Abstract
An acoustic transient can be generated inside an absorbing tissue as a result of laser-tissue interaction after pulsed laser irradiation. Herein we report a novel application of this physical process, the optoacoustic wave generation in the inner ear and subsequently the induction of basilar membrane vibrations. These laser induced vibrations show a direct correlation to the laser energy and an indirect correlation to the distance from the irradiation focus. Through these characteristics they may be used, in a new generation of cochlear implants, to improve the frequency specific cochlear activation and consequently improve speech perception in hearing impaired patients with residual hearing.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 23037-23043 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Optics Express |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 25 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 7 2009 |