This contains information regarding the Cochlear implant programme. this will be useful to people who are profoundly deaf and are not able to hear with a hearing aid.
key words: cochlear, cochlear implants, Nucleus, freedom processor, CI, BAHA, JMWicramarachchi, Australia, Sri Lanka, cochlear implant reliablity
Cochlear Implants
Nucleus® Freedom™
One of the most incredible things about hearing is the way our brains learn to identify important sounds, while filtering out background sounds. Nucleus® Freedom™ is designed to mimic the functions of the human ear, by automatically distinguishing important sounds from everything else—just like natural hearing.
At Cochlear our main focus is developing Advanced Hearing Solutions for children and adults with hearing loss. If you have a severe-to-profound hearing loss and hearing aids no longer work for you , the time might be right to explore a cochlear implant.
The Nucleus Freedom works by picking up sound through tiny microphones on the sound processor, and converting the sound into digital signals. The implant (internal component) uses those signals to stimulate hearing nerve in your inner ear
1. Sound processor: External sound processor captures sound and converts it into digital signals.
2. Digital signals: Processor sends digital signals to internal implant.
3. Electrode array: Internal implant converts signals into electrical energy, sending it to an electrode
array inside the cochlea.
4. Hearing nerve: Electrodes stimulate hearing nerve, bypassing damaged hair cells, and the brain perceives signals as sound
Freedom™ Implant with Contour Advance Electrode
The perfect "fit"
The Freedom™ implant is designed to "fit" the cochlea in the most natural way possible.
Reliability matters
Nucleus® implants are the most reliable in the world. In fact, they are up to four times more reliable. This technology should last a lifetime, so before choosing an implant, ask every implant manufacturer about their reliability track record
Built for a lifetime
Nucleus Freedom is built using the toughest materials available including titanium and platinum, and is tested to standards developed by the U.S. military1.
Future-ready electronics
Nucleus Freedom contains the SmartSound™ digital microchip, designed with the ability to handle a broad range of future upgrades and enhancements. As new speech processing technologies emerge, you will be able to take advantage of them without the need for further surgery.
Leading independent researchers have suggested that, in order to better match natural hearing, next-generation implants should deliver sound to the hearing nerve with ultra-fine timing accuracy2.
With more than 1000 times the timing accuracy, Nucleus Freedom is designed to offer performance improvements as these advancements emerge.
Implant Features:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) safe
Nucleus Freedom is safe for MRI scans up to 1.5 Tesla with the magnet removed.
Small size
Freedom's remarkably small size is well-suited for toddlers, children as well as adults, and is designed to enable shorter surgery and faster recovery.
Contour Advance™ electrode
1. Sound clarity through 22 electrodes
Unique 22-channel electrode is designed to deliver a finer representation of sound when stimulating the hearing nerves, which is important for optimizing sound clarity.
2. Softip—to minimize force
The industry's only Softip electrode is designed to protect the delicate cochlea during surgery.
3. Thin, self-curling array
Designed to place the electrodes close to the hearing nerve, for focused stimulation and increased power efficiency, while applying less pressure to the delicate cochlear structures.
Cochlear Sound Processors
Processor Features:
- Sweat and water resistance
- Built-in telecoil
- Four programming slots
- Controls for both volume and sensitivity
- Dual microphones-the only sound processor to use two microphones
- LCD screen to view help messages
- Lockable controls and diagnostic indicator light, great for children
- Built-in FM option-MicroLink™ Freedom
The Next Generation of the award-winning Nucleus Freedom now offers even more customization options including a new mini-BTE, and rechargeable battery option.
Great measures are taken to ensure that only the highest quality products are delivered, designed to provide an uninterrupted life. Now that's Freedom! 
Nucleus Freedom was specifically designed to be water and sweat resistant. It is the only cochlear implant system available today that has been tested to the international standard of water resistance1. Freedom users have confidence knowing their Freedom processor will stand up to both rain and sweat.
Nucleus Freedom Sound Processors
Nucleus Freedom BTE Options
Cochlear now offers two versions of the Nucleus Freedom BTE Sound Processor: the Standard BTE and the new Mini BTE which is 12% shorter!
Nucleus Freedom Bodyworn Sound Processor
Its small, light design is sleek, and incredibly powerful. The Bodyworn Sound Processor delivers all the features of the BTE (plus a few more) in a discrete, convenient package.
Nucleus Freedom is still the most reliable cochlear implant device on the market3
Nucleus® Freedom™ Reliability
For more than 25 years, Cochlear has delivered the most reliable cochlear implants. Each new generation of Nucleus implants has been more reliable than the last, and Nucleus® Freedom™ is no exception. Our 4 year implant survival data demonstrate that Freedom is still the most reliable cochlear implant on the market.1 This means that you can expect a Nucleus cochlear implant to last longer on average than a cochlear implant from other manufacturers.
The illustration and graph below show how the Nucleus Freedom device compares in reliability to the other manufacturers' of cochlear implants.
Why does reliability matter?
- Lessens the risk of another surgery because a device has stopped working
- Lessens the risk of not hearing for weeks while waiting for a replacement implant and activation
- All implants are not the same and we want you to understand the differences
Cochlear is the only manufacturer in which each generation of cochlear implant is more reliable than the last.1 Just looking at current reliability statistics on a cochlear implant manufacturer's newest implant doesn't tell the whole story.
The illustration below was created using 4 year reliability data published by each cochlear implant manufacturer1.
Reliability Record:
- Unique to Cochlear, every new generation of Nucleus cochlear implants is more reliable than the previous.
- Unique to Cochlear, we have a 26 year history of producing the most reliable implants.
Nucleus Implants Reliability Combined Adult/Child Data as of 30 June 2008
Providing the highest quality, most reliable products is our top priority.
Our commitment to quality begins when our engineers sit at their drawing boards to design quality products, and continues through our closely monitored manufacturing processes, and through our communications to the market about the reliability of our products. Our responsibility does not stop once an implant recipient has undergone surgery. We are committed to continuously improving the functionality, capability and reliability of our products. We are also committed to consistent and forthright communication about issues affecting those who depend on their Nucleus implants every day.
http://products.cochlearamericas.com/cochlear-implants/our-cochlear-implants-products/nucleus-freedom-reliability
Raising the Standard in Hearing Performance
Performance Results
For 25 years Cochlear has been the industry leader in cochlear implant innovation, consistently delivering new standards in hearing performance.
Freedom recipients hear better faster... and continue to improve!
Mimicking real life in quiet: CNC word test, 10dB softer than standard
Clinical Results with SmartSound Beam™
Not only is Freedom delivering new industry standards in hearing performance in quiet situations, the system has also brought unsurpassed clinical results in noisy environments4.
Nucleus Freedom contains advanced technology called SmartSound—a suite of innovations designed to optimize hearing performance in a variety of environments—even challenging noisy places.
SmartSound Beam incorporates a unique dual-microphone design with an omni-directional microphone that manages background noise, at the same time the front directional microphone is focused on delivering important speech information.
1 Department of Defense, Test Method Standard, Microcircuits. MIL-STD-883F, 2004
2 Conclusions of discussions at 2003 Conference on Implantable Auditory Prostheses, Session 7, Speaker Asilomar, 8/2003
3 Four year data from each manufacturer's most recent reliability report
Publication: Nucleus Reliability Report, Vol. 5, June 2008.
Publication: Advanced Bionics - Auditory Reliability Report, Summer 2008.
MED-EL Website October 2008
4 Data on File: NuclFreedom for Nucleus 24 Clinical Validation Study
5Data on File: Beam Clinical Trial data
