Bionic Hearing

Photo courtesy Advanced Bionics Cochlear Implant

A normal hearing aid turns up the volume on the world. That really helps if you have mild hearing loss. People who lose all their hearing need a Cochlear implant. Instead of just making sounds louder, a Cochlear implant actually talks directly to the brain.

There are three main parts to the Cochlear setup: the implant itself (which is surgically placed inside your ear), a sound processor that fits over your ear, and an electrode array. The processor translates sounds into digital information and sends it to the implant through an antenna. The implant changes this information into electrical signals and sends these signals to the electrode array. The electrode array sends the electrical signals to the auditory nerve. And the auditory nerve passes this sound information to the brain.

Photo courtesy Advanced Bionics Ear diagram: placement of Cochlear Implant