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February 3, 2005
Mechanical cochlea developed at U-M
The University of Michigan (U-M) announced that they have developed the first micro-machined, life-sized, mechanical cochlea that could be used as part of a cochlear implant.
The cochlea is a tiny, snail-shaped organ responsible in the ear responsible for converting vibrations into electrical signals to the brain and interpret sounds. People with hearing loss have lost this ability, and the creation of the micro-machined mechanical cochlea will help simulate this function for them.
Some of the advantages of the mechanical cochlea are its life-sized dimensions, it can be mass produced, and the fact that it uses low-power for signal processing.
By Alex Chu
Posted by 4HL on February 3, 2005 9:51 AM
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