The Auditory Ally Blog

So, how does a cochlear implant work? It’s a remarkable piece of technology that allows the brain to receive sound from the outside world through basically a computer processor. Think of your cochlear implant as a door that opens the brain up to sound. The brain is still doing all the work of processing the information, but the cochlear implant is bridging the gap so that sound can be processed at the brain level. There are several parts of a cochlear implant that allow this process to occur.

Parts of a Cochlear Implant and the Path Between Sound and Hearing

1. MICROPHONE: The microphone captures sound from the environment, whether it’s speech, music, or other auditory signals, and sends it to the speech processor.
2. SPEECH PROCESSOR: The speech processor plays a vital role in transforming the captured sounds into signals that can be understood by the device. This transformation involves analyzing the frequency and amplitude of the sounds, allowing for the extraction of important auditory features that are essential for speech recognition and comprehension.
3. TRANSMITTER: Once the signals are generated, the transmitter is responsible for sending those signals to the internal processor/receiver, which is located beneath the skin. This step is significant as it bridges the external components of the hearing device (what you take off at night) with the internal structures (what is surgically placed under the skin).
4. INTERNAL PROCESSOR: The receiver/internal processor then takes the transmitted signals and sends them to the electrode array. The electrode array directly stimulates the auditory nerve fibers, allowing for the generation of auditory perceptions based on the signals received.
5. ELECTRODE ARRAY: Placed inside the cochlea by your surgeon. This allows the auditory nerve, to be stimulated which transmits these signals to the brain. This is an essential function as it fosters communication between the cochlear implant and the brain, enabling sound perception.
6. BRAIN: Finally, the brain interprets these signals as specific sounds, such as speech, music, or environmental noise, creating meaning from the auditory information it receives. When sounds do not sound clear, it can be because the brain has not processed these sounds for a long time. It can also be because the sounds have been processed through the cochlear implant and it takes time for the brain to recognize these sounds. This is why sounds can initially sound robotic or distorted. This is where aural rehabilitation can help you achieve better listening and hearing outcomes.

You can find my handout with visuals of these parts here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Overview-of-the-Cochlear-Implant-13191612

If you are interested in aural rehabilitation or auditory training, you can find my program here: https://www.auditoryally.com/