Patent ID: 8498715
Filing Date: 2013-07-30
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A method for stimulating within the cochlea of the ear comprising: transmitting acoustic energy using a controller-transmitter, wherein the controller-transmitter comprises acoustic transducers disposed in a housing and one or more sensors disposed on an external surface of the housing, and wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect electrical stimulation output and wherein the acoustic energy contains both energy and signal information; receiving said acoustic energy at a cochlea stimulation site using a receiver-stimulator, wherein the receiver-stimulator comprises one or more stimulation electrodes such that the stimulation electrodes lie in electrical communication with the cochlea stimulation site, wherein said acoustic energy is converted into electrical cochlea stimulation output by the receiver-stimulator; delivering said cochlea electrical stimulation output to the cochlea stimulation site using the stimulation electrodes; sensing the cochlea electrical stimulation output using one or more of the sensors; and adjusting the acoustic energy transmission from the controller-transmitter to compensate for changes in the cochlea electrical stimulation output.