Cochlear Implant Frequency Allocation via Harmonic Downshifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cochlea implant fitting procedures fail to maintain the harmonic relation between electrical and acoustic stimulations, leading to mismatches perceived by patients, especially in bimodal and single-sided patients, where electrical and acoustic perceptions do not align.
Innovation Solution
A method involving determining the insertion angle of electrode arrays in the cochlea using diagnostic imaging, applying a natural frequency allocation model, and frequency downshifting to preserve harmonic relationships, allowing for optimal frequency allocation to each electrode, thereby minimizing perception mismatches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard frequency allocation is used in cochlea implant fitting, then the fitting procedure is simple, but the harmonic relation between electrical and acoustic stimulations is lost causing perception mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed standard frequency allocation into a dynamic allocation system that changes parameters based on individual patient anatomy. By using insertion angle and cochlear length as variables, the system calculates customized frequency allocations that preserve harmonic relationships, thus resolving the contradiction between simple procedure and accurate frequency mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary measurements of cochlear anatomy (insertion angle, cochlear length) before frequency allocation. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-calculate the optimal frequency mapping that maintains harmonic relationships, avoiding the need for complex real-time adjustments during fitting.
2Reliability
If frequency downshifting is applied to preserve harmonic relations, then perception mismatch is reduced, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex iterative computational methods with a direct mathematical formula-based approach. By using closed-form equations that incorporate insertion angle and cochlear length, the system achieves accurate frequency allocation without requiring complex optimization algorithms, thus reducing computational complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If detailed diagnostic imaging is performed to determine insertion angle, then frequency allocation precision is improved, but time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential anatomical parameters (insertion angle and cochlear length) from the diagnostic imaging data, rather than analyzing the complete imaging dataset. This extraction approach maintains frequency allocation precision by focusing on the critical parameters while significantly reducing the time and computational resources required for analysis.
4Use of energy by moving object
If standard frequency allocation is used, then computational power required is low, but binaural and musical perception is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the frequency allocation parameters from fixed standard values to dynamically calculated values based on patient-specific anatomy. This parameter transformation enables the system to maintain low computational power consumption while significantly improving binaural and musical perception by preserving natural harmonic relationships in the frequency mapping.
Data Source
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AI summary
An aspect of the disclosure is to provide a system and a method of fitting a cochlea implant system to a patient, the method comprising determining an insertion angle of at least one electrode of a first electrode array of the cochlea implant system inserted into a cochlea of the patient, determining a plurality of natural frequencies as a function of a cochlea spiral length based on a natural frequency allocation model and the insertion angle, determining a plurality of characteristic frequencies as a function of a cochlea spiral length by frequency downshifting the plurality of natural frequencies until an objective is obtained and while preserving the harmonic relationship between the natural frequencies of the plurality of natural frequencies in the plurality of characteristic frequencies, and allocating the plurality of characteristic frequencies to each electrode of the first electrode array based on the insertion angle of the at least one electrode.