Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 January 2016
This study investigates the use of shape memory polymers (SMPs) as a substratefor a self-coiling cochlear implant electrode array and investigates theself-coiling ability of a sham probe micromachined atop such a substrate.Through the use of a self-coiling cochlear implant, the capability to avoidcontact with the tissue of the cochlear duct is investigated via the insertionof a dummy device into a model cochlea heated to an ambient 34 °C.Finally, a prototype straightening and insertion tool is developed for automatedretraction and locking of the coiled shape into a bar geometry. Preliminarydemonstration of the deployment of self-coiling cochlear implants is shown andpaves the way for future studies focused on using histological analysis of thecochlear wall tissue to compare the degree of trauma resulting from linearcochlear implant arrays versus the self-coiling, non-contact probes demonstratedherein.