New processing strategies in cochlear implantation

Abstract

New strategies for representing acoustic information with multichannel cochlear implants have produced substantial improvements in speech recognition for implant users. This report reviews within-subject comparison of a new continuous interleaved sampling (CIS) strategy with a compressed analog (CA) strategy used in a standard clinical device. In general, the comparison show higher levels of open-set speech recognition with CIS for each of the 11 subjects studied. Data on the importance of the patients variable in determining outcomes with cochlear implants are presented. A brief description of another new strategy, the spectral maxima sound processor (SMSP) strategy is given as well as information on the availability of CIS in various implant systems.