Cochlear Implant Electrode Control for Focused Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cochlear hearing aid implants face challenges in achieving controlled and focused electrical stimulation due to broad and unfocused excitations of neurons, leading to decreased hearing perception, primarily due to complex current returning paths during stimulation pulses.
Innovation Solution
A cochlear implant system with a differential power supplier and mode unit that controls the anodic and cathodic currents to electrodes, allowing for sequential activation and discharge, and adjusting the impedance modes to manage current returning paths, thereby improving the stimulation rate and focus of the electrical field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If common ground mode is used to focus the stimulation field, then the excitations of the neurons is more focused leading to improved hearing perception, but the current returning paths become more complex making the implant design more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the current returning path control by assigning separate capacitors to different electrode groups (first electrode group and second electrode group). This allows independent control of discharge paths for each group, simplifying the overall design while maintaining focused stimulation. Each capacitor handles the returning current for its associated electrode group, avoiding the need for complex interconnected returning paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces capacitors as intermediary elements between the electrodes and the reference electrode. These capacitors serve as intermediate storage and discharge paths for the returning current, mediating the current flow to simplify the overall returning path configuration while maintaining the focused stimulation field characteristic of common ground mode.
2Ease of operation
If monopolar mode is used with controlled returning paths, then the stimulation pulses are actively controlled in both phases, but the stimulation field is less focused compared to common ground mode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically switches between monopolar and common ground modes for different electrode groups based on operational requirements. The mode unit can configure first electrode group in monopolar mode for easy control while second electrode group uses common ground mode for focused stimulation, or switch to all-common-ground-mode for unified focused stimulation. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to optimize between control ease and stimulation focus as needed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If capacitors are added to control returning paths in common ground mode, then the discharge phase is more controlled, but the device design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitors in the patent serve multiple functions: they control the discharge phase by providing dedicated returning paths, they simplify the overall design by eliminating the need for complex interconnected returning paths, and they enable both monopolar and common ground mode operations. This multi-functionality justifies the addition of capacitors by providing stability in discharge control while actually reducing overall design complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables more controlled and focused electrical stimulation, enhancing hearing perception by optimizing the stimulation rate and reducing the complexity of current returning paths, leading to improved auditory nerve fiber activation and increased battery efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a differential power supplier configured to provide an anodic current and a cathodic current based on the audio stimulation information
Implementation Method 2
the mode unit may be configured to set the one or more electrodes into a mode of a plurality of modes based on the audio stimulation information
Data Source
AI summary
A cochlear implant is disclosed. The cochlear implant provides electrical stimulation to auditory nerve fibers of a cochlea of a recipient of the cochlear implant. The cochlear implant includes an interface to provide audio stimulation information based on an external signal, an electrode lead including a plurality of electrodes to provide electrical stimulation the auditory nerve fibers based on the audio stimulation information, a differential power supplier to provide an anodic current and a cathodic current based on the audio stimulation information, and a mode unit connected to one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes. The mode unit sets the one or more electrodes into a mode of a plurality of modes based on the audio stimulation information. The plurality of modes includes an active mode, and in the active mode the one or more electrodes receives the anodic current or the cathodic current.