New implant developed for the hearing impaired
APR 04, 2011
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.025189
New Scientist : A company based in Australia has been working on a cochlear implant for the hearing impaired. Unlike a traditional hearing aid, which acoustically amplifies sound, the bionic device translates sound into electrical signals that are used to electrically stimulate the cochlea—a spiral-shaped part of the inner ear attached to the auditory nerve, writes Duncan Graham-Rowe for New Scientist. Because of its small size, the new device can be fully implanted in a patient’s ear—unlike current devices, which require an external unit containing the power supply, processors, and microphone. The fully implantable system, would, however, require replacement every 10 years when its batteries run out.
© 2011 American Institute of Physics
