Transformable speech processor module for a hearing prosthesis

A device, comprising:

• a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a barrier configured to protect the speech processor from water, wherein
• the speech processor is part of a behind-the-ear (BTE) device, and
• the device further comprises:
• a transcutaneous transfer coil assembly including a transcutaneous transfer coil and a cable, wherein
• the device is configured to place the transcutaneous transfer coil into signal communication with the speech processor via the cable by way of a connection extending through a dedicated orifice in the barrier.

A device, comprising:

• a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a barrier configured to protect the speech processor from water, wherein
• the speech processor is part of a behind-the-ear (BTE) device,
• the BTE device includes a body, at least a portion of the body including the speech processor, the at least a portion of the body being configured to be removably received in the barrier, and
• the barrier includes two sections configured to be moved relative to one another, so that the barrier can be opened and closed so that the at least a portion of the body of the BTE device can be removed and installed therein, and wherein the barrier is configured so that when the two sections are brought into proximity with one another to protect the at least a portion of the body of the BTE device from water, a seal is established between the two sections preventing water from entering the barrier and reaching the speech processor, and wherein the barrier includes an opening through which an electrical communication component extends, placing the body of the BTE device in signal communication with a transcutaneous transfer coil outside the barrier.

A device, comprising:

• a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a barrier configured to protect the speech processor from water, wherein
• the speech processor is part of a behind-the-ear (BTE) device, and
• the device further comprises a transcutaneous transfer coil assembly including a coil and a housing, wherein the housing of the transcutaneous transfer coil assembly provides the same protection to at least one functional component of the transcutaneous transfer coil assembly as the barrier does to the speech processor, wherein the coil is located outside the barrier and the speech processor is located inside the barrier, and wherein the barrier includes an opening through which a jack extends, the jack placing the transcutaneous transfer coil assembly into signal communication with an interior of the barrier.

A device, comprising:

• a behind-the-ear (BTE) component including a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a protective barrier, wherein the protective barrier is a protective barrier for the BTE component including the speech processor of the hearing prosthesis, the protective barrier including:
• a main body having a hollow portion configured to receive the BTE component;
• and
• a lid configured to extend over the hollow portion of the main body, wherein
• the protective barrier is configured to removably receive the BTE component and protect the BTE component from water,
• the BTE component is removably received in the protective barrier, and the protective barrier protects against substantially all fluid ingress into the protective barrier, and
• the barrier is configured to enable a connector of a cable to mate with the BTE component with the cable located outside the barrier and thus mate with the speech processor that is a part of the BTE component while the BTE component is located in the barrier such that the BTE component is protected from water.

A device, comprising:

• a behind-the-ear (BTE) component including a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a protective barrier, wherein the protective barrier is a protective barrier for the BTE component including the speech processor of the hearing prosthesis, the protective barrier including:
• a main body having a hollow portion configured to receive the BTE component;
• and
• a lid configured to extend over the hollow portion of the main body, wherein
• the protective barrier is configured to removably receive the BTE component and protect the BTE component from water,
• the BTE component is removably received in the protective barrier, and the protective barrier protects against substantially all fluid ingress into the protective barrier, and
• the protective barrier is configured to enable a connector of a cable to directly mate with the BTE component and the speech processor that is a part thereof while the BTE component is located in the barrier such that the BTE component is protected from water, thus providing electrical communication from the speech processor to a location outside the protective barrier.

A device, comprising:

• a behind-the-ear (BTE) component including a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a protective barrier, wherein the protective barrier is a protective barrier for the BTE component including the speech processor of the hearing prosthesis, the protective barrier including:
• a main body having a hollow portion configured to receive the BTE component;
• and
• a lid configured to extend over the hollow portion of the main body, wherein
• the protective barrier is configured to removably receive the BTE component and protect the BTE component from water,
• the BTE component is removably received in the protective barrier, and the protective barrier protects against substantially all fluid ingress into the protective barrier, and
• the protective barrier is configured to prevent substantially all fluid ingress at elevated atmospheric pressure when the lid is closed, and wherein an opening for a communications jack is located in the protective barrier.

A device, comprising:

• a behind-the-ear (BTE) component including a speech processor of a hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a protective barrier, wherein the protective barrier is a protective barrier for the BTE component including the speech processor of the hearing prosthesis, the protective barrier including:
• a main body having a hollow portion configured to receive the BTE component;
• and
• a lid configured to extend over the hollow portion of the main body, wherein
• the protective barrier is configured to removably receive the BTE component and protect the BTE component from water,
• the BTE component is removably received in the protective barrier, and the protective barrier protects against substantially all fluid ingress into the protective barrier, and
• the protective barrier is configured to enable the lid to move relative to the main body to open and close the protective barrier, wherein the main body and the lid form an interior in which, when the BTE component is removably received therein, the BTE component is protected from water by a seal between the main body and the lid, and wherein the main body is sized and dimensioned to securely hold the BTE component therein.

A method of utilizing an external component of a cochlear implant hearing system, the method comprising:

• operating a speech processor module of the external component of the cochlear implant in a stand-alone mode;
• removably placing the speech processor module in an external device configured to have said speech processor module removably located therein and configured to protect the speech processor module from water;
• placing a transcutaneous communication assembly that is located outside the external device into signal communication with the speech processor module in the external device by passing a jack of the transcutaneous communication assembly through an opening in the external device;
• placing the transcutaneous communication assembly into signal communication with an implanted portion of the cochlear implant hearing system;
• and
• operating the speech processor module in the external device to cause the implantable portion of the cochlear implant hearing system to evoke a hearing percept, wherein
• the jack includes a component provided around a distal end of a cable of the transcutaneous communication assembly that prevents water from entering the external device.