based on a first monitored return loss when the controller device is place over a first location within the surface region; (iii) compute a second path loss metric based on a second monitored return loss when the controller device is over a second location within the surface region; and (iv) generate a feedback to an operator to indicate whether the second path loss is smaller than the first path loss such that the controller device is placed at a location with more electrical energy non-inductively transferred to the implantable wireless stimulation device.