Download Cochlear Implants

Cochlear implants
Technology to help people who are not helped by a hearing aid.
8 month old baby cochlear implant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTzTt1VnHRM
My Cochlear Implant Journey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZoKylVtptk
Cochlear Implant Introduction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WA7-k_UcWY
Ear Problems: What Are Cochlear Implants?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AWh-B2ZX4I
Cochlear implant inventor reflects on device, 30 years on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SySFWlUDRUM
Wikipedia: Cochlear implant
A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device. It gives a sense of sound to a person who is very
deaf or hard of hearing. Cochlear implants are often called a bionic ear.
Cochlear implants can help patients that have damage to sensory hair cells in their cochlea. They can
helpunderstand speech better. The quality of sound is different from natural hearing, with less sound information
being received and processed by the brain.
The newest implants allow recipients to hear better in noise, enjoy music, and even use their implant processors
while swimming.
219 000 people worldwide had received cochlear implants by December 2010. In the U.S., roughly 42,600 adults
and 28,400 children are recipients.
Most people with cochlear implants are in developed countries because of the high cost of the device, surgery and
post-implantation therapy.
Effectiveness
Some people find them very effective, others somewhat effective and some feel worse overall with the implant than
without.
For people who lose their hearing, cochlear implants can be a great help for understanding speech, especially if
they have only lost their hearing for a short time.
The sound quality from a cochlear implant is often good enough that many people do not have to use lip reading in
quiet conditions. In noisy conditions however, speech understanding often remains poor. Adults who have grown
up deaf can find the implants ineffective or irritating.
Children without a working auditory nerve may be helped with a cochlear implant.
Risks and problems
Occasionally the surgery does not restore hearing at all.
Cochelar implants restore physical ability to hear, this does not mean the brain can learn to understand speech if the
person is too old.
Cochlear Implants One World Activity
Watch the short video clips and read the articles to help answer the questions about this application of
science. Turn your answers into an essay.
Write numbers on the paper to show where you got the information for each question.
1. What problem does a cochlear implant solve?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. How does the cochlear implant work?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. What is one benefit of the cochlear implant?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Details………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. What is another benefit of the cochlear implant?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Details………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. What is one problem with the cochlear implant?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Details………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. What is another problem with the cochlear implant?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Details………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. How useful do you think the cochlear implant is overall?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Resources and references
Comment on the reliability of each of the resources
8. Wikipedia
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. Babyhearing
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Video: Cochlear Implant Introduction
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. Video: Ear Problems: What Are Cochlear Implants?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
12. Video: Cochlear implant inventor reflects on device, 30 years on
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
References
Make a reference list for your assignment
MYP1: wwws
MYP2: APA style
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implants are devices that can provide sound for people who receive little or no benefit from hearing aids.
Hearing aids make sounds louder. However, for children and adults who have severe to profound hearing loss,
making sounds louder may not be enough to allow the ear to process sound. A cochlear implant may be more
successful than hearing aids in some cases, because it bypasses the damaged sense organ of hearing (cochlea) and
directly stimulates the hearing (auditory) nerve. Part of the cochlear implant includes tiny electrodes that are
surgically inserted into the cochlea. The cochlear implant converts sound into electrical signals that go to the
auditory nerve.
Cochlear implants are implantible devices designed with the goal of providing
sound detection and speech recognition for people who receive little or no
benefit from hearing aids. The cochlear implant -is comprised of both internal
and external components.
The internal portion, which is implanted surgically, has a receiver and tiny
electrodes. The receiver is imbedded under the skin behind the ear and the
electrodes are surgically inserted into the cochlea.
The external portion, shown in the picture below includes a speech processor
that is connected to a headpiece by a cord. The headpiece has a transmitting
coil that sends the signal from the speech processor to the internal part of the cochlear implant. It magnetically
attaches to the surface of the head behind the ear at the spot where the internal portion of the implant is located.
The internal and external portions work together to change sound into electrical signals that are sent to the hearing
nerve. First, the microphone picks up the sound energy, and transmits the signal through the cord to the speech
processor. The speech processor filters, analyzes and converts the sound energy into a digital code that is then sent
back through the cord to the headpiece where it is transmitted across the skin, via radio frequencies, to the internal
receiver. Then, the internal receiver delivers the signal to the electrodes that have been placed inside the cochlea.
The electrodes bypass the damaged parts of the cochlea and send a tiny electrical charge directly to the auditory
nerve. Finally, the auditory nerve carries these electrical signals to the brain where they are interpreted as sound.
This process occurs so rapidly that the listener will hear speech and other sounds without any noticeable delay.
Benefits of Cochlear Implants
What exactly is meant by "benefit" or "success" with a cochlear implant? It is important to keep several important
facts in mind:
 The benefit from cochlear implants is not often immediate.
 Improvements occur over a period of months or even years.
 The amount of benefit seen is linked to the age of a child at the time of implantation, the cause of the
hearing loss, and family support and involvement.
Reasonable expectations may include improved detection of environmental sounds and speech, improved
speechreading ability, and improved clarity of the child's speech. How much speech understanding a child with a
cochlear implant will obtain and how clear his or her speech will be is difficult to predict.
Cochlear implant surgery should be viewed as the first step in a long process. Parents should understand that their
participation is crucial in their child's educational process so that the most benefit can be achieved.
Children with cochlear implants need support services from a number of professionals for educational and speech
language development. The amount of support needed is variable from one child to the next. A child's performance
with a cochlear implant cannot be predicted. Each child will have varied performance with the cochlear implant.
However, providing the right support services and environment can optimize learning and development. It is
important to remember that it can take up to one year after the implant is activated for distinct changes to show in a
child's ability to communicate.
Problems with Cochlear Implants
In a small number of cases, a child may show only limited benefit from the cochlear implant or seemingly no
benefit at all. This can generally be linked to a significant malformation of the cochlea or to a hearing nerve that
has a very limited number of nerve fibers. In other words, the cochlear implant is sending a signal, but the
structures needed to pass the signal on to the brain are not there.
Cochlear implant recipients are unable to undergo certain medical procedures, should the need for these occur at
some later date. These include:
 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) testing. Unless the recipient has an implant with a removable magnet,
this testing cannot be performed.
 Electrosurgery or diathermy in the vicinity of the implanted portion of the cochlear implant.
 Electroconvulsive therapy.
 Ionizing radiation therapy
Static electricity can potentially damage the electrical components of the implant system or erase programs saved
to the speech processor. A simple step in preventing static electricity from affecting the speech processor is to
remove the speech processor while the child is playing on plastic slides or in plastic ball pits (such as those found at
some fast food restaurants). Avoid contact with the speech processor until you have touched your child. By
touching your child before you reach for the speech processor you will ground yourself and avoid passing static
electricity to the processor. Your audiologist may offer other suggestions to protect your child's speech processor
from static electricity.
Surgical risks include a slight chance of damage to the facial nerve or the chorda tympani-two nerves that pass
through the middle ear space. The risk from anesthesia needed for the implant surgery is slightly higher in infants
and young children, as compared to adults. Also, some patients experience reduced balance function for a short
period immediately following surgery. Finally, a small percentage of implant patients have reported an increase of
tinnitus (ringing in the ears) after the surgery as compared with their previous experience.
There is a chance of a problem occurring with the internal portion of the cochlear implant system after it is
implanted. However, based on reports from the current cochlear implant manufacturers, the Cumulative Survival
Rate (CSR) is approximately 99% after one year and more than 96% after three years. If a problem with the
internal component should occur, the faulty device typically is removed and replaced with the most current
cochlear implant technology available. If internal device failure occurs during the first 10 years after implantation,
the manufacturer's warranty will cover any costs for re-implantation not covered by the insurance companies. If the
cochlear implant needs replacement beyond the 10-year warranty period, the responsibility for replacement would
be dependent upon the person and their insurance company.
The implanted portion of the cochlear implant system is unaffected by running, swimming, or any normal activity.
Some simple precautions are recommended to protect the device from trauma and damage. These include wearing a
helmet when bicycling, skateboarding or roller-skating to help prevent damage to the internal device in the event of
a fall. The processor must be removed when swimming or engaging in other activities where the external parts
could get wet. Children with cochlear implants can participate in all common childhood activities.
http://www.babyhearing.org/hearingamplification/cochlear/
Science One World
Starting Science 1—
2
A
One
World
How is science used?

Scientific
language 
Communication Science
communication

Referencing 
Task: Cochlear implants
Steady Scientist 3—4
Super Scientist 5—6
 I describe how science is
used to solve local and global
problems.
 I use scientific ideas when I
explain how science is used to
solve local and global problems.
 I mention the effectiveness of
science in solving problems.
 I discuss the effectiveness of
science in solving a problem.
 I mention positive
or negative effects of
science.
 I mention some positive and
negative effects of science on
people, society or the
environment.
 I describe some positive and
negative effects of science on
people, society and the
environment.
Starting Science
1—2
Steady Scientist
3—4
How well does science
solve a problem? 
What are the effects
of science on the
world? 
B
 I give examples of
science in everyday
life.
Name.............................................
Super Scientist
5—6
 I try to
communication
scientific information.
 I communicate scientific
information using scientific
words.
 I communicate scientific
information clearly using scientific
language, units and symbols.
 I sometimes use
tables, diagrams,
graphs, charts or
pictures (when
appropriate).
 I present scientific
information in standard formats
such as lab reports,
explanations, essays or
presentations with help.
I mostly use appropriate
diagrams, charts and pictures to
help explain my ideas.
 I list sources of information
mostly correctly.
 I present scientific information
in standard formats such as lab
reports, explanations, essays or
presentations.
I present information using
appropriate tables, diagrams,
graphs, charts and pictures to
support what I have written.
 I list all sources of information
using the correct format.
 I list some of my
sources of
information.