Development of Rechargeable Batteries for BTE Cochlear Devices

描述(申请人提供)：多年来，耳蜗器主要由锌空气助听器电池供电。然而，鉴于更换和处置不可充电的锌空气电池带来的不便、成本和环境影响，耳蜗业最近推出了可充电锂离子电池供电的耳蜗器。虽然锂离子电池比不可充电的锌空气电池具有优势，但它不能满足最新和下一代耳后(BTE)人工耳蜗植入物的苛刻要求。当用锂离子电池供电时，这些设备需要频繁充电(通常一天不止一次)，电池需要每年更换(平均电池寿命只有一年)。耳蜗业正在寻求一种能量密度更高的电池(&gt；300WH/L)，具有足够的电量为下一代耳蜗器供电1-3天而不充电，充电能力在5-10分钟内，至少有五年的寿命。FET向美国国立卫生研究院提交了这份申请，以开发满足这些要求的120毫安可充电BTE耳蜗电池。它将基于FET的高能量密度NanoEnergy(R)薄膜电池技术。在第一阶段，我们将制造单独的电池单元和模块(5个电池单元堆叠)，并进行测试以展示其性能。在第二阶段，我们将通过堆叠模块来完成电池，并将生产足够数量的电池，供我们的合作伙伴--一家主要的耳蜗设备制造商--进行广泛的内部测试和评估。拟议的商业应用：我们的初始电池将设计用于BTE耳蜗设备，目前该设备的年销售额约为4.25亿美元，预计将以每年约20%的速度增长。在完成耳蜗示范电池后，我们将继续开发其他植入式神经调节应用，目前的年销售额为16亿美元，预计在10至15年内增长到100亿美元。除了神经调节应用，我们的电池技术将适合于开发助听器的充电电池，目前估计是一个价值50亿美元的行业。词库术语：医疗器械电源、薄膜电池、锂电池、人工耳蜗、神经刺激器电源、神经调节电池、助听器电池。 与公共健康相关：目前可用的可充电电池的能量密度和寿命不足以满足下一代人工耳蜗、助听器和神经调节系统的挑战性电力需求。FrontEdge Technology(FET)的可充电薄膜锂电池技术NanoEnergy(R)使技术能够满足这些苛刻的功率要求。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): For many years cochlear devices were primarily powered by zinc-air hearing-aid batteries. However, given the inconvenience, cost and environmental impact due to the replacement and disposal of non-rechargeable zinc-air batteries, the cochlear industry recently introduced rechargeable Li-ion battery powered cochlear devices. While Li-ion battery provides advantages over non-rechargeable zinc-air battery, it is not capable of meeting the demanding requirements of the newest and next generation Behind-the-Ear (BTE) cochlear implants. When powered with Li-ion, these devices would need to be frequently recharged (often more than once a day) and the battery would need to be replaced every year (average battery life of only one year). The cochlear industry is seeking a higher energy density battery (>300 Wh/L) with sufficient charge to power the next generation cochlear device for 1-3 days without recharging, with recharge capability in 5 to 10 minutes and with at least a five year life. FET submits this application to NIH for to develop a 120-mAh rechargeable BTE cochlear battery that will meet these requirements. It will be based on FET's high energy density NanoEnergy(R) thin-film battery technology. In Phase I, we will fabricate individual battery cells and modules (stack of 5 cells) and conduct tests to demonstrate their performance. In Phase II, we will complete the battery by stacking modules and will produce a sufficient quantity of batteries for extensive in-house testing and evaluation by our partner in this effort - a major cochlear device manufacturer. Proposed Commercial Applications: Our initial battery will be designed for BTE cochlear devices, which generate current annual sales of approximately $ 425 million and expected to grow by approximately 20 percent annually. Upon completion of the cochlear demonstration battery, we will pursue other implantable neuromodulation applications, which have current annual sales of $1.6 billion and expected to grow to $10 billion in 10 to 15 years. In addition to neuromodulation applications, our battery technology will be suitable for developing rechargeable batteries for hearing aids, currently estimated to be a $5 billion dollar industry. Thesaurus Terms: Medical device power source, thin-film battery, lithium battery, cochlear implant, neurostimulator power source, neuromodulation battery, hearing aid battery. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The energy-density and life of currently-available rechargeable batteries are inadequate to meet the challenging power requirements of next generation cochlear implants, hearing aids and neuromodulation systems. NanoEnergy(R), Front Edge Technology's (FET) rechargeable, thin-film, lithium battery technology is enabling technology for meeting these demanding power requirement.