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Luo X, Wu CC, Pulling K. Combining current focusing and steering in a cochlear implant processing strategy. Int J Audiol 2020; 60:232-237. [PMID: 32967485 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1822551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the benefit of combined current focusing and steering to speech recognition in noise with cochlear implants (CIs). DESIGN Combined current focusing and steering was implemented using focused partial tripolar (pTP) mode with two current steering ranges. The two pTPsteering strategies were compared to a monopolar (MP) strategy without current focusing or steering and a pTP strategy with only current focusing using the Hearing in Noise Test. The strategies differed only in stimulation mode. STUDY SAMPLE Ten post-lingually deafened adult CI users participated in this study. RESULTS Compared to the MP strategy, both pTPsteering strategies produced significantly better speech reception thresholds, while the pTP strategy did not. Subjects with better baseline MP performance had less improvements with the pTPsteering strategies. All four strategies were experimental low-rate strategies and none of them outperformed subjects' clinical strategies. CONCLUSIONS Speech recognition in noise was better with the pTPsteering strategies than with the MP strategy, but the effect of pTP-mode current steering on spectral resolution is yet to be tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Luo
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Ching-Chih Wu
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Kathryn Pulling
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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Luo X, Garrett C. Dynamic current steering with phantom electrode in cochlear implants. Hear Res 2020; 390:107949. [PMID: 32200300 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.107949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Phantom electrode (PE) stimulation can extend the lower limit of pitch perception with cochlear implants (CIs) by using simultaneous out-of-phase stimulation of the most apical primary electrode and the adjacent basal compensating electrode. The total electrical field may push the excitation pattern beyond the most apical electrode to elicit a lower pitch, depending on the ratio of current between the compensating and primary electrodes (i.e., the compensation coefficient σ). This study tested the hypothesis that dynamic current steering of PE stimuli can be implemented by varying σ over time to encode spectral details in low frequencies. To determine the range of σ for current steering and the corresponding current levels, Experiment 1 tested CI users' loudness balance and pitch ranking of static PE stimuli with σ from 0 to 0.6 in steps of 0.2. It was found that the equal-loudness most comfortable level significantly increased with σ and can be modeled by a piecewise linear function of σ. Consistent with the previous findings, higher σ elicited either lower or similar pitches without salient pitch reversals than lower σ. Based on the results of Experiment 1, Experiment 2 created flat, rising, and falling pitch contours of 300-1000 ms using dynamic PE stimuli with time-varying σ from 0 to 0.6 and equal-loudness current levels. In a pitch contour identification (PCI) task, CI users scored 80% and above on average. Increasing the stimulus duration from 300 to 1000 ms slightly but did not significantly improve the PCI scores. Across subjects, the 1000-ms PCI scores in Experiment 2 were significantly correlated with the cumulative pitch-ranking sensitivity in Experiment 1. It is thus feasible to use dynamic current steering with PE to encode low-frequency pitch cues for CI users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Luo
- Program of Speech and Hearing Science, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Av., P.O. Box 870102, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - Christopher Garrett
- Program of Speech and Hearing Science, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Av., P.O. Box 870102, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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Xu Y, Xia N, Lim M, Tan X, Tran MH, Boulger E, Peng F, Young H, Rau C, Rack A, Richter CP. Multichannel optrodes for photonic stimulation. NEUROPHOTONICS 2018; 5:045002. [PMID: 30397630 PMCID: PMC6197865 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.5.4.045002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
An emerging method in the field of neural stimulation is the use of photons to activate neurons. The possible advantage of optical stimulation over electrical is attributable to its spatially selective activation of small neuron populations, which is promising in generating superior spatial resolution in neural interfaces. Two principal methods are explored for cochlear prostheses: direct stimulation of nerves with infrared light and optogenetics. This paper discusses basic requirements for developing a light delivery system (LDS) for the cochlea and provides examples for building such devices. The proposed device relies on small optical sources, which are assembled in an array to be inserted into the cochlea. The mechanical properties, the biocompatibility, and the efficacy of optrodes have been tested in animal models. The force required to insert optrodes into a model of the human scala tympani was comparable to insertion forces obtained for contemporary cochlear implant electrodes. Side-emitting diodes are powerful enough to evoke auditory responses in guinea pigs. Chronic implantation of the LDS did not elevate auditory brainstem responses over 26 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyue Xu
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Northwestern University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, Illinois, United States
| | - Nan Xia
- Qingdao University, Institute for Digital Medicine and Computer-assisted Surgery, Qingdao, China
| | - Michelle Lim
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Xiaodong Tan
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Minh Ha Tran
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Erin Boulger
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Fei Peng
- Chongqing University, Bioengineering College, Chongqing, China
| | - Hunter Young
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Christoph Rau
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Rack
- Structure of Materials Group-ID19, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Cedex 9, France
| | - Claus-Peter Richter
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Northwestern University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, Illinois, United States
- Northwestern University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Evanston, Illinois, United States
- Northwestern University, Hugh Knowles Center for Clinical and Basic Sciences in Hearing, Evanston, Illinois, United States
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Nogueira W, Litvak LM, Landsberger DM, Büchner A. Loudness and pitch perception using Dynamically Compensated Virtual Channels. Hear Res 2016; 344:223-234. [PMID: 27939418 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 11/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Reducing power consumption is important for the development of smaller cochlear implant (CI) speech processors. Simultaneous electrode stimulation may improve power efficiency by minimizing the required current applied to a given electrode. Simultaneous in-phase stimulation on adjacent electrodes (i.e. virtual channels) can be used to elicit pitch percepts intermediate to the ones provided by each of the physical electrodes in isolation. Virtual channels are typically implemented in monopolar stimulation mode, producing broad excitation patterns. Focused stimulation may reduce the excitation patterns, but is inefficient in terms of power consumption. To create a more power efficient virtual channel, we developed the Dynamically Compensated Virtual Channel (DC-VC) using four adjacent electrodes. The two central electrodes are current steered using the coefficient α (0<α<1 ) whereas the two flanking electrodes are used to focus/unfocus the stimulation with the coefficient σ (-1<σ<1). With increasing values of σ, power can be saved at the potential expense of generating broader electric fields. Additionally, reshaping the electric fields might also alter place pitch coding. The goal of the present study is to investigate the tradeoff between place pitch encoding and power savings using simultaneous electrode stimulation in the DC-VC configuration. A computational model and psychophysical experiments in CI users have been used for that purpose. Results from 10 adult Advanced Bionics CI users have been collected. Results show that the required current to produce comfortable levels is significantly reduced with increasing σ as predicted by the computational model. Moreover, no significant differences in the estimated number of discriminable steps were detected for the different values of σ. From these results, we conclude that DC-VCs can reduce power consumption without decreasing the number of discriminable place pitch steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waldo Nogueira
- Medical University Hannover, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", Hannover, Germany.
| | | | | | - Andreas Büchner
- Medical University Hannover, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", Hannover, Germany
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Luo X, Wu CC. Symmetric Electrode Spanning Narrows the Excitation Patterns of Partial Tripolar Stimuli in Cochlear Implants. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2016; 17:609-619. [PMID: 27562804 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-016-0582-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In cochlear implants (CIs), standard partial tripolar (pTP) mode reduces current spread by returning a fraction of the current to two adjacent flanking electrodes within the cochlea. Symmetric electrode spanning (i.e., separating both the apical and basal return electrodes from the main electrode by one electrode) has been shown to increase the pitch of pTP stimuli, when the ratio of intracochlear return current was fixed. To explain the pitch increase caused by symmetric spanning in pTP mode, this study measured the electrical potentials of both standard and symmetrically spanned pTP stimuli on a main electrode EL8 in five CI ears using electrical field imaging (EFI). In addition, the spatial profiles of evoked compound action potentials (ECAP) and the psychophysical forward masking (PFM) patterns were also measured for both stimuli. The EFI, ECAP, and PFM patterns of a given stimulus differed in shape details, reflecting the different levels of auditory processing and different ratios of intracochlear return current across the measurement methods. Compared to the standard pTP stimuli, the symmetrically spanned pTP stimuli significantly reduced the areas under the curves of the normalized EFI and PFM patterns, without shifting the pattern peaks and centroids (both around EL8). The more focused excitation patterns with symmetric spanning may have caused the previously reported pitch increase, due to an interaction between pitch and timbre perception. Being able to reduce the spread of excitation, pTP mode symmetric spanning is a promising stimulation strategy that may further increase spectral resolution and frequency selectivity with CIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Luo
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Dr., West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. .,Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Coor Hall, 975 S. Myrtle Av., P.O. Box 870102, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - Ching-Chih Wu
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Dr., West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.,School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, 465 Northwestern Av., West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
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