Curved brainstem implant could help restore hearing

News

Researchers in Switzerland have developed a new soft hearing implant that can adapt to the curvature of the auditory brainstem.

For patients with damage to the inner ear, traditional cochlear implants are unable restore hearing. What’s required is direct electrical stimulation of the auditory brainstem, achieved using an auditory brainstem implant (ABI). But the success of these neuroprosthetic ABIs has so far been limited, with patients often only recovering sound perception as opposed to full hearing.

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Until now, clinical ABIs have tended to be stiff and have not been able to conform to the curvature of the auditory brainstem. The new implant, developed by engineers at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), is made from a pliable platinum array with a soft electronic interface. It is highly elastic and conforms neatly to the curved surface of the auditory brainstem, allowing it to send targeted electrical signals.

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