MED-EL today announced the launch of TICI UNICO, which it's calling the world's first and only commercially available totally invisible cochlear implant.
Designed for people with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, TICI UNICO provides access to sound through a fully implanted solution with no external components.
"TICI UNICO is a new category of an implant. It is totally new and it is the realization of a dream that I have had for a very long time," said Dr. Ingeborg Hochmair, co-founder and CEO of MED-EL, in a statement. "For the first time, invisible hearing with a cochlear implant is possible. This means a lot for the people who can receive TICI UNICO as well as for MED-EL and its team. It is a new chapter in the history of hearing, and a very fascinating one. I do indeed hope that it will open the door to hearing for many more people than currently are interested in cochlear implants."
MED-EL
TICI UNICO is the first cochlear implant solution with all components, including the microphone, implanted completely beneath the skin. The device captures sound through the skin, converts it into electrical signals and stimulates the cochlea, allowing sound information to be transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve. Because no external components are required, recipients can access sound throughout daily life, including while sleeping, exercising, or participating in water-based activities. Recipients can continue hearing while the device is charging, eliminating periods without access to sound and supporting uninterrupted 24/7 hearing day and night.
Key benefits of TICI UNICO:
- Completely invisible hearing solution with no external components
- Implanted microphone technology designed to capture sound through the skin
- Continuous access to sound throughout the day and night, including while sleeping
- Ability to hear 24/7 every day and water-based activities
- No external equipment to wear, remove, or manage
- Reduced concerns about losing, damaging, or maintaining external devices
- Greater discretion for recipients who prefer a non-visible hearing solution
- Hearing performance comparable to MED-EL’s established cochlear implant solutions
- Rechargeable device designed for long-term daily use
- MR Conditional compatibility at 1.5 Tesla and 3.0 Tesla under specified conditions
A key innovation behind TICI UNICO is its implanted microphone technology. Capturing sound through the skin has long been one of the greatest challenges in developing a cochlear implant in which all components are placed beneath the skin. MED-EL developed an implanted microphone designed to deliver clear sound while remaining completely beneath the skin. Clinical investigation data and experience to date indicate that recipients can achieve hearing performance comparable to established cochlear implant solutions while benefiting from the absence of externally worn components.
