Patent attributes
A hearing prosthesis includes both a hearing aid adapted to sense and amplify low frequency acoustic sound signals and a cochlear implant system adapted to sense high frequency acoustic sound signals. The hearing aid has a first microphone adapted to sense the low frequency acoustic sound signals, amplify these sensed low frequency acoustic sound signals, and present the resulting amplified low frequency acoustic sound signals in the ear canal of a user, thereby enabling the user to better hear these amplified sounds using his or her normal hearing processes. The cochlear implant system includes a second microphone adapted to sense the high frequency acoustic sound signals and selectively stimulate the inner ear with electrical stimulation that will be perceived as high frequency acoustic sound signals. Both the cochlear implant system and the hearing aid system are coupled to operate on the same ear of the user. Feedback within the hearing aid portion of the system is eliminated by positioning the first microphone at a location that is acoustically remote from the ear canal where the amplified low frequency acoustic sound signals are presented. High frequency acoustic sound signals are better sensed by placing the second microphone at a location that is in or near the ear canal where the amplified low frequency acoustic sound signals are presented.
