Cochlear Implant Parameter Mapping for Intuitive Audio Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cochlear implant fitting procedures are complex, arduous, and costly due to the numerous control parameters involved, and patients with sensorineural hearing loss do not benefit from conventional hearing aids, requiring multiple clinic visits for satisfactory results.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for adjusting perceived attributes of an audio signal by mapping these attributes to control parameters of a cochlear implant, allowing for intuitive adjustment through a graphical user interface, and directing the implantable cochlear stimulator to apply electrical stimulation accordingly, optimizing the cochlear implant system's performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hearing aids are used to treat conductive hearing loss, then hearing function is improved, but sensorineural hearing loss patients cannot benefit from this approach
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing treatment system is segmented into two distinct pathways: conventional acoustic amplification for conductive hearing loss and electrical neural stimulation for sensorineural hearing loss. This segmentation allows each pathway to be optimized for its specific target population while maintaining overall system versatility through the ability to switch between modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cochlear implant system is designed with multi-functionality to serve dual purposes: treating sensorineural hearing loss through electrical stimulation and potentially treating conductive hearing loss through acoustic pathways when the cochlear aperture is intact. This universal design enables a single device to address different types of hearing impairment.
2Reliability
If numerous control parameters are adjusted to fit the cochlear implant system, then patient comfort and effectiveness are improved, but the fitting procedure becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates self-service capabilities where patients can independently adjust certain parameters through user-friendly interfaces, reducing the burden on clinicians during fitting procedures. This allows patients to participate actively in optimizing their own hearing experience while simplifying the overall fitting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic parameter changes during and after implantation, allowing control parameters to be adjusted in real-time based on patient feedback and listening situations. This flexibility reduces the need for extensive initial fitting adjustments and multiple clinic visits.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple clinic visits are required for satisfactory fitting results, then comprehensive adjustment is achieved, but time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables preliminary adjustments and settings to be configured before final implantation or during initial fitting, establishing a foundation that reduces the need for subsequent adjustments. This preliminary configuration can be done through remote communication, allowing clinicians to prepare optimization parameters in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that allow real-time monitoring of patient response to different parameter settings. This feedback enables iterative optimization during fewer visits, as adjustments can be immediately evaluated and refined based on patient perception and performance in various listening situations.
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 simplifies the adjustment of control parameters, enabling effective and intuitive optimization of cochlear implant systems, reducing the need for multiple clinic visits and improving patient outcomes by allowing direct adjustment of perceived attributes such as pitch, timbre, and loudness.
Implementation Method 1
Cochlear implant systems bypass the hair cells in the cochlea by presenting electrical stimulation directly to the auditory nerve fibers
Implementation Method 2
An array of electrodes may be implanted in the cochlea. The electrodes form a number of stimulation channels through which electrical stimulation pulses may be applied directly to auditory nerves within the cochlea
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary method of adjusting one or more perceived attributes of an audio signal includes mapping each of the plurality of perceived attributes to one or more control parameters governing an operation of an implantable cochlear stimulator, receiving data representative of an input command to adjust one or more of the perceived attributes, adjusting at least one of the one or more control parameters in response to the received input command and in accordance with the mapping of the perceived attributes to the one or more control parameters, and directing the implantable cochlear stimulator to apply electrical stimulation to one or more stimulation sites within the patient in accordance with the at least one adjusted control parameter. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.