A wearable device combines its existing functions (e.g., a headphone) with non-invasive autonomic modulation using tragus or other external auditory meatus stimulation. The wearable device can output audio to a user, such as music, podcast, etc., and further provide modulation of the vagus nerve via tragus stimulation or other external auditory meatus stimulation to treat various diseases.

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.

An exemplary targeted channel selection system may determine a target stimulation rate for a user of a cochlear implant system, determine a pulse width value that is representative of one or more pulse widths that are to be used for stimulation pulses applied by the cochlear implant system to the user during a stimulation session, and determine, based on the target stimulation rate and on the pulse width value, a value for N that is specific to the user. In this example, N represents a total number of analysis channels that are to be selected from M available analysis channels for presentation by the cochlear implant system to the user during a stimulation frame of the stimulation session.

A system for frequency matching a cochlear implant during fitting includes a tissue stimulation device configured to generate a tonal stimulus to mask efferent nerve fibers in a subject, one or more response measurement contacts configured to measure CAP signals during and outside of a refractory period, a frequency matching module in communication with the response measurement contacts and configured to receive the CAP signals during and outside of the refractory period to determine a stimulation location on the cochlear implant based on a comparison of the received CAP signals both during and outside of the refractory period, and a parameter adjusting module in communication with the frequency matching module and configured to interface with the cochlear implant and to adjust its processing parameters based on the stimulation location. Methods for frequency matching a cochlear implant during fitting are also disclosed.

An apparatus to assist speech training and/or hearing training after a cochlear implantation may include at least one first processor for converting a first signal containing speech information into a visual signal containing the speech information, and a display element with which the text of the speech information can be imaged after accessing of the visual signal. The apparatus may further include a cochlear module comprising a microphone for recording an acoustic signal containing speech information; at least one second processor for converting the acoustic signal containing the speech information into a digital signal containing the speech information, and a first transmitter for transmitting the digital signal containing the speech information; and a first receiver for receiving the digital signal containing the speech information, which can be delivered to the first processor as a first signal.

An exemplary self-curling cochlear electrode lead includes a flexible body formed of a flexible insulating material, a shape memory polymer element that is embedded within the flexible body and that is configured to cause the self-curling cochlear electrode lead to transition to a curved spiral shape so as to conform with a curvature of a human cochlea when a temperature of the shape memory polymer element reaches a transition temperature, a plurality of electrode contacts arranged along a side of the flexible body, and a plurality of wires embedded within the flexible body and configured to electrically connect the plurality of electrode contacts to at least one signal source. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a self-curling cochlear electrode lead are also described.

There is provided a system comprising a first device for neural stimulation of a cochlea of a patient's ipsilateral ear; a second hearing stimulation device selected from the group consisting of a device for neural stimulation of the cochlea of the patient's contralateral ear, a device for acoustic stimulation of the patient's ipsilateral ear and a device for acoustic stimulation of the patient's contralateral ear and comprising means for stimulation of the respective ear; and a fitting device for adjusting at least one of the first stimulation device and the second stimulation device according to a response of the patient to combined stimulation by the first stimulation device and the second stimulation device.

Techniques for automatically analyzing neural activity within a target neural region. In one example, electrical stimulation is applied to the target neural region at an initial current level that approximates a typical threshold-Neural Response Telemetry (NRT) level. An NRT measurement of neural activity within the target neural region in response to the stimulation is recorded. A machine-learned expert system, which is configured with a decision tree that includes at least two levels of nodes which consider parameters relating to the NRT measurement, respectively, is utilized to predict, based on one or more features of the neural activity, whether the NRT measurement includes a neural response or does not include a neural response.

A system having a device for neural stimulation of a patient's cochlea, an in-situ device for measuring a patient's response to the neural stimulation of the cochlea, and a programming unit for adjusting the stimulation device; the stimulation device having a stimulation signal unit for generating a stimulation signal formed of pulses having a shape determined by a shape parameter set including at least one shape parameter; a cochlear implant stimulation arrangement with a plurality of stimulation channels for stimulating the cochlea based on the stimulation signal; the measuring device providing patient-specific response data concerning the stimulation response to a programming unit that controls the stimulation signal unit by subsequently supplying a plurality of different test shape parameter sets to the stimulation signal unit for causing the stimulation signal unit to generate corresponding test pulses, the programming unit evaluating each test shape parameter set based on stimulation response data.

An exemplary fitting system 1) directs, during a fitting session, an EAS system to concurrently apply acoustic stimulation to a patient by way of a loudspeaker and electrical stimulation to the patient by way of an electrode located within a cochlea of the patient, 2) determines an interactive effect that the electrical stimulation has on the acoustic stimulation, 3) directs, if the determined interactive effect is suppressive, the EAS system to use, during a stimulation session, a first stimulation strategy that steers a current field produced by stimulation of the electrode away from intracochlear acoustic responders within the patient that are associated with the acoustic stimulation, and 4) directs, if the determined interactive effect is enhancing, the EAS system to use, during the stimulation session, a second stimulation strategy that steers the current field produced by the stimulation of the electrode towards the intracochlear acoustic responders.