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Electrical Signal Modeling in Cochlear Implants. Study of Temperature and Humidity Effects
Maria-Alexandra Paun1, Vladimir-Alexandru Paun2, Viorel-Puiu Paun3,4
1Department of Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Route Cantonale, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Micromachines
|July 2, 2021
Summary
This study shows how temperature and humidity affect cochlear implant (CI) signal quality using MATLAB simulations. Environmental factors can alter the electrical sound signals crucial for CI performance.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Acoustics
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Cochlear implants (CIs) are vital for hearing restoration.
- Environmental factors like temperature and humidity can impact electronic device performance.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing CI function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the climatic effects of temperature and humidity on cochlear implant functioning.
- To analyze the impact of these climatic parameters on the quality of the electrical sound signal.
- To simulate and visualize signal behavior under varying environmental conditions.
Main Methods:
- Developed a cochlear implant simulation model in MATLAB Simulink.
- Implemented a DC blocking filter and selected signal sources (voice recording, chirp).
- Applied an air attenuation function to simulate temperature (0-36°C) and humidity (0-40%) influences on the input signal.
Main Results:
- Generated graphical representations of signal attenuation under different temperature and humidity levels.
- Obtained results for the electrical pulse generator across eight channels.
- Evaluated the influence of IIR filters, Gaussian noise, temperature, humidity, and denoising on the signal.
Conclusions:
- Climatic conditions significantly influence the electrical sound signal quality in cochlear implants.
- Simulations provide valuable insights into signal degradation under environmental stress.
- Further research may lead to improved CI designs resilient to environmental variations.
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