Future CI (Just imagining what they'll be like in the future

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RonJaxon

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Because I'm now in the process of getting a CI. I of course have a lot on my mind about it right now.

Maybe it's just my "creative imagination" running or my love of science fiction books but I just thought it might be fun to share ideas and hopes for the future of CI technology.

What do you think a CI will be like in the future? Just think "What if". :)

I think they'll eventually be much smaller. Maybe the size of a US quarter coin. Nothing will be behind the ear. It'll all fit in this small coin size device.

I think they'll eventually be able to work without batteries. For instance maybe the device itself (The small coin size part) will just be recharged over night while you are sleeping. OR perhaps technology will allow it ot be powered by the energy of our body alone.

Maybe when sound recognition technology improves. They can have a setting that can provides sort of dubbing that will tell you what made a sound. This will be a setting you can turn on and off. For example if you hear a bird squawk. You'd hear a computer generated voice telling you "Red tailed hawk squawks".

Maybe it'll be able to tell you where a sound is coming from. For example maybe you'd hear "Fire truck siren 1.3 miles north/north/east".

Another thought is to be able to turn off a particular voice. You're talking to Paul. You don't want to hear what Johnny has to say right now. So you turn him off. The CI will automatically cancel out any sound Johnny makes.

I know I'm dreaming here. But I just thought it would be fun to share ideas like this. With technology who knows what the future would bring. What better people to dream them up then those of us who would likely be using them.

Ron
 
The present cochlear implant uses about 24 electrodes. The future cochlear implant that scientists are working on will have 240 electrodes making it possible for patient to listen to near normal sound. Cochlear implants are being studied to help patients who have no auditory nerves due to other conditions like removal of tumors. Scientists hope that future cochlear implants will enable the patient to enjoy music and recognize speech in a noisy atmosphere. With the intensive research being done for developing better cochlear implants it is safe to state that the future of the cochlear implant is sound.
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Future of Cochlear Implants. Read the Latest Information about Who gets a Cochlear Implant. User Feedback about Cochlear Implants
 
You wouldn't want to hear a background noise that says that your parents are having a sex in the living room. How will you turn it off right away? That would give you a creepy. Come on... I'm just kidding.

That's very interesting about your idea...

I am thinking about the difference between digital and analog. Let me say for example, we are part of analog because we are human. The digital is more like for a robot human. It is not a perfect example. Can you think of better than this?

There is a big mystery in our body that produces electricity. It would be so nice that CI doesn't come with a battery for a lifetime. For centuries, nobody really knows how it produces the electricity.

I really want to tell you something that I never thought of it. The wires for the electrode are metal - do they really need to replace every couple of years?

Hope that you will be very happy to wear your CI. It would be so wonderful for you to hear so many new things in the opening world. I loved to hear the frogs' background at night in the spring time. Actually, they were calling each other for a mate - just like starting to have a date. Even for the birds' singing...
 
Back in 2002 body heat was looked at as the source for power for a hearing aid, so who knows if it'll be feasible in the future for a smaller and less power hungry cochlear implant?

Harvesting the Power of Body Heat
A microcontroller, water-resistant packaging, and conductive fabrics are the basis for wearable electronics that can be used in such products as watches and MP3 players. Combined with a novel power system that uses body heat to generate electricity, however, the technology may have new applications that include medical sensors and hearing aids.

Infineon Technologies AG (Munich) originally developed its small silicon "energy harvester" to power sensors in automobiles. The firm's Laboratory for Emerging Technologies is now adapting the thermal generating technology to other applications, including medical uses.

The technology is based on application of the Seebeck effect, in which the temperature gradient between the two sides of a Peltier junction generates an electrical current across the junction. Researchers at Infineon believe that a silicon-based thermocouple would provide an inexpensive yet safe method of powering various types of devices.

The firm has developed a package and interconnect system that can be linked to conductive threads woven into fabric. In addition to providing a power source for hearing aids, in which heat from ear tissue would be harnessed, the system could also power wireless data transmitters connected to cardiac monitoring equipment.

Infineon believes that a thermal generator capable of powering a hearing aid is feasible, and that it would prove more cost-effective than replaceable batteries. A prototype of the chip is expected to be available by the end of the year.
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(R&D Digest) Harvesting the Power of Body Heat (MDDI archive, Nov 02)

In 2007:
It could also be used to power a hearing aid or to supplement the battery power on larger electronic devices, such as a sports watch or a mobile phone, Discovery News quoted him as saying.
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Soon, your body heat could power your cell phone
 
The CI would be smaller and smaller which is easier to implant behind the ear so that you would not have to remind yourself to wear them to work.

Dropping a modern CI on the floor by accident or a pet chews it that would cost you a lot of money for the replacement. Any insurances do not cover it. I don't know about the x-ray at a hospital or a special powerful metal detector at an airport that would damage your CI.
 
I have to be honest when I say I don't see a future for CI. Stem cells is our future, not CI. Theres many threads on stem cells worth reading. I am saving my residual hearing and will wait for stem cells. Good luck with your CI, RonJaxon
 
I agree. I think there will be such a limited market for CI that the only CIs you can buy in the future will be today's CIs. No one will want them when stem cells will eventually restore hearing to normal.
 
I personally don't think the stems cells method of restoring hearing will be readily available anytime in the new future. Not for medical or technical reason but because of political and religious reasons.

I'm all for it but unfortunately I think it'll be a long time before that's all worked out and it's available to the general public. Be nice to see it in my life time though.

If you think the CI debate is big. I can't imagine the uproar this will cause. The FDA will have a hard time approving it no matter how well it works or how safe it it.
 
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It's not only the United States' researching and developing techniques using stem cell for the cure/treatment of hearing loss. We're talking about Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Australia...

I've heard anywhere from 10 to 20 year timeline to see something that will have producible results. But in the world of stem cell biotechnology these things can quickly turnaround if one, two or several scientists suddendly made a jump in stem cell biotechnology advancement that could inevitably push the time line even shorter. But I'm hearing it that something should occur positively within a 1 to 2 decade time.
That's not far off considering stem cell research (in all areas) is a relatively new field and advancement and discoveries, and successful use of stem cell for treatments for a variety of ailments and conditions occur regularly.
 
Yeah, that's what I am waiting for the Stem-Cells to come out in our time hopefully. I don't mind if it is embryonic stem cells.

I heard that a few people who have CI implants received a Meningitis. A friend of mine lost his hearing permanently after his CI surgery. I was told that CI users cannot thru the MRI device and some other electronic devices. i.e. a special footbath treatment to flush out the toxic out of body. I don't remember what else.

I would imagine what would happen if the solar flare (geomagnetic storms) affect the electronic devices around the world - nothing happens so far. That's why it weight out more negatives than positives.

I am sure that many people with CI are happy which is a good sign. I think that RonJaxon's wish is to get one as long as he finds a good doctor so that he would have a normal life and get a normal job without worrying about a company's bias on deaf employees. Is that you want, Ron?

Actually, a new research found a way for the cilia to grow and less damage after battery tests. They are working on a fish stem cells. It is only the beginning. They had a research on a bird which was successfully, but the cilia's growth went out of control and once destroyed with a medicine that cannot grow back - they can't figure it out how to stop the growth without killing it.
 
CI will be pretty much things of the past and will be deceased and a new technology will be out in a few decades. Technology usually always appear then disappear and replace with something completly different.
 
kokonut said:
It's not only the United States' researching and developing techniques using stem cell for the cure/treatment of hearing loss. We're talking about Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Australia...

I've heard anywhere from 10 to 20 year timeline to see something that will have producible results. But in the world of stem cell biotechnology these things can quickly turnaround if one, two or several scientists suddendly made a jump in stem cell biotechnology advancement that could inevitably push the time line even shorter. But I'm hearing it that something should occur positively within a 1 to 2 decade time.
That's not far off considering stem cell research (in all areas) is a relatively new field and advancement and discoveries, and successful use of stem cell for treatments for a variety of ailments and conditions occur regularly.
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Do you think that the FDA controls the labs for the approvals? A Patent Company delays a lab's paperwork that would take a couple of years to get it patented.

A few years ago on PBS TV show, a lab has one piece of DNA for a patent that took 10 years because giant lab corporations want to own the DNA, but they forced to divide the DNA for each company - that's very odd. They should have a trademark so that they can share the info to cure many ways in a short time.
 
RonJaxon said:
I personally don't think the stems cells method of restoring hearing will be readily available anytime in the new future. Not for medical or technical reason but because of political and religious reasons.

I'm all for it but unfortunately I think it'll be a long before that's all worked out and it's available to the general public. Be nice to see it in my life time though.

If you think the CI debate is big. I can't imagine the uproar this will cause. The FDA will have a hard time approving it no matter how well it works or how safe it it.
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Stem cells is already being used to restore hearing and there's a clinical trial on children/babies under 18 months. There's no religious opposition to adult stem cells, just stay away from embryonic cells. The majority of people are hearing and there's billions to be made from improving or even restoring the hearing of the HOH and deaf.

We will see it within a few years, at least in clinical trials and overseas. I plan to apply for clinical trial or travel to another country to get it. Id only get a CI if I had no residual hearing(like you) but I still have residual hearing that is being amplified with powerful HAs and stem cells will take advantage of that residual hearing.

The Deaf will reject stem cells but it will be embraced by virtually all hearing people as the cure and answer. I ask that the Deaf accept and respect our choices to be hearing(or less deaf) and we will respect the Deaf's choice to stay deaf.
 
neuro said:
CBR Center for Regenerative Medicine - Hearing Loss - Cord Blood Stem Cells from Cord Blood Registry
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Thank you, neuro.

deafdude1 - Actually, it is about embryonic stem cells. It avoids to bring up the embryonic subject because it says, "a child who has their own cord blood stored" which is a part of the embryonic. It is really nothing wrong with that one. Most of us want to go for it ...even for stem-cells, too.

If George Bush didn't ban the stem-cells and embryonic stem cells, then it would be a head of time to find many different ways to cure for everyone. Right now, it is "antique" technology in our ERA as a first hand of the research. It is already wasted eight years with George's stupid law because many people already died before the law was removed. Thanks to Obama that he really cares about our people's life.

Believe me things are complex because of the FDA's dirty money and a patent is on waiting list for a couple of years which is not good especially health. Many Congress people and famous people went to another country to get the alternative treatments. A very few people able to afford to buy the treatment in other country. Please remember that almost all media news in our country lie so many ways.

Ron, you haven't said a word about it. Uh? Is there something wrong with my posts?
 
If that was the case then other countries who have been researching for several years the use of embryonic stem cells should've been way ahead of the game in seeing beneficial results. But that isn't the case compared to adult and cord blood stem cells where beneficial results have been accumulating and continuing to this day. Embryonic stem cells were first isolated in humans only back 1998, barely 11 years ago. And the many countries that are allowed to do embryonic stem cells research have been at it as long as several years should've already seen some "earth shattering" results. But not so.

Pew Forum: Stem Cell Research Around the World
Stem Cell Policy: World Stem Cell Map
 
webexplorer said:
Thank you, neuro.]
Ron, you haven't said a word about it. Uh? Is there something wrong with my posts?
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To be honest I don't know all that much about the stem cells on this to make much of a comment. What I do know is I can't go that route now so I won't put too much thought into it until it's even a remote possibility. I do hope it does go somewhere though. It would be great if in 20 years they could use that to restore my hearing. But you know. It's not even an option to consider at the moment so I'm concentrating on what options I have right now. Especially with my CI surgery just around the corner. Trying to concentrate on the positive. :)

You also asked:
I am sure that many people with CI are happy which is a good sign. I think that RonJaxon's wish is to get one as long as he finds a good doctor so that he would have a normal life and get a normal job without worrying about a company's bias on deaf employees. Is that you want, Ron?
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The company issue is there but it's not all that heavily on my mind. Mainly because I have my own company. But I did experience job discrimination about my deafness in the past.

My main goal is little things like knowing when there's a loud sound around me. Or even to be able to order a pizza by myself. As an entertainer I'd love to hear my audience applaud and book my own gigs over the phone.

I agree that I should find a good doctor. I'm confident in mine because the same doctor (Surgeon and Audi) also worked on a couple of my friends who have a CI and they where and are very happy with them. What I discovered I like about them is that they are being so honest and forward with me. I can't stand when doctors beat around the bush and try to make everything seem perfect. They've explained to me all the risks. Precautions I can take, what to expect, realistic expectations, etc...

They told me about the sleight Meningitis risk as well. So I got the vaccine a couple of weeks ago to help prevent that.


But right now. Technology is what we have in front of us. We have the cochlear implant and the Bah Hah (Not for me). I do know the implant can be removed so when and if stem cells are more advanced and "normal" practice I'll look into it then if I'm still around. :)



I hope future models have idiot alerts and the smart sound automatically turn them off. LOL

Or how about the CI starts to spark so you can get out of boring business meetings. LOL
 
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