A probabilistic graphical model for tuning cochlear implants

Abstract

Severe and profound hearing losses can be treated with cochlear implants (CI). Given that a CI may have up to 150 tunable parameters, adjusting them is a highly complex task. For this reason, we decided to build a decision support system based on a new type of probabilistic graphical model (PGM) that we call tuning networks. Given the results of a set of audiological tests and the current status of the parameter set, the system looks for the set of changes in the parameters of the CI that will lead to the biggest improvement in the user's hearing ability. Because of the high number of variables involved in the problem we have used an object-oriented approach to build the network. The prototype has been informally evaluated comparing its advice with those of the expert and of a previous decision support system based on deterministic rules. Tuning networks can be used to adjust other electrical or mechanical devices, not only in medicine. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.