Systems and methods for training a machine learning model for use by a processing unit in a cochlear implant system

A sound processor comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to:
• receive an audio signal,
• use a machine learning model to perform at least one processing stage with respect to the audio signal to generate one or more stimulation parameters, and
• transmit the one or more stimulation parameters to a cochlear implant;
• wherein the cochlear implant is configured to:
• receive the one or more stimulation parameters by way of the wireless communication link, and
• apply, based on the one or more stimulation parameters, electrical stimulation representative of the audio signal to a recipient;
• wherein the machine learning model is trained by
• applying audio content as a training input to the machine learning model, the machine learning model configured to apply a machine learning heuristic to the audio content to output an electrical signal representative of the audio content, the electrical signal comprising one or more electrical stimulation pulses configured to represent the audio content;
• applying the electrical signal to a brain processing model, the brain processing model configured to output synthesized audio content representative of the electrical signal;
• feeding an error metric representative of a difference between the audio content and the synthesized audio content back into the machine learning model, the machine learning model configured to use the error metric to adjust the machine learning heuristic applied to the audio content.

A system comprising:

• a computing device configured to:
• maintain data representative a machine learning model for use in a cochlear implant system;
• and
• train the machine learning model by
• applying an electrical signal representative of audio content to a brain processing model, the brain processing model configured to output synthesized audio content representative of the electrical signal;
• and
• feeding an error metric representative of a difference between the audio content and the synthesized audio content back into the machine learning model, the machine learning model configured to use the error metric to adjust the machine learning heuristic applied to the audio content;
• a sound processor remote from the computing device;
• and
• a cochlear implant configured to be implanted within a recipient;
• wherein the sound processor is configured to:
• receive an audio signal,
• use the machine learning model to perform at least one processing stage with respect to the audio signal to generate one or more stimulation parameters, and
• transmit the one or more stimulation parameters to the cochlear implant;
• and
• wherein the cochlear implant is configured to
• apply, based on the one or more stimulation parameters, electrical stimulation representative of the audio signal to the recipient.