Can the phased array stimulation strategy be implemented using the advanced bionics cochlear implant?

Cochlear implants are devices that aim to restore a measure of hearing to the deaf by converting acoustic signals to electric stimuli delivered to electrodes implanted in the inner ear. Theoretically, the phased array stimulation strategy described by van den Honert and Kelsall (2007) provides much better control over the neural excitation patters elicited by electric stimulation by taking advantage of potential field superposition in the implanted cochlea, to construct stimuli for optimally selective excitation of auditory nerve fibers. If the phased array strategy can be implemented using a commonly-implanted commercial cochlear implant system, the strategy could be effectively evaluated in a relatively large sample of patients to determine whether it provides better speech reception than currently available systems. This thesis investigates whether the phased array strategy can be implemented using the Advanced Bionics Clarion CH or HiRes90k cochlear implant. It is shown that for realistic cochlear implant electrode impedance magnitudes, the Advanced Bionics cochlear implant current sources will deliver monopolar current suitable for the necessary measurement of transimpedance with less than 7% error. Transimpedance matrix estimates were obtained in 11 ears in 10 cochlear implant subjects. Measurements reveal that in some test subjects, low impedance current paths exist between implanted electrodes that may cause current leakage through unintended electrodes. Researchers and clinicians should consider using this transimpedance matrix estimation technique to screen for patients or research subjects who could benefit from compensatory changes to their speech processors. The results of this thesis suggest that the phased array strategy can be implemented successfully when the limitations of the internal power supply documented in this document are taken into account. It is recommended that the transimpedance matrix in a given test subject be measured on the day of any psychophysical testing because of the potential impact of variability in transimpedance over time.

Department dc:contributor.department

Harvard--MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Crema, Matthew V

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Donald K. Eddington.

• Harvard--MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107333

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/107333