Patent classifications
A61N1/36039
COCHLEAR IMPLANT STIMULATION CALIBRATION
Cochlear implant systems can include a cochlear electrode and a stimulator in electrical communication with the cochlear electrode. The stimulator can be in communication with a controller, which is in communication with a testing circuit and a switching network. The stimulator can include a plurality of source elements. The controller can control the switching network to place the plurality of source elements into communication with the testing circuit. The controller can further cause one of the plurality of source elements to emit an electrical current and can determine an amount of electrical current emitted from the source element using the testing circuit. The controller can compare the determined amount of electrical current emitted by the source element with a prescribed current. The controller can adjust the output of each of the plurality of source elements based on the determined amount of electrical current emitted by the stimulator.
Medial Olivocochlear Reflex Sound Coding with Bandwidth Normalization
A signal processing arrangement is described for signal processing in a bilateral hearing implant system. A channel compression module develops a inhibition-adjusted band pass signal for each band pass signal using a channel-specific dynamic inhibition adjustment based on a channel-normalized medial olivocochlear reflex model that reflects bandwidth energy for a corresponding contralateral band pass signal and bandwidth energy for a selected reference contralateral band pass signal.
INNER EAR ELECTRODE IMPLANTATION OUTCOME ASSESSMENT
Presented herein are techniques for assessing one or more outcomes associated with implantation of one or more electrodes into the inner ear of a recipient.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CALIBRATING SOUND DELIVERY TO A HEARING SYSTEM RECIPIENT
An illustrative sound calibration system is configured to direct a loudspeaker to present a sound to a recipient by way of a length of tubing extending from the loudspeaker to an ear tip disposed at an ear canal of the recipient. The directing is configured to cause the sound to have a target sound pressure level at the ear canal. The system is further configured to obtain, from a probe microphone disposed within the ear tip, a detected sound pressure level of the sound as the sound is presented at the ear canal. The system is further configured to identify a discrepancy between the detected and target sound pressure levels of the sound as the sound is presented at the ear canal, and, based on the identified discrepancy, to direct a remedial action to be performed to compensate for the discrepancy. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
Method and system for rapid acquisition of evoked compound action potential recordings
According to an embodiment, a system for acquiring ECAP recordings at a later session for a cochlear implant patient is disclosed. The system includes a receiving unit configured to receive, corresponding to an electrode, a stored prior individual value from a plurality of stored prior individual values of ECAP/an ECAP prior growth function, the plurality of stored prior individual values or the ECAP prior growth function being obtained at a previous session. Furthermore, a processing unit configured to process the received prior individual value/ECAP growth function to determine a stimulus signal value corresponding to the received individual value/a selected point on the ECAP prior growth function, instruct a signal delivery unit to provide to the electrode a first stimulus signal comprising a first level that is same or above said stimulus signal value, and determine a resulting ECAP generated in response to said first stimulus signal.
IMPLANTABLE COCHLEAR SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED COMPONENTS AND LEAD CHARACTERIZATION
Cochlear implant systems can include a cochlear electrode, a stimulator in electrical communication with the cochlear electrode, a sensor configured to receive a stimulus signal and generate an input signal based on the received stimulus signal, and a signal processor in communication with the stimulator and the sensor. The signal processor can include an analog filtering stage configured to generate an analog filtered signal from a received input signal and a digital filtering stage configured to generate a digitally filtered signal from the analog filtered signal. The analog filtering stage and digital filtering stage can be used to normalize the frequency response of the digitally filtered signal with respect to the stimulus signal.
IMPLANTABLE COCHLEAR SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED COMPONENTS AND LEAD CHARACTERIZATION
Cochlear implant systems can include a signal processor, an implantable battery and/or communication module, and a plurality of conductors coupling the implantable battery and/or communication module and the signal processor. The implantable battery and/or communication module can communicate data and deliver electrical power to the signal processor via the plurality of conductors. The implantable battery and/or communication module can be configured to perform characterization process to determine one or more characteristics of one or more such conductors. Characterization processes can include determining an impedance between two conductors as a function of frequency, determining whether a conductor is intact, and determining an impedance of a given conductor. Some characterization processes include grounding one or more conductors.
Perception change-based adjustments in hearing prostheses
Presented herein are substantially automated techniques that enable an electro-acoustic or other hearing prosthesis implanted in a recipient to use objective measurements to determine when the recipient is likely experiencing sound perception changes. Once one or more perception changes are detected, the hearing prosthesis may initiate one or more remedial actions to, for example, address the perception changes. As described further below, the one or more remedial actions may include adjustments to the recipient's operational map to reverse the one or more perception changes.
Systems and methods for self-fitting an electroacoustic stimulation system to a patient
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.
Hierarchical environmental classification in a hearing prosthesis
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.