Advanced Bionics Ag

Timothy Lee Conrad

Kurt J Koester

Anil K Patnala

Bing Xu

Eric M Hudak

An exemplary method for manufacturing a self-curling cochlear electrode lead includes forming a shape memory polymer element that is configured to cause the cochlear electrode lead to transition to a curved spiral shape so as to conform with a curvature of the human cochlea when a temperature of the shape memory polymer element reaches a transition temperature, placing the shape memory polymer element within a cochlear electrode lead mold, attaching a wire included in a plurality of wires to each electrode contact included in a plurality of electrode contacts, placing the plurality of wires and the plurality of electrode contacts in the cochlear electrode lead mold, and providing the cochlear electrode lead mold with a flexible insulating material such that the shape memory polymer element, the plurality of wires, and the plurality of electrode contacts and embedded within the flexible insulating material after the flexible insulating material solidifies.

Method of manufacturing a self curling cochlear electrode lead

An exemplary self-curling cochlear electrode lead includes a flexible body formed of a flexible insulating material, a shape memory polymer element that is embedded within the flexible body and that is configured to cause the self-curling cochlear electrode lead to transition to a curved spiral shape so as to conform with a curvature of a human cochlea when a temperature of the shape memory polymer element reaches a transition temperature, a plurality of electrode contacts arranged along a side of the flexible body, and a plurality of wires embedded within the flexible body and configured to electrically connect the plurality of electrode contacts to at least one signal source. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a self-curling cochlear electrode lead are also described.

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Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Timothy Lee Conrad