A cochlear implant speech processing strategy based on an auditory model

The use of auditory models in cochlear implant sound processing strategies aims to improve cochlear implant users´ perception of speech, particularly in noisy environments. To date, cochlear implant sound processing strategies have been designed using simple envelope extraction techniques, Our new strategy, simulates the behaviour of the cochlea and the auditory nerve to give a stimulation sequence that produces responses in the auditory nerve that are closer to those in normal hearing. The development and evaluation of the strategy may also help to answer the fundamental question of how much benefit is provided by fine-grained timing information to the perception of different sounds that make up speech.