Application of Biomedical Engineering: Cochlear Implants

Although many people often think that hearing aids and cochlear implants are the same, in actuality, they function in different ways.

A hearing aid is a device that amplifies sound to make sounds easier and clearer to hear. On the other hand, a cochlear implant is a medical device for people for whom amplification alone is insufficient. 

A cochlear implant consists primarily of two parts.

The speech processor, which captures sound and converts it into digital signals, is worn outside the ear. These signals are then transmitted to an internal device, which is surgically implanted underneath the skin, that stimulates the auditory nerve through electrical impulses. 

In other words, a cochlear implant does not simply make sound bigger. Instead, it is a technology that functions like the actual cochlea to transmit sound directly to the auditory nerve.

However, undergoing cochlear implant surgery does not mean one can hear immediately. Initially, the sounds may seem robotic and unfamiliar. It is known that it may take months for the brain to process these new sounds. 

Tasha Ghouri, a British model, is well known for using a cochlear implant since her childhood. Talking openly about her experience, she actively advocates for the deaf community and helps raise public awareness about hearing impairment. 

Furthermore, many people still choose to pursue and use American Sign Language (ASL) even after being able to hear sounds through a cochlear implant,

Indeed, the cochlear implant well exemplifies the power of biomedical engineering to bridge medicine and technology.