Med-el Elektromedizinische Geraete Gmbh

Andreas Bahmer

Peter Schleich

Arrangements are described for assessing potential fitting processes for a cochlear implant patient. A test stimulation sequence at a given test frequency is delivered to the cochlear implant patient. The test stimulation sequence includes jittered stimulation periods when the test frequency varies due to a jitter variation component, and unjittered stimulation periods when the test frequency is constant without a jitter variation component. At least two different responses of the cochlear implant to the test stimulation sequence are measured in parallel. The different responses include an objective electrophysiological response, and a subjective psychophysical response. A correlation between the different responses is evaluated to determine an appropriate fitting process for the cochlear implant patient.

Prefitting evaluation of cochlear implant patients

A method is described for an auditory prosthesis system to generate electrical stimulation signals to stimulation contacts on an outer surface of an implanted electrode array. An input audio signal having a prominent sensed frequency is pre-processed to produce multiple representative frequency band signals. Each of the frequency band signals is then processed to generate corresponding electric stimulation signals for the stimulation contacts. Each of the electric stimulation signals has an associated stimulation frequency, and for at least one of the electric stimulation signals, the stimulation frequency is varied to maintain an integer ratio between the stimulation frequency and the prominent sensed frequency of the input audio signal.

Auditory prosthesis using stimulation rate as a multiple of periodicity of sensed sound

Arrangements are described for fitting a cochlear implant system to an implanted patient. A test stimulation sequence is delivered to the implanted patient which is based on a concatenated sequence of time shifted envelopes of sinusoidal amplitude modulated (SAM) signals that have a carrier frequency fmodulated by a jittered modulation frequency f+&#x3b5;, where &#x3b5; is a frequency jitter component selected from a jitter range of [&#x2212;&#x3b5;,+&#x3b5;]. Patient responses to the test stimulation sequence are simultaneously measured including an auditory steady-state response (ASSR) measurement signal and a psychophysical pitch discrimination response. The time shifted envelopes are adapted to avoid measurement artifacts in the ASSR measurement signal around the modulation frequency f.

Stimulus signal for simultaneous measurement of auditory steady state responses and psychophysical pitch discrimination

A method is described for generating electrical stimulation signals for stimulation contacts in an auditory implant system. Characteristic feature periods are determined for frequency components in an input audio signal. For selected feature periods that meet a period selection criteria, adjusted feature periods are determined that correspond to a nearest integer multiple of a language-specific fundamental period. A corresponding stimulation rate frequency is determined for each adjusted feature period, and each stimulation rate frequency is assigned to one or more stimulation contacts. The stimulation signals are then generated for the stimulation contacts at their respective stimulation rate frequencies.

Auditory prosthesis stimulation rate as a multiple of intrinsic oscillation

A system and method is provided for activating electrodes in a multi-channel electrode array having electrodes that are spatially divided. At least one pulse for stimulating a single electrode of the electrode array is determined. Each of the pulses is converted into a plurality of pulses for stimulating a plurality of electrodes in the electrode array.

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Aschaffenburg, Germany

Andreas Bahmer