# Device for assessment of 8th nerve function and cochlear implant candidacy

> **NIH NIH R43** · INTELLIGENT HEARING SYSTEMS · 2024 · $295,770

## Abstract

The overall aim of this project is to develop a commercial device for acquiring electrically evoked
auditory brainstem responses (eeABR) using direct promontory stimulation for the assessment of 8th
nerve function for the determination of cochlear implantation candidacy. The proposed device will be
compact and portable using an innovative amplifier hardware design to overcome the limitations of
currently available evoked potential systems. New stimulation and data processing strategies will be
developed in order to facilitate the extraction of eeABRs.
 As of 2019, more than 736,900 patients have received cochlear implants (CI) worldwide. It is
important to assess the functional status of the cochlea and 8th nerve prior to implant surgery. There is
currently no commercially available device for this purpose. As such, in difficult to assess cases,
physicians have had to use standard evoked potential systems with prototype or rudimentary electrical
stimulation units in order to make the necessary assessments of implantation candidacy. These pieced
together configurations are most often fraught with noise problems and/or shortcomings. The present
proposal will develop an effective eeABR testing device using bio-amplifiers with hardware blanking and
fast recovery circuitry, integrated electrical stimulation circuitry, innovative stimulation techniques, and
associated shielded disposable stimulation and recording electrodes. During Phase I, the effectiveness of
the proposed device will be tested via animal experiments.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10820618
- **Project number:** 1R43DC021116-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** INTELLIGENT HEARING SYSTEMS
- **Principal Investigator:** Rafael E Delgado
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $295,770
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-10 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10820618

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10820618, Device for assessment of 8th nerve function and cochlear implant candidacy (1R43DC021116-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10820618. Licensed CC0.

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