Case Western Reserve University

Ping Huang

Wen H Ko

Darrin J Young

Jun Guo

Xuesong Ye

Rui Zhang

Cliff A Megerian

A system and method for a Micro Electro-Mechanical System acoustic sensor, or MEMS acoustic sensor, to be used as an implanted microphone for totally implantable cochlear implants or middle ear implants is presented. The MEMS acoustic sensor comprises a coupler that attaches the sensor to an inner part of the ear, a MEMS acoustic sensor that converts acoustic vibrations into a change in capacitance, and a low-noise interface electronics circuit chip that detects the change in capacitance in the MEMS acoustic sensor, creates an signal representing a portion of the acoustic vibrations, and transmits the signal to one or more other devices, such as a cochlear implant. A method of fabrication enables the MEMS acoustic sensor to be fabricated as a small, less than 1 mm, light weight, less than 30 mg, device suitable for implantation on a structure of the middle ear.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Ping Huang