RESUMEN

Combined electric and acoustic stimulation has proven to be an effective strategy to improve hearing in some cochlear implant users. We describe an acoustic microactuator to directly deliver stimuli to the perilymph in the scala tympani. The 800 µm by 800 µm actuator has a silicon diaphragm driven by a piezoelectric thin film (e.g., lead-zirconium-titanium oxide or PZT). This device could also be used as a component of a bimodal acoustic-electric electrode array. In the current study, we established a guinea pig model to test the actuator for its ability to deliver auditory signals to the cochlea in vivo. The actuator was placed through the round window of the cochlea. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds, peak latencies, and amplitude growth were calculated for an ear canal speaker versus the intracochlear actuator for tone burst stimuli at 4, 8, 16, and 24 kHz. An ABR was obtained after removal of the probe to assess loss of hearing related to the procedure. In some animals, the temporal bone was harvested for histologic analysis of cochlear damage. We show that the device is capable of stimulating ABRs in vivo with latencies and growth functions comparable to stimulation in the ear canal. Further experiments will be necessary to evaluate the efficiency and safety of this modality in long-term auditory stimulation and its ability to be integrated with conventional cochlear implant arrays.

Asunto(s)

Estimulación Acústica/instrumentación , Estimulación Acústica/métodos , Implantes Cocleares , Potenciales Evocados Auditivos del Tronco Encefálico/fisiología , Animales , Umbral Auditivo/fisiología , Implantación Coclear/métodos , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Femenino , Cobayas , Piezocirugía/métodos , Diseño de Prótesis , Distribución Aleatoria , Sensibilidad y Especificidad

RESUMEN

We report a MAPbI3-based self-powered photodetector (SPPD). It has a dual sensing mechanism that relies on the joint properties of a photoelectric effect and a triboelectric effect of the perovskite material. Both the photoconductivity and the surface triboelectric density of the MAPbI3-based composite thin film are significantly altered upon solar illumination, which results in considerable reduction of the output voltage. The SPPD exhibits excellent responsivity (7.5 V W(-1)), rapid response time (<80 ms), great repeatability, and broad detection range that extends from UV to visible regions. This work presents a route to designing high-performance self-powered photodetectors from the aspect of materials.