How Cochlear Implant Works

Sound is received by the microphone

Sound is sent from microphone to speech processor

• Speech processor uses code to convert sound to electrical impulses that represent the speech.
• Cochlea is tonotopic, base of the cochlea processes high frequency sound and the apex low frequency sound.
• The speech processor has the job of selecting certain key features of speech to be presented to the central auditory system through the implanted electrodes in the form of electrical signals.

Speech processor analyzes and digitizes the sound into coded signals

Coded signals are sent to the transmitting coil

Transmitting coil sends the code across the skin to the receiver of internal part of implant

Signals are sent to the electrodes to stimulate the remaining nerve fibres

• Signals are recognized as sounds by the brain producing a hearing sensation