Energy harvesting cochlear implant
US9630007B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 2, 2011 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 26, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04R17/00
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention is related to a totally implantable cochlear implant having a transducer which is a piezoelectric vibration energy harvester to be mounted on the ossicular chain or the tympanic membrane to detect the frequency of oscillations and generate the required voltage to stimulate the relevant auditory nerves. The invention enables patients' continuous access to sound, since it eliminates the outside components of conventional cochlear implants. The invention also eliminates the problem of battery need, since the transducer generates voltage required to stimulate auditory nerves from the vibrations of ossicular chain. The transducer is fabricated using Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques. The invention incorporates of two main parts, a transducer acting both as a frequency detector and an energy harvester, and electrodes to stimulate the auditory nerve inside the cochlea.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.