Low rate stochastic strategy for cochlear implants

• Published in: Neurocomputing (Amsterdam) Vol. 72; no. 4; pp. 936 - 943
• Main Authors: Martínez-Rams, Ernesto A., Garcerán-Hernández, Vicente, Ferrández-Vicente, José M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 2009
• Subjects: Auditory processing; Cochlear implant; Cochlear stimulator; Cochlear implant; Auditory processing; Cochlear stimulator
• ISSN: 0925-2312; 1872-8286
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neucom.2008.06.021

In this article, a variant on low rate stochastic stimulation is presented. This variant shows more physiological characteristics, which are able to help preserving the cochlea due to low rate and low level stimulation. The speech processor here presented is provided with characteristics more similar to the normal peripheral auditory system. From the processor's output, neural stimuli, it is possible to estimate both sound intensity per bands or areas of frequency, and the value of the frequencies composing the sound. When there is no sound stimulus, the peripheral auditory system generates stochastic stimuli from which it is not possible to extract information on amplitude neither frequency. In this case of clearly random generation of stimuli, the spectrum is noisy on the whole frequency.