Potential field focusing and the design of cochlear electrode arrays

Cochlear implants provide benefit to sensorineural deaf patients. Field models suggest that high-density arrays should be more beneficial than the arrays that are used today. We have begun to develop high-density arrays which can ultimately provide three times the number of electrodes to implant users. Tests of the arrays in vitro and in vivo support the predictions of the models, and suggest that it may be possible to increase the information transfer from the auditory environment to the central nervous system if high-density arrays are used.