A novel ear-prosthesis with transcutaneous simulator-coupling and extensive programmability

An ear-prosthesis-system with new features has been developed. It consists of a speech-processor in cigarette-box-size including a RF-coupling-element, an encapsulated RF-receiver/stimulator-chip (implant) and a device for testing the implant and examine the patients (e.g. to find out stimulation-parameters). For speech-parameter-extraction 16 switched-capacitor-bandpass filters are used in conjunction with a sophisticated parameter-extraction-algorithm running on a microcontroller. The energy contents of the 16 frequency domains are represented in the stimulus-pulses amplitudes for better speech recognition. The extraction-algorithm, the stimulus-pulse-features and the stimulus-electrode-combinations are fully programmable in respect to further improvements. In order to reduce power-consumption, all hardware functions (including the full-custom implantchip)are implemented in CMOS-technology.