Progress on Auditory Nerve Implants

A new study from the University of Michigan's Kresge Hearing Research Institute describes an ultra-thin electronic hearing device that can be attached directly to the auditory nerve and may offer a superior alternative to cochlear implants. Researchers have tested the new intraneural implant in cats showing that it is capable of transmitting a wide range of sounds to the brain.

"In nearly every measure, these work better than cochlear implants," said U-M researcher John C. Middlebrooks.

Studies of the electrodes in humans are about five to 10 years away, he said.