I-Corps: Analyzing the cochlear implant programming market and assessing the need for image guided cochlear implant programming

I-Corps：分析人工耳蜗编程市场并评估图像引导人工耳蜗编程的需求

• 批准号: 1912657
• 负责人: Jack Noble
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Vanderbilt University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-02-01 至 2020-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1912657&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Analyzing; cochlear; implant; programming

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project addresses 1) improving the overall cochlear implant (CI) programming process, 2) enabling the assessment of the CI electrode array placement which has been shown to affect hearing outcomes, 3) reducing the subjectivity in CI programming by providing patient-specific objectives and quantitative information, and 4) creating a patient focused procedure by enabling CI users to have a better understanding of factors that affect their outcomes. According to the latest reports from several CI companies, around 37 million could benefit from a CI; the number of candidates among newborns each year alone is estimated around 150,000. This technology will not only individualize and enhance hearing outcomes but it will also increase market penetration, by making the benefits more apparent and programming less of a burden, thereby allowing more people to take advantage of the CI technology. Additionally, overall improved hearing outcomes will reduce isolation faced by older adults with poor hearing outcomes.This I-Corps project utilizes cutting-edge image processing algorithms that localize crucial inner ear structures as well as cochlear implant (CI) electrodes. The resulting information enables estimation of auditory nerve stimulation patterns which are then used to help guide CI programming where the goal is to determine a set of satisfactory settings that will lead to better hearing outcomes. Currently, the programming process is more of a subjective exercise than a patient-specific procedure that is based on quantitative and objective measurements. Clinical studies conducted with over 200 participating CI recipients have showed that significant improvements in speech discrimination as well as recognition in both noisy and quiet environments were achieved when CIs were programmed using this technology. In addition, over 70% of those participants decided to keep their new mapping. This project will help 1) better understand the features and characteristics of the current cochlear implant market including eligibility, surgery and programming, 2) consider the challenges in overcoming the status quo and changing the current audiological process, and 3) determine a commercially viable business model that will improve both the programming process and the hearing outcomes for CI users.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力涉及1)改善人工耳蜗(CI)编程的整体流程，2)能够评估CI电极阵列的位置，这已被证明会影响听力结果，3)通过提供患者特定的目标和定量信息来减少CI编程中的主观性，以及4)通过使CI用户能够更好地了解影响其结果的因素来创建以患者为中心的程序。根据几家CI公司的最新报告，大约3700万人可以从CI中受益；仅在新生儿中，每年候选人的数量就估计在15万人左右。这项技术不仅将使听力结果个性化和增强，而且还将通过使好处更加明显和编程更少负担来增加市场渗透率，从而使更多的人能够利用CI技术。此外，听力结果的整体改善将减少听力结果不佳的老年人面临的隔离。这个I-Corps项目利用尖端图像处理算法来定位关键的内耳结构以及人工耳蜗(CI)电极。由此得到的信息可以估计听神经刺激模式，然后使用这些模式来帮助指导CI编程，目标是确定一组令人满意的设置，从而导致更好的听力结果。目前，编程过程更多的是一种主观练习，而不是基于定量和客观测量的针对患者的过程。对200多名参与CI的受试者进行的临床研究表明，当使用这项技术对CI编程时，在噪声和安静环境中的语音识别和识别都取得了显著的改善。此外，超过70%的参与者决定保留他们的新地图。该项目将帮助1)更好地了解当前人工耳蜗市场的特征和特征，包括资格、手术和编程；2)考虑克服现状和改变当前听力学过程中的挑战；3)确定一个商业上可行的商业模式，以改善CI用户的编程过程和听力结果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。