Implantable sound sensors for hearing implants
Implantable Transducer Systems for Auditory Prostheses
Developing tiny implantable sensors that detect middle-ear bone motion to help improve hearing implants for people with significant hearing loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11160590 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team is designing and fabricating ultra-small piezo-MEMS accelerometers paired with a custom ASIC to sense ossicle motion as sound. Components will be calibrated and characterized on the benchtop before packaged systems are tested in lab settings. Packaged sensors will be implanted in human cadaver temporal bones to measure acoustic sensitivity, noise floor, and any impact on middle-ear mechanics. The project emphasizes flip-chip packaging, thin piezoelectric films, and multi-band filtering to meet strict size, weight, and power limits for implantable hearing prostheses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with moderate-to-profound hearing loss who are candidates for middle‑ear or other implantable hearing prostheses would be the eventual target users of the technology developed here.
Not a fit: People with normal hearing or individuals who are not surgical candidates for implantable hearing devices are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable smaller, lower‑power hearing implants with improved sound sensitivity and comfort for people who use auditory prostheses.
How similar studies have performed: Related MEMS and middle‑ear transducer research has shown promise in lab settings and some early devices, but this specific ultra‑small piezo‑MEMS plus ASIC flip‑chip packaged approach is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grosh, Karl — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Grosh, Karl
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.