Osaka University

Juichi Ito

Satoyuki Kawano

Takayuki Nakagawa

Hirofumi Shintaku

An artificial sensory epithelium () to be embedded in a cochlea () of a patient includes a piezoelectric film () and multitude microelectrodes (), (), . . . arranged on the cochlea. The piezoelectric film is arranged along a basilar membrane () in the cochlea. A portion of the piezoelectric film that corresponds to a portion of the basilar membrane that is induced to vibrate by sound waves coming from outside the cochlea vibrates. A microelectrode of the microelectrodes that is arranged on the portion of the piezoelectric film provides electric stimuli to spiral ganglion neurons (). The artificial sensory epithelium preferably includes a support member () configured to support the piezoelectric film and be fixable in the cochlea.

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Kyoto, Japan

Juichi Ito