Optical Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve

Summary

A cochlear implant placed in a cochlea of a living subject for stimulating the auditory system of the living subject, where the auditory system comprises auditory neurons. In one embodiment, the cochlear implant includes a plurality of light sources, {L.sub.i}, placeable distal to the cochlea, each light source, L.sub.1, being operable independently and adapted for generating an optical energy, E.sub.i, wherein i=1, . . . , N, and N is the number of the light sources, and delivering means placeable in the cochlea and optically coupled to the plurality of light sources, {L.sub.i}, such that in operation, the optical energies {E.sub.i} generated by the plurality of light sources {L.sub.i} are delivered to target sites, {G.sub.i}, of auditory neurons, respectively, wherein the target sites G.sub.1 and G.sub.N of auditory neurons are substantially proximate to the apical end and the basal end of the cochlea, respectively.

 

Website

U.S. Patent # 7,833,257: Apparatus and methods for optical simulation of the auditory nerve


Licensing Contact

Ashok Choudhury

615.322.2503
Tech ID:
VU0607
Medical Devices