Cochlear implant

A cochlear implant is a device that is placed, or "implanted," into a part of the inner ear called the "cochlea." The implant uses electricity to send sounds to the brain, which can improve certain types of hearing loss.

A cochlear implant has 3 main parts:

• An external processor – This part is worn on the scalp. It has a microphone to detect sounds. Some devices have another part that is worn on the ear and looks like a hearing aid (called an "earpiece"). The processor attaches to the "receiver" with a magnet. This lets the person remove the processor, such as for sleeping.
• A receiver – This is put under the skin on the scalp near the affected ear. The external processor sends sounds to the receiver, which turns them into electrical signals.
• An electrode – This is put into the cochlea. It takes the signals from the receiver to the cochlea. The cochlea then sends these signals to the brain for the person to "hear" the sounds.