Design and in Vivo Verification of a CMOS Bone-Guided Cochlear Implant Microsystem

Xin Hong Qian*, Yi Chung Wu, Tzu Yi Yang, Cheng Hsiang Cheng, Hsing Chien Chu, Wan Hsueh Cheng, Ting Yang Yen, Tzu Han Lin, Yung Jen Lin, Yu Chi Lee, Jia Heng Chang, Shih Ting Lin, Shang Hsuan Li, Tsung Chen Wu, Chien Chang Huang, Sung Hao Wang, Chia Fone Lee, Chia Hsiang Yang, Chung-Chih Hung, Tai-Shih ChiChien Hao Liu, Ming-Dou Ker, Chung-Yu Wu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

To develop and verify a CMOS bone-guided cochlear implant (BGCI) microsystem with electrodes placed on the bone surface of the cochlea and the outside of round window for treating high-frequency hearing loss. Methods: The BGCI microsystem consists of an external unit and an implanted unit. The external system-on-chip is designed to process acoustic signals through an acquisition circuit and an acoustic DSP processor to generate stimulation patterns and commands that are transmitted to the implanted unit through a 13.56 MHz wireless power and bidirectional data telemetry. In the wireless power telemetry, a voltage doubler/tripler (2X/3X) active rectifier is used to enhance the power conversion efficiency and generate 2 and 3 V output voltages. In the wireless data telemetry, phase-locked loop based binary phase-shift keying and load-shift keying modulators/demodulators are adopted for the downlink and uplink data through high-Q coils, respectively. The implanted chip with four-channel high-voltage-tolerant stimulator generates biphasic stimulation currents up to 800 μA. Results: Electrical tests on the fabricated BGCI microsystem have been performed to verify the chip functions. The in vivo animal tests in Guinea pigs have shown the evoked third wave of electrically evoked auditory brainstem response waveforms. It is verified that auditory nerves can be successfully stimulated and acoustic hearing can be partially preserved. Conclusion and Significance: Different from traditional cochlear implants, the proposed BGCI microsystem is less invasive, preserves partially acoustic hearing, and provides an effective alternative for treating high-frequency hearing loss.

Original languageEnglish
Article number8651380
Pages (from-to)3156-3167
Number of pages12
JournalIEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
Volume66
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2019

Keywords

  • Active rectifier
  • bone-guided
  • cochlear implant
  • implantable medical devices
  • inductive link power supply

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Design and in Vivo Verification of a CMOS Bone-Guided Cochlear Implant Microsystem'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this