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The UmboMic: A PVDF Cantilever Microphone
Aaron J Yeiser1, Emma F Wawrzynek1, John Z Zhang2
1MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department, Cambridge, MA, 02139.
Arxiv
|January 10, 2024
Summary
The UmboMic, a new piezoelectric microphone, shows promise for totally-implantable cochlear implants. This device, made of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), performs comparably to hearing aid microphones.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Acoustics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Cochlear implants are crucial for hearing restoration.
- Totally-implantable cochlear implants (TICIs) offer enhanced quality of life but require miniaturized internal components.
- A robust and sensitive microphone is essential for TICI functionality.
Conclusions:
- The results validate the feasibility of using a PVDF-based microphone with a low-noise amplifier for auditory applications.
- The UmboMic represents a significant proof-of-concept for developing components of future totally-implantable cochlear implants.
- This technology has the potential to improve the quality of life for cochlear implant users by enabling fully internal devices.
