Electronic design of a cochlear implant for multichannel high-rate pulsatile stimulation strategies

A new electronic design for an eight-channel cochlear implant for high-rate pulsatile stimulation strategies is presented. Symmetric biphasic current pulses can be generated up to a maximum pulse repetition rate of about 12 kpulses/s. The stimulation pulse amplitude can be selected within the range of 1.5 /spl mu/A-1.5 mA. The implant contains a single mixed analog/digital CMOS-ASIC for data synchronization and stimulus generation. Stimulation signals are applied via a monopolar intracochlear multielectrode array. Output capacitors are employed for safety reasons. A back-telemetry system for measuring electrode voltages and the implant supply voltage is incorporated. Data and power are transcutaneously transferred to the implant, using a single rf-channel. The overall data rate is 400 kb/s.>