University of Washington

Pi Medical, Inc.

Advanced Cochlear Systems, Inc.

Advanced Lochlear Systems, Inc.

Francis A Spelman

Ben M Clopton

Scott S Corbett, Iii

John W Swanson

Timothy Johnson

Arne H Voie

Claude N Jolly

Jerome J Boogaard

Thomas R Clary

James A Nelson

Jerry Martyniuk

Jeffery A Strole

Ky Huynh

Joseph R Ketterl

Charles E Pope

James D Rothermel

Sean Kenneth Ridgway Lineaweaver

Page Read

N Mani Prakash

Margaret Heitkemper

A laminated multi-electrode biocompatible implant, comprising a first layer of flexible, biocompatible dielectric material having a first, exposed surface. A second layer of flexible biocompatible dielectric material, is adhered to the first layer. Further, a third layer of flexible biocompatible dielectric material is adhered to the second layer. Additionally, a first conductive trace is interposed between the first layer and the second layer and a second conductive trace interposed between said second layer and said third layer. Finally, a first conductor, which breaches said first layer, conductively connects the first conductive trace to the exposed surface of the first layer, thereby forming a first electrode and a second conductor, which breaches the first layer and the second layer, conductively connects the second conductive trace to the exposed surface of the first layer, thereby forming a second electrode.

Method of making high contact density electrode array

A bodily implanted charge injection assembly for effecting a voltage difference between a specific body location and surrounding tissue. This assembly comprises a charge injection device that includes a first electrode assembly and a housing defining an interior space substantially enclosing the first electrode assembly and further defining a first opening placed near the specific location. The housing is filled with electrolytic solution. Also, a second electrode assembly is placed in contact with both the electrolytic fluid and the surrounding tissue. In addition, a physical gate assembly is adapted to selectively and controllably occlude the interior space so that either the first opening or the second electrode assembly may be occluded from the first electrode assembly. The physical gate assembly is controlled to drive current through the opening and alternately to refresh the first electrode assembly with current from the second electrode assembly.

Apparatus and method for treating strial hearing loss

A method for the real-time transformation of an electrical signal representative of a sound wave that includes the steps of providing an electrical signal representative of a sound wave, transforming that signal to an analytic representation, and passing said electrical signal, in parallel, through a number of bandpass filters to create a set of time domain real and imaginary band limited signals. Next, a stream of instantaneous phase angle and magnitude values for each of said set of time domain real and imaginary band limited signals is computed. Thirdly, a stream of electrical pulses or other digital representation of the phase, instantaneous frequency, and magnitude information is computed for delivery to a cochlear implant or transmission for decoding and synthesis of the original sound.

Method of processing auditory data

An apparatus ( ) and method of non-invasive monitoring of gut motility. An ingestible magnet ( M) is swallowed by the patient ( ) and then linear and rotational movement is directionally detected by an external compass ( ). In preferred form, movements of the magnet ( M) are recorded by a memory means ( ) and graphically presented ( ) over a period of predetermined time. An alternate embodiment includes multiple compasses (C C ) for directionally locating the magnet ( M) within the patient ( ).

Non-invasive gut motility monitor

A multi-electrode cochlear implant is taught in which approximately twenty or more insulated metal wires are wound around a flexible tube. These wires are held in place with a further layer of dielectric insulating material. The insulation is selectively removed with a laser beam to form electrodes. Two or more layers or valences of wires can be used, with the inner layer of wires terminating distal to the outer layers to provide a stepwise approximation of the tapering of the scala tympani. A shape memory material core may be introduced into the tube, so that the implant will retain an effective shape after implantation. In a preferred embodiment, electrical conductors are connected to the shape memory material to permit the select warming of the shape memory material by the passing of an electric current through it. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the shape memory material is warmed by adjacent heating elements.

Cochlear implant with shape memory material and method for implanting

A multi-electrode cochlear implant is taught in which approximately twenty or more insulated metal wires are wound around a flexible tube. These wires are held in place with a further layer of dielectric insulating material. The insulation is selectively removed with a laser beam to form electrodes. Two or more layers or valences of wires can be used, with the inner layer of wires terminating distal to the outer layers to provide a stepwise approximation of the tapering of the scala tympani. A core of shape memory material may be introduced into the tube, so that the implant will retain an effective shape after implantation.

Multi-electrode cochlear implant and method of manufacturing the same

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Francis A Spelman