Fitting Bilateral Hearing Prostheses

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis, wherein the signal causes:
 the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user; and 
 the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user, wherein the first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound, and wherein the first stimulus and the second stimulus are delivered simultaneously; 
   receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user; and   determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment includes an increase in at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment includes a decrease in at least one of the first stimulus and the second stimulus. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment includes an increase in the first stimulus and a decrease in the second stimulus. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment includes a decrease in the first stimulus and an increase in the second stimulus. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first body part is a left cochlea;   the second body part is a right cochlea;   the first hearing prosthesis is a first cochlear implant that includes a first electrode array implanted in the left cochlea, wherein the first electrode array includes one or more electrodes; and   the second hearing prosthesis is a second cochlear implant that includes a second electrode array implanted in the right cochlea, wherein the second electrode array includes one or more electrodes.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first stimulus is an electrical stimulus delivered to the left cochlea by at least one of the one or more electrodes included on the first electrode array; and   the second stimulus is an electrical stimulus delivered to the right cochlea by at least one of the one or more electrodes included on the second electrode array.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the signal includes information for increasing the first stimulus from a first value to a second value, and wherein the signal includes information for increasing the second stimulus from a third value to a fourth value. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication of the perception of the sound by the user includes receiving, at a user interface, an input that includes information indicative of the user perceiving the sound as having a perceptual location other than approximately centered between the ears of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the adjustment substantially centers the sound between the ears of the user. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 sending a first signal to a first hearing prosthesis that includes information indicative of a first stimulus, wherein the first hearing prosthesis delivers the first stimulus to a first body part in a left auditory pathway of a user;   sending a second signal to a second hearing prosthesis that includes information indicative of a second stimulus, wherein the second hearing prosthesis delivers the second stimulus to a second body part in a right auditory pathway of the user, and wherein the first stimulus and the second stimulus are delivered simultaneously;   determining whether the first stimulus and the second stimulus are at a maximum level; and   in response to determining that the first stimulus and the second stimulus are at the maximum level,
 determining that the first stimulus corresponds to a maximum sound pressure level; and 
 determining that the second stimulus corresponds to the maximum sound pressure level, wherein the maximum sound pressure level is a sound pressure level of a sound above which the sound is saturated. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, in response to determining that one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus is above the maximum level, the method further comprises determining a decrease to one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, in response to determining that one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus is below the maximum level, the method further comprises determining an increase to one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 sending a first output signal to the first hearing prosthesis that includes information indicative of the first stimulus corresponding to the maximum sound pressure level; and   sending a second output signal to the second hearing prosthesis that includes information indicative of the second stimulus corresponding to the maximum sound pressure level.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first body part is a left cochlea;   the second body part is a right cochlea;   the first hearing prosthesis is a first cochlear implant that includes a first electrode implanted in the left cochlea, wherein the first electrode delivers the first stimulus by applying a first stimulus current to the left cochlea; and   the second hearing prosthesis is a second cochlear implant that includes a second electrode implanted in the right cochlea, wherein the second electrode delivers the second stimulus by applying a second stimulus current to the right cochlea.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first signal includes information indicative of the first stimulus current, and wherein the second signal includes information indicative of the second stimulus current. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 the first hearing prosthesis delivers the first stimulus by increasing a stimulus current of the first electrode from a first current to the first stimulus current; and   the second hearing prosthesis delivers the second stimulus by increasing a stimulus current of the second electrode from a second current to the second stimulus current.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving an input that includes information indicative of a perceptual location of the sound between a left ear and a right ear of the user;   determining whether the perceptual location of the sound is approximately centered between the ears of the user.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 in response to the determining that the perceptual location of the sound is closer to the left ear the user than the right ear of the user, decreasing the first stimulus and increasing the second stimulus; and   in response to determining that the perceptual location of the sound is closer to the right ear of the user than the left ear the user, increasing the first stimulus and decreasing the second stimulus.   
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 performing a sweep of electrode arrays of bilateral hearing prostheses by:
 causing a first interaural electrode pair to deliver a first stimulation to a user of the bilateral hearing prostheses so that the user perceives a first sound; and 
 causing a second interaural electrode pair to deliver a second stimulation to the user so that the user perceives a second sound, wherein the second stimulation is delivered after the first stimulation; 
   receiving an input signal that includes information indicative of a difference between the first sound and the second sound as perceived by the user;   determining an adjustment to a stimulus current of an electrode included in one of the first interaural electrode pair or the second interaural electrode pair based on the input signal, wherein the stimulus current is a component of one of the first stimulation or the second stimulation;   applying the adjustment to a mapping curve of the electrode, wherein the mapping curve includes information indicative of a plurality of stimulus currents corresponding to a plurality of sound pressure levels.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the mapping curve of the electrode represents relationship between input sound pressure levels sound and stimulus currents of the electrode that is substantially logarithmic between a threshold sound pressure level and a maximum sound pressure level, wherein the threshold sound pressure level corresponds to a stimulus current for the electrode below which the user is unable to perceive a sound, and wherein the maximum sound pressure level is a saturation sound pressure level for the electrode. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the stimulus current corresponds to a sweep sound pressure level on the mapping curve. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the sweep sound pressure level is greater than the threshold sound pressure level; and   the sweep sound pressure level is less than or equal to the maximum sound pressure level.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the adjustment is a decrease in the stimulus current, and wherein applying the adjustment to the mapping curve:
 decreases the stimulus current corresponding to the sweep sound pressure level; and   decreases one or more additional stimulus currents corresponding to one or more additional sound pressure levels.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the adjustment is an increase in the stimulus current, and wherein applying the adjustment to the mapping curve:
 increases the stimulus current corresponding to the sweep sound pressure level; and   increases one or more additional stimulus currents corresponding to one or more additional sound pressure levels.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein, after determining the adjustment, the method further comprises:
 performing a second sweep of the electrode arrays by:
 causing the first interaural electrode pair to deliver a third stimulation to the user so that the user perceives a third sound; and 
 causing a second interaural electrode pair to deliver a fourth stimulation to the user so that the user perceives a fourth sound, wherein the fourth stimulation is delivered after the third stimulation; 
   receiving a second input signal that includes information indicative of a second difference between the third sound and the fourth sound as perceived by the user;   determining a second adjustment to a second stimulus current of the electrode based on the second input signal, wherein the second stimulus current is a component of one of the third stimulation or the fourth stimulation;   applying the second adjustment to the mapping curve of the electrode.   
     
     
         27 . A system comprising:
 a first hearing prosthesis that includes a first electrode array configured to stimulate a first body part of a user, wherein the first body part is a body part in a left auditory pathway of the user;   a second hearing prosthesis that includes a second electrode array configured to stimulate a second body part of the user, wherein the second body part is a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user; and   a computing device connected to the first cochlear implant and the second cochlear implant, wherein the computing device is configured to fit the first cochlear implant and the second cochlear implant to the user by:
 sending a test signal to the first hearing prosthesis and the second hearing prosthesis that causes an interaural electrode pair to stimulate the first body part and the second body part so that the user perceives a sound, wherein the interaural electrode pair includes a first electrode included on the first electrode array and a second electrode included on the second electrode array, and where the test signal includes information indicative of a first stimulus current for a stimulus applied by the first electrode and a second stimulus current for a stimulus applied by the second electrode; 
 determining whether an input signal received at a user interface of the computing device includes a request to adjust the sound; 
 in response to determining that the input signal includes the request to adjust one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus, adjusting at least one of the first stimulus current or the second stimulus current based on the request. 
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the request to adjust the sound includes a request to adjust a perceptual location of the sound as perceived by the user, and wherein adjusting at least one of the first stimulus current or the second stimulus current includes adjusting the first stimulus current and the second stimulus current to substantially center the perceptual location of the sound between the ears of the user. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein, in response to determining that the input signal includes an absence of the request to adjust the sound, the method further comprises:
 determining that the first stimulus current corresponds to a sound pressure level, wherein the test signal is based on the sound pressure level;   determining that the second stimulus current corresponds to the sound pressure level;   sending a first update signal to the first cochlear implant that includes information indicative of the first stimulus corresponding to the sound pressure level; and   sending a second update signal to the second cochlear implant that includes information indicative of the second stimulus corresponding to the sound pressure level.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the computing device is further configured to fit the first cochlear implant and the second cochlear implant to the user by:
 interpolating one or more stimulus currents that correspond to the sound pressure level for one or more additional electrodes included on the first electrode array based on the first stimulus; and   interpolating one or more stimulus currents that correspond to the sound pressure level for one or more additional electrodes included on the second electrode array based on the second stimulus.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the interaural electrode pair includes one or more additional electrodes included on the first electrode array and one or more additional electrodes included on the second electrode array;   the test signal includes information indicative of one or more stimulus currents for the one or more additional electrodes included on the first electrode array; and   the test signal includes information indicative of one or more stimulus currents for the one or more additional electrodes included on the second electrode array.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein, in response to determining that the input signal includes the request, the method further comprises:
 adjusting at least one of:
 the first stimulus current; 
 the second stimulus current; 
 the one or more stimulus currents for the one or more additional electrodes included on the first electrode array; or 
 the one or more stimulus currents for the one or more additional electrodes included on the second electrode array. 
   
     
     
         33 . A computing device comprising:
 a user interface configured to receive an indication of an adjustment to a first stimulus and a second stimulus delivered to a user of a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis;   an interface module configured to connect the computing device to the first hearing prosthesis and the second hearing prosthesis; and   a processor configured to:
 receive an input signal from the user interface that includes information indicative of an adjustment to the first stimulus and the second stimulus; 
 modify the first stimulus and the second stimulus based on the adjustment; 
 send a first signal to the first hearing prosthesis that includes information indicative of a modified first stimulus; and 
 send a second signal to the second hearing prosthesis that includes information indicative of a modified second stimulus, wherein the first signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver the modified first stimulus to the user at about a same time as the second signal causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver the modified second stimulus to the user. 
   
     
     
         34 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the user interface includes a first input interface, a second input interface, a third input interface, and a fourth input interface. 
     
     
         35 . The computing device of  claim 34 , wherein an interaction with the first input interface increases the first stimulus and increases the second stimulus. 
     
     
         36 . The computing device of  claim 34 , wherein an interaction with the second input interface decreases the first stimulus and decreases the second stimulus. 
     
     
         37 . The computing device of  claim 34 , wherein an interaction with the third input interface increase the first stimulus and decreases the second stimulus. 
     
     
         38 . The computing device of  claim 34 , wherein an interaction with the fourth input interface decreases the first stimulus and increases the second stimulus. 
     
     
         39 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the user interface includes an external hardware component, and wherein the first input interface, the second input interface, the third input interface, and the fourth input interface are included on the external hardware component. 
     
     
         40 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the user interface includes a display device, and wherein the first input interface, the second input interface, the third input interface, and the fourth input interface are displayed on the display device.