Toward a cochlear implant electrode array with shape memory effect for post-insertion perimodiolar positioning.

For cochlear implants (CI) a final position of the electrode array (EA) along the inner wall of the spirally shaped cochlea is considered to be beneficial because it results in a closer proximity to the auditory nerve fibers. A shape memory effect (SME) could facilitate such shift of the EA toward the cochlear inner wall, but its implementation remains to be solved. The current study presents an EA prototype featuring the SME with minute adjustments of the material properties of Nitinol, a shape memory alloy, in combination with a suitable cooling strategy to prevent premature curling.