Possible Future Sound Processor for Advanced Bionics’ Recipients

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Possible Future Sound Processor for Advanced Bionics’ Recipients « Cochlear Implant Online

Possible Future Sound Processor for Advanced Bionics’ Recipients

September 26th, 2012 by Rachel

| Tags: Advanced Bionics, Cochlear Implant, Future Technologies | 1 Comment »

PrintAdvanced Bionics filed a patent in 2009 for a sound processor that is an all-in-one headpiece. In the patent, you will see various concept designs. Click here to view the patent.


Is it a totally in head implant?
 
No, it's a processor that is all in the headpiece which is connected magnetically to the internal implant as it is currently. Advanced Bionics already has the microphone within the headpiece on their Platinum Series and Neptune body-worn processors. Add the battery and the processor chip to the same housing and you have this.
 
Too bad they can't make digital hearing aids so I can hear like "The Bionic Woman."

Laura
 
bbaseballboy123 said:
I knew they would release something like this but the sound quality has to be worst.
Click to expand...

They aren't releasing this.. at least not anytime soon. They just hold a patent on it. The new processor is a smaller, sleeker BTE loaded with features.

Why do you think the sound quality would "be the worst?" It would be no different, if not better assuming that should such a processor be released we will have additional strategies, than what we currently have. The main difference would be the lack of T-Mic sound (sound gathered in the ear naturally and then fed to the microphone.) The Neptune sounds quite good though with just the headpiece mic.
 
BleedingPurist said:
They aren't releasing this.. at least not anytime soon. They just hold a patent on it. The new processor is a smaller, sleeker BTE loaded with features.

Why do you think the sound quality would "be the worst?" It would be no different, if not better assuming that should such a processor be released we will have additional strategies, than what we currently have. The main difference would be the lack of T-Mic sound (sound gathered in the ear naturally and then fed to the microphone.) The Neptune sounds quite good though with just the headpiece mic.
Click to expand...

yeah the Neptune sounds fine with the headpiece mic... as long as I place the headpiece on TOP of my hair :)
 
BleedingPurist said:
No, it's a processor that is all in the headpiece which is connected magnetically to the internal implant as it is currently. Advanced Bionics already has the microphone within the headpiece on their Platinum Series and Neptune body-worn processors. Add the battery and the processor chip to the same housing and you have this.
Click to expand...

BleedingPurist said:
They aren't releasing this.. at least not anytime soon. They just hold a patent on it. The new processor is a smaller, sleeker BTE loaded with features.

Why do you think the sound quality would "be the worst?" It would be no different, if not better assuming that should such a processor be released we will have additional strategies, than what we currently have. The main difference would be the lack of T-Mic sound (sound gathered in the ear naturally and then fed to the microphone.) The Neptune sounds quite good though with just the headpiece mic.
Click to expand...


You forgot to mention the technology's name- the Button processor. Advanced Bionics and Med-El wrote patents on it. One drawback of this configuration is that the microphone is located with the transmitting coil, which could impair sound pick up and compromise noise reduction systems like Beam. The interference that the microphone near the coil can be controlled with shielding and signal processing, so it's not a show stopper. It is certainly possible to locate the microphone in a variety of locations near the coil. One-hundred ten percent right that the Button Processor is not going to happen anytime soon. The internal cochlear implant's electricity demands excessive power.


A New Laser May Help Improve Cochlear Implant Effectiveness

"Under a grant funded by the National Institutes of Health Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), researchers are developing a new laser that stimulates human nerve tissue. The project, developed by Vixar, includes evaluating the devices for incorporation into optically based neuroprostheses, such as cochlear implants.

The researchers will develop a miniaturized infrared (IR) laser that will form the basis of IR neurostimulation prostheses with dramatically improved spatial selectivity. The small size, power, and efficiency of the device would make possible implantable devices that can overcome some of the issues of electrically based stimulation devices, for instance, current spreading that limits the number of independent channels in cochlear implants.

In the example of cochlear implants, this innovation would improve the quality of the implants, particularly in noisy environments or in appreciating music.

Infrared neural stimulation (INS) is a novel technology that holds promise for increasing the number of independent channels in neuroprostheses. A complementary technology to electrical stimulation, INS has been used in the cochlea, vestibular system, peripheral nerve, brain, and other excitable tissues to provide precisely targeted, artifact-free stimulation of nerves.

The long-term goal of the proposed research is to improve the performance of neurostimulation prostheses. For example, while cochlear implants have been very successful in restoring hearing, they still face limitations in terms of their performance in noisy environments or the ability of the user to enjoy music. These challenges are primarily due to the limited number of effective frequency channels resulting from electrical cross-talk between electrodes.

The preliminary feasibility and safety of neuroprostheses based upon INS have been demonstrated by Northwestern University and Lockheed Martin in a variety of pre-clinical trials. However, the practical implementation of INS requires substantial miniaturization, with the key missing piece being an optical source that can be incorporated into an implantable device.

Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) hold great promise for providing the combination of size and performance that are required. The Phase I project will therefore establish the feasibility of the VCSEL for meeting the optical power, power efficiency, and physical size requirements. A Phase II project will develop suitable packaging for implantation and perform a proof-of-concept demonstration of efficacy and safety in animals.

Vixar has demonstrated the highest power 1860 nm VCSELs to date, but a gap remains between the status and the requirements for INS. By combining several new design features of the VCSEL, Vixar expects to achieve output power and efficiency that are sufficient for the targeted applications. The Phase I project will therefore establish the feasibility of using a VCSEL device in INS, setting the stage for a Phase II project, which will address thermal management, packaging, and the proof-of-concept."

A New Laser May Help Improve Cochlear Implant Effectiveness | News | The Hearing Review | Hearing Review Products


Laser cochlear implant device 240 electrodes = normal hearing. The current cochlear implant systems have 16-24 electrodes.

The scientists discovered in 2008 that the laser technology works on cochlea... not just electricity. In October 2012, the Phase I trials started. The cochlear implant scientists cannot get the BTE processor a great deal smaller until the internal cochlear implant is switched to laser instead of electricity. The small size, power, and efficiency of the laser cochlear implant device might get the scientists talking about the Button processor/smaller CIs/Totally Implantable CI in 10-25 years.
 
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