Implantable and external hearing systems having a floating mass transducer

A method of improving hearing, comprising the steps of:

• mounting a housing on a vibratory structure of the ear, wherein the housing is mechanically coupled to an inertial mass which vibrates relative to the housing in response to an externally generated electrical signal;
• and
• coupling the inertial mass to a microphone which produces the electrical signal in response to ambient sound.

A method of improving hearing, comprising the steps of:

• vibrating a mass in direct response to an electrical signal corresponding to ambient sound;
• and
• vibrating the housing mechanically coupled to the mass, wherein vibration of the housing is caused by vibration of the mass relative to the housing and the housing is coupled to a vibratory structure of an ear.

An improved transducer for producing mechanical vibrations in a vibratory structure of an ear having a magnet and a coil, the magnet vibrating relative to the coil in response to an alternating current through the coil, wherein the improvement comprises a housing adapted to be mounted to the vibratory structure having the magnet and coil disposed therein, the magnet moving more freely within the housing than the coil such that vibrations of the magnet cause the housing and vibratory structure to vibrate.