Abstract: In order to improve hearing ability, piezoelectric materials were directly used to cochlea implants based on piezoelectric characteristics which could transform acoustic vibration into electric signal. A series of experiments were done to substantiate the feasibility of the different piezoelectric cochlea implants in vitro and in vivo. The unpoled ceramic had no piezoelectric characteristic and no ability to decrease the threshold, while the poled ceramic had obvious piezoelectric effect to recover the hearing. Based on these results, it can be affirmed that the piezoelectric cochlea implant can activate the nerve and decrease the threshold. In comparison with ceramics, the piezoelectric polymer is also adaptive for implant material to activate the nerve and improve hearing.

Key words: piezoelectric, cochlea, implantation, acoustic-electric transition