Patent ID: 8751012

Claim:
A vestibular implant system comprising: an implantable vestibular stimulator providing vestibular stimulation signals to stimulate target neural tissue for vestibular sensation by a patient; and at least one motion sensor controllably powered by the vestibular implant system and developing a motion signal reflecting head motion of an implant patient; wherein the vestibular stimulator includes at least two different operating modes: i. a sensor controlled mode wherein the at least one motion sensor is powered and the vestibular stimulation signals are developed as a dependent function of the motion signal, and ii. a sensor independent mode wherein the at least one motion sensor is unpowered and the vestibular stimulation signals, if any, are developed independently of the motion signal; and wherein the vestibular stimulation signals include soft-start switch-on and soft-off power down characteristics in which the vestibular stimulation signals gradually transition over a given period of time.