Triphasic Pulses to Reduce Undesirable Side-Effects in Cochlear Implants

A computer program product encoded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium for generating electrode stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant electrode array, the product comprising:

• program code for processing an input sound signal to generate a plurality of stimulation timing signals for signal channels associated with the electrode contacts;
• program code for producing the electrode stimulation signals for each electrode contact based on the stimulation timing signals;
• and
• program code for controlling a signal format of the electrode stimulation signals based on presence or absence of an undesired somatic response to the electrode stimulation signals, wherein:
• i. the signal format is an initial signal format based on biphasic stimulation pulses when the undesired somatic response is absent, and
• ii. the signal format is an adapted signal form based on triphasic stimulation pulses when the undesired somatic response is present.

A method of generating electrode stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant electrode array, the method comprising:

• processing an input sound signal to generate a plurality of stimulation timing signals for signal channels associated with the electrode contacts;
• producing the electrode stimulation signals for each electrode contact based on the stimulation timing signals;
• and
• controlling a signal format of the electrode stimulation signals based on presence or absence of an undesired somatic response to the electrode stimulation signals, wherein:
• i. the signal format is an initial signal format based on biphasic stimulation pulses when the undesired somatic response is absent, and
• ii. the signal format is an adapted signal form based on triphasic stimulation pulses when the undesired somatic response is present.