SRD - Towards a system for the in-situ detection of the stapedius reflex

Abstract

Cochlea implants help regain the auditory sense in cases where the cochlea has lost its ability to transform incoming sound signals into electrical stimulation for the auditory cortex. A cochlea implant requires a first calibration process, which is often based on the well-known stapedius reflex. This paper proposes a system, called the stapedius reflex detector (SRD), that aims to provide a step towards the automatic in-situ exploitation of this reflex. A first prototype has been implemented on a field-programmable gate array. The first validation experiments indicate that the system is properly working and ready for further development that aims to integrate this system into the clinical process.