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Related Experiment Videos

An ultra-low-power programmable analog bionic ear processor.

Rahul Sarpeshkar1, Christopher Salthouse, Ji-Jon Sit

  • 1Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. rahuls@avnsl.mit.edu

IEEE Transactions on Bio-Medical Engineering
|April 14, 2005
PubMed
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This study presents a low-power analog bionic ear processor for cochlear implants, consuming only 211 microwatts. This breakthrough enables long-term, fully implanted hearing solutions and advanced speech recognition systems.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Signal Processing

Background:

  • Current cochlear implant processors face limitations in power consumption and operational lifespan.
  • The need for ultra-low-power electronics is critical for fully implanted, long-duration medical devices.
  • Advancements in integrated circuit technology are essential for next-generation hearing prosthetics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and characterize a programmable analog bionic ear processor with significantly reduced power consumption.
  • To evaluate the suitability of this processor for future fully implanted cochlear implant systems.
  • To explore its potential application in portable speech-recognition systems.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of a 1.5-microm BiCMOS processor chip (9.58 mm x 9.23 mm).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Integration of a JFET-buffered electret microphone and on-chip microphone front end.
  • Implementation of an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit for dynamic range compression.
  • Design of power-supply-immune biasing for RF noise immunity.

    • Main Results:

    • Achieved ultra-low power consumption of 211 microwatts, including microphone front end.
    • Demonstrated a 77-dB dynamic range of operation.
    • Power consumption is 25 times lower than state-of-the-art analog-to-digital (A/D)-then-digital signal processing (DSP) designs.
    • Processor operates with 16 spectral channels and a 57-dB internal dynamic range.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed analog bionic ear processor offers a significant reduction in power consumption, suitable for long-term, fully implanted cochlear implants.
    • Its ultra-low power profile makes it ideal for rechargeable battery-powered systems requiring decades of operation.
    • The processor's design is robust in high-RF-noise environments and applicable to portable speech-recognition devices.