The invention described herein provides for a portable autonomic nerve system stimulation device that may operate as an “open-loop” or “closed-loop” stimulation system and includes in some embodiments a paired therapy for a disease or condition. Embodiments of the inventive device include at least one stimulation circuit for the generation and delivery of a stimulation, at least one biological signal monitoring apparatus for monitoring a biological state of a user wearing the device, at least one controller in electrical communication with the stimulation circuit and at least one power supply for providing power to the controller and stimulation circuit. Aspects of the invention provides for a portable autonomic nerve system stimulation device which may be worn in the ear, or about the head, of a subject, patient or user.

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.

Transdermal electrical stimulation (TES) applicators that are wearable and configured to attached to a subject's pinna (ear) and adapted to apply TES to modulate the subject's cognitive and/or physiological state. These apparatuses may be configured so that they can be worn against the ear (e.g., the cymba of the ear) to deliver TES. Also described herein are methods of using them to modulate a subject's cognitive state. These TES applicators may also be adapted to function as audio headphones for concurrent delivery of TES and audible signals (e.g., music).

An implantable medical device comprising a sealed flat housing enclosing an electronic circuitry; a plurality of feedthrough conductors, each feedthrough conductor comprising a proximal end part connected to the enclosed electronic circuitry and a distal end part extending from a side surface of the housing and cumulated on said side surface; a tubing that houses a plurality of wires connected to said feedthrough conductors and that is arranged on the housing; and a longitudinal slit through the wall of the tubing through which the wires extend out of the tubing.

The present invention relates to systems for providing noninvasive cranial nerve stimulation and methods for using the same. The present invention administers therapy through electrodes that are noninvasively attached to one or more of a subject's cranial nerve. The systems can be used to enhancing rehabilitation and recovery by improving neuroplasticity and coupling muscle training with feedback.

An in-ear stimulation device for administering caloric stimulation to the ear canal of a subject includes (a) first and second earpieces configured to be insertable into the ear canals of the subject; (b) at least first and second thermoelectric devices thermally coupled to respective ones of the first and second earpieces; (c) a first heat sink thermally coupled to the first thermoelectric device opposite the first earpiece and a second heat sink thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric device opposite the second earpiece; and (d) a controller comprising a waveform generator in communication with the first and second thermoelectric devices, the waveform generator configured to generate a first control signal to control a first caloric output to the first thermoelectric device and a second control signal to control a second caloric output to the second caloric device.

There is disclosed a system for providing transcutaneous electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve of an individual comprising: an electrode unit mountable within the auricle of the individual and having at least a first electrode and a second electrode for applying the transcutaneous electrical stimulation at the cymba conchae and the tragus of the individual's auricle, and a controller for controlling the transcutaneous electrical impulse delivered by each of the first electrode and second electrode.

Described herein are noninvasive electrical stimulation devices, systems and methods for stimulation of the Vagus nerve through its auricular branch to provide beneficial physiological responses in subjects, including alleviation, mitigation or elimination of symptoms of various disorders, including metabolic and inflammatory disorders.

A hearing aid device comprising a behind-the-ear part, an at-the-head part, a coupling element, a second antenna, and a wireless interface is disclosed. The behind-the-ear part is adapted for being arranged at an ear of a user and for providing a low frequency signal comprising audio. The at-the-head part is adapted for being arranged at the head of the user. The at-the-head part includes a first antenna adapted to communicate with an implant part comprising at least one cochlear electrode adapted for being arranged in the cochlea in proximity of an auditory nerve of the user. The coupling element couples the behind-the-ear part and the at-the-head part and is adapted for transmitting the low frequency signal comprising audio to the at-the-head part. The second antenna is adapted for communicating at high frequency with an external unit. The wireless interface is adapted for receiving and/or sending data via the second antenna. The at-the-head part is adapted for providing the low frequency signal comprising audio to the at least one cochlear electrode. The at least one cochlear electrode is adapted for converting the low frequency signal comprising audio to an output signal perceivable by a user as sound. The coupling element comprises an electrically conducting element coupled to the wireless interface. The electrically conducting element is at least a part of the second antenna and adapted for transferring the signal comprising audio at a low frequency from the behind-the-ear part to the at-the-head part and for transmitting and/or receiving high frequency signals via the second antenna.

Presented herein are techniques that use acoustic scene (environmental) analysis to determine the sound class of sound signals received at a hearing prosthesis and, accordingly, assess the estimated listening difficulty that the acoustic environment presents to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis. This difficulty of the recipient's listening situation can be used to adjust, adapt, or otherwise set the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals delivered to the recipient to evoke perception of the sound signals. In other words, the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals is dynamically adapted based on the present acoustic environment of the hearing prosthesis.