# Plug-And-Play Cochlear Electrode Array

> **NIH NIH R44** · MEMSTIM, LLC · 2021 · $652,996

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Worldwide, approximately 466 million people suffer from disabling hearing loss. When conventional hearing
aids provide no appreciable benefit, cochlear implants are a solution. Current cochlear implants, while
beneficial in their use, are limited in their capabilities by hand-assembly of wire-bundled electrode arrays. Hand
assembly is very costly, extremely labor-intensive, and inadequate in implementing new strategies in
Otolaryngology for improving speech recognition and music appreciation.
Advanced-manufacturing (microfabrication, laser-machining, etc.) has been deemed a superior replacement to
the hand-assembly of electrode arrays, and many innovations have been made in this area. However,
commercial suppliers have not adopted them. In large part, due to mismatches between the flat 2D bond pads
of advanced-manufactured arrays and the 3D feedthrough pins of commercial stimulators. As such, they
require additional adapters that not only reintroduce hand-assembly, but also add to the overall manufacturing
costs and clinical failures.
MEMStim LLC proposes a plug-and-play advanced-manufacturing solution that relies heavily on 3D printing.
By printing conductive and nonconductive silicones, biocompatible pluggable arrays can be printed to any size,
length, shape or thickness, from several microns to tens of millimeters. Most importantly, the integrated
connectors plug readily onto stimulators by way of a novel micro-socket technology. The micro-sockets are
compatible and slide right onto the feedthrough pins. The printer resolution can output pluggable connectors
that are compatible with pin-to-pin pitches smaller than 100 µm (edge-to-edge), allowing for enhanced
miniaturization.
In phase I work, high performing stimulating electrode sites and extension cables were demonstrated.
Additionally, the feasibility of producing high performing plug-and-play connectors was demonstrated. The goal
of this Phase II project is to monolithically integrate all three into the first-ever pluggable cochlear electrode
array. The Aims of the Phase II grant are: (1) Produce an integrated 3D printed plug-and-play cochlear array
that complies with the functional electrical requirements of cochlear implants; (2) Produce a 3D printed plug-
and-play cochlear array that complies with the durability requirements of cochlear implants; and (3) Produce
3D printed plug-and-play cochlear array that complies with the biocompatibility and surgical safety
requirements of cochlear implants. The end result will be the first-ever pluggable cochlear electrode array,
which is functional and passes all the handling/use/safety tests that are necessary to seek approval from the
FDA.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10147032
- **Project number:** 5R44DC018763-02
- **Recipient organization:** MEMSTIM, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** angelique johnson
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $652,996
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-05-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10147032

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10147032, Plug-And-Play Cochlear Electrode Array (5R44DC018763-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10147032. Licensed CC0.

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