Implantable electromagnetic hearing transducer

An electromagnetic transducer for improving hearing in a hearing impaired person comprises a magnet assembly and a coil secured inside a housing which is fixed to an ossicle of a middle ear. The coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet. The magnet assembly and coil are configured such that conducting alternating electrical current through the coil creates magnetic field thereby causing the magnet assembly and coil to vibrate relative to one another. Because the coil is more rigidly secured to the housing than the magnet assembly, the vibrations of the coil cause the housing to vibrate. The vibrations are conducted to the oval window of the ear via the ossicles. In alternate embodiments, the transducer is secured to ossicular prostheses that are secured within the middle ear.

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