The present disclosure relates to a method for reducing a listener's task-irrelevant auditory perception, the method comprising providing a measuring device or system configured for measuring the listener's alpha, beta gamma and/or theta activity and providing a generation device or system configured for generating an alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity boosting signal that, when provided to the listener will increase the listener's ongoing alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity. The listener's alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity is measured and if the measured alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity is below a predefined threshold, the listener's ongoing alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity is increased by the provision of the alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity boosting signal to the listener. This results in the listener's ongoing alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity being increased, resulting in facilitating reduction of task-irrelevant auditory perception, such as the auditory perception of noise or tinnitus, and thereby also increasing the listener's ability to understand speech under adverse listening conditions. The present disclosure further suggests using the listener's measured alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity to judge if the listener is ready to understand speech, and if this is not the case to delay a speech signal until a sufficiently high activity is present.

A diagnostic system is disclosed that is configured to direct an acoustic stimulation generator to apply acoustic stimulation having a stimulus frequency to a recipient of a cochlear implant during an insertion procedure in which an electrode lead communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant is inserted into a cochlea of the recipient, direct the cochlear implant to use an electrode disposed on the electrode lead to record an evoked response signal during the insertion procedure, the evoked response signal representing amplitudes of a plurality of evoked responses that occur within the recipient in response to the acoustic stimulation applied to the recipient, and incrementally step, as the electrode lead is inserted into the values starting with an initial value and ending with a final value lower than the initial value.

An exemplary system includes an electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS) sound processor, a cochlear implant communicatively coupled to the EAS sound processor, an electrode array communicatively coupled to the cochlear implant, and a receiver communicatively coupled to the EAS sound processor and configured to be in communication with an ear of a patient. The EAS sound processor 1) directs, while in a self-fitting mode, the receiver to apply acoustic stimulation to the patient, 2) records, using at least one electrode included in the electrode array, an evoked response that occurs in response to the acoustic stimulation, 3) compares the evoked response to a baseline evoked response recorded by the EAS sound processor prior to recording the evoked response, and 4) performs a predetermined action based on the comparison between the evoked response and the baseline evoked response. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

A bilateral hearing implant system has a left side and a right side. Left and right side filter bank pre-processors preprocess left and right microphone signals to generate band pass signals for each side. A bilateral signal processing arrangement processes the band pass signals in a time sequence of stimulation frames. The signal processing module includes a bilateral channel selection module synchronously selects for each stimulation frame a set of stimulation channels for each side based on spectral content of the band pass signals. Left and right side signal processing submodules process for each stimulation frame a limited subset of each side band pass signals corresponding to the selected stimulation channels to generate electrical stimulation signals.

A hearing signal processor processes an input sound signal and generates an electrical communications signal for an upper range of sound frequencies, and an acoustic communications signal for a lower range of sound frequencies. An implanted electrical stimulation subsystem includes an electrode array with one or more electrode contacts in an acoustically perceivable cochlear region retaining residual natural hearing. The electrical stimulation subsystem receives the electrical communications signal and delivers corresponding electrical stimulation signals to the electrode contacts for electrical stimulation of adjacent neural tissue. An external acoustic stimulation subsystem receives the acoustic communications signal and delivers corresponding amplified acoustic stimulation signals to the ear canal of the patient. The upper range and the lower range overlap and the electrical stimulation signals and the amplified acoustic stimulation signals are coordinated for simultaneous delivery to the acoustically perceivable cochlear region.

An exemplary sound processor included in a cochlear implant system associated with a patient 1) receives, from a fitting system while the sound processor is communicatively coupled to the fitting system, a command that sets a control parameter associated with the cochlear implant system to an initial value and data representative of a target value associated with the control parameter, 2) detects a decoupling of the sound processor from the fitting system, the decoupling resulting in the sound processor being in a non-fitting state, and 3) gradually adjusts, while the sound processor is in the non-fitting state, the control parameter from the initial value towards the target value in accordance with an adaption time course associated with the control parameter. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Presented herein are techniques for generating a hierarchical classification of a set of sound signals received at hearing prosthesis. The hierarchical classification includes a plurality of nested classifications of a sound environment associated with the set of sound signals received at hearing prosthesis, including a primary classification and one or more secondary classifications that each represent different characteristics of the sound environment. The primary classification represents a basic categorization of the sound environment, while the secondary classifications define sub-categories/refinements of the associated primary classification and/or other secondary classifications.

An exemplary electrode locating system performs an excitation spread measurement by directing a first electrode to generate an electrical pulse and, in response to the generation of the electrical pulse, detecting a voltage between a second electrode and a reference that are both distinct from the first electrode. The first and second electrodes are included in a plurality of electrodes disposed on an electrode lead included within a cochlear implant system and that comprises a proximal portion configured to be coupled with a cochlear implant and a distal portion configured to be inserted into a cochlea of a patient by way of an insertion procedure. Based on the excitation spread measurement, the electrode locating system determines whether at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is located within the cochlea. Corresponding methods are also described.

A system includes means for providing an input audio signal; a sound processor for generating an electric stimulation signal from the input audio signal; and a cochlear implant electrode arrangement comprising a plurality of stimulation channels for stimulating the cochlea according to the electric stimulation signal.

This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for device-assisted manipulation of an implant's position in a patient, such as for delivering and positioning a cochlear implant. An exemplary modular system includes an implant position manipulator (IPM) unit reversibly engaging an elongate member of an implant, and a user control device for applying driving force to the IPM unit to regulate the motion of the implant. The system may include sensors providing feedback on the position or the motion of the implant, or the force or friction applied to the implant during the implantation procedure.