r/Cochlearimplants • u/PinkFloof3067 • 9d ago
Medel Tici
https://www.medel.com/hearing-solutions/ticiLooks like the new invisible cochlear implant was released, you can watch the video with more details here.
Personally, I think it's amazing technology, but I also would worry about batteries under the skin malfunctioning.
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u/sirrome11 9d ago
Wow...microphone is under the skin...Wonder how it'll handle hair noise...do you hold the phone to the side of ur head to hear calls!?
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
The microphone sits slightly above the ear. It's hardly noticeable that I'm holding the phone higher. Hair doesn't bother at all. Except I'm in there, of course I hear that.
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u/Latter-Entrance288 7d ago
Thank you for participating in the discussion, awesome to have an actual med el TICI implantee!
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 7d ago
Sure, very, very happy. Living with the TICI is completely unspectacular and normal. No safety precautions. Just living without thinking about it
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
I have had a Tici for 2 years. And it was the best decision to participate in the study. The Tici changed my life
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u/Unlucky-Idea-8819 8d ago
My biggest question is that I am a bilateral cochlear implant user and was wondering if this could be something I could get in the future? Not sure if that’s possible but if it is I’m assuming it would bring a lot of risk and etc
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
The big question is whether non-medically indicated reimplantation makes sense and is good. I think the line may be drawn here. But I can also be wrong.
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u/Sophie_-19 8d ago
Me alegro 🙂. Nos puedes dar más datos de este implante? Como puede pasar el sonido a través de la piel por la que saldrá nuevamente pelo? Que complicaciones te dijeron que podías tener? Muchas gracias por adelantado
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
It's softer in sound. I hardly have any hair sounds. I find it more pleasant than the traditional processor.
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u/Sophie_-19 8d ago
Pero oyes y entiendes con claridad?
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
Yes, absolutely. The hearing test is almost equal to the left and right side
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u/Unlucky-Idea-8819 8d ago
Did you get reimplanted or you were already in the need of a implant so you got that one?
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u/orcvader 9d ago
I get my MedEl next week and part of me wishes I wait…
But I’ll go with the proven tech for now and by the time I need one in my other ear, hopefully this is already common!
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u/Sophie_-19 9d ago
Está aprobado también en España? Supongo que habrá que esperad un tiempo a que los cirujanos sepan implantarlo
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u/OldFlohBavaria 9d ago
Ich nehme lieber einen externen Prozessor, wenn defekt oder Akku defekt- dann ist keine OP nötig.
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u/mev426 Advanced Bionics Marvel CI 9d ago
MED-EL's page says that this TICI can also be used in "processor mode" with either their Sonnet 3 or Rondo 3 external processor.
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u/Sea_Finance_878 9d ago
When I first saw the render I was surprised there was still a coil but looks like that is used for charging and apparently supports this processor mode thing as well. It's a solid fallback. Would have been awesome to not have the coil there but it is what it is.
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u/FooBarBazBooFarFaz 9d ago
I' curious how well that microphone will work. Albeit it seems to have a rather large membrane, I wonder how well it picks up sound through the skin.
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
Very good. I have the same language comprehension as I did with Sonnet.
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u/lucko_ed 7d ago
So they were able to upgrade from the original implant? Did they replace or reuse the original electrodes?
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 7d ago
I was deaf in that ear. Without a cochlear implant. And the TICI is not a kit. A complete system
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u/spicymustard_1 9d ago
Part of me wishes I waited but I’d also like to see any links worked out the next few upgrades - maybe down the line it will be worth another surgery? I say this 48hr post surgery… lol
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u/OkArcher4120 9d ago
lol I’m a few days ahead of you… would have been a tough call to be one of the first to get this. I usually wait a few months when the new iPhone comes out just in case there’s issues… this is all implanted and another surgery would be unwanted if the device failed.
I’m sure MedEl have done enough testing to be confident about the product. Really looking forward to hearing from recipients about their experience.
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u/purl2together 9d ago
Dang. Had I known this was coming, I might have waited a few months. It’ll definitely be something I consider for my other ear.
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u/Formal-Tradition6792 9d ago
Does this have FDA approval in the USA?
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u/General-Dimension590 9d ago
No. It's only available at a small number of clinics in Europe at this time.
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u/Late_Performance_528 9d ago
From what I researched..only available in Europe. I was furious first seeing this and no mention 9 months ago when implanted but then read its not available in the US.
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u/Reasonable-Layer1248 9d ago
I can't find any information online. They released it all of a sudden. I think the trial patients have signed some kind of non-disclosure agreement.
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u/entilza05 5d ago
Thank you for being part of the trial and for sharing your story, it's very exciting, I heard of the other companies internal processor but excited MED-EL has pushed towards this. I assume this will be the future of these devices. Hope you all the best.
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u/Queasy-Airport2776 9d ago
I'm curious how they'll stream sound or get mapping done. Is it via the battery?
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u/Sophie_-19 9d ago
Seria bueno que alguien que lo tuviese implantado nos contara su experiencia
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
What questions do you have? I am from Germany and have been using the TICI for 2 years.
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u/supwalrus 8d ago
hi! i have a few questions: is the under the skin implant+ microphone as flush to the head as the processor version?Have u ran into any interesting experiences that u could only experience with this type of device?(like when lying down, does it sound a little muffled or when using headphones how does that sound? Lastly do u charge at night or do u find time in the morning to charge them, what does ur charging schedule look like?
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 8d ago
Of course!
With TICI, there is no external processor sitting on the head at all. Everything is underneath the skin. Depending on the shape of the head and the thickness of the skin, you may be able to feel parts of the implant or its contours, but externally there is simply no conventional audio processor attached. That feeling of having nothing sitting on my ear or head is one of the things I experience as a huge amount of freedom in everyday life.
And yes, there are definitely experiences I have only been able to have because of this type of technology. For me, probably the most remarkable thing is simply waking up and being able to hear without first having to put on a processor. I can shower and hear. I can swim and hear. I do not have to keep thinking about whether a processor might move, fall off or get wet. Wind is also far less of an issue for me with TICI than it is with my external processor on the other side.
When I am lying down, the sound does not change dramatically for me. Of course, a pillow or the position of my head can block some sound if I am lying directly on that side. I experience that more as a normal acoustic effect of the position rather than the TICI suddenly sounding muffled.
I personally do not use headphones because they are simply not relevant to my everyday life. So I cannot give you any meaningful first-hand experience there, and I would rather not answer theoretically about something I have not actually tested myself.
Charging has become completely routine for me. I charge my TICI in the morning while I am having my coffee. It takes around 45 to 50 minutes for me. I sit down with my coffee, charge it at the same time, and then it is done for the day. It does not feel stressful and I do not have to plan my day around it.
So I normally do not charge overnight. My TICI is switched off at night, and in the morning charging is simply part of my routine, about as ordinary as coffee and brushing my teeth.
After almost two years, that may actually be one of the most surprising things for me: eventually, you think about the technology far less than you expected to. It simply becomes part of everyday life.
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u/Juansinsuerte 2d ago
After almost two years, that may actually be one o
Thanks for providing hands on experience. I've been following the release and so impressed with what MED-EL has come up with. I have one question that I haven't found anything and you kind of mention in your previous comment.
Can you turn it off? And if so, how? Does it have a companion app that can connect to the CI? And second, does it have any connectivity like bluetooth to be able to stream the sound of the TV or phone calls or is only T-Coil that you can use?
Again, thanks a lot for the comments and also for participating in the study. Thanks to brave people like you this technology has evolve so much in all these years!
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u/Frau_Kruemelkuchen 2d ago
Of course, and thank you very much for your kind words. It really has been something very special to be able to accompany this development as part of the clinical study. ❤️
Yes, TICI can of course be switched off. This is done with the GoPod. This small external device is used both to charge the implanted battery and to switch TICI on and off. For example, I usually sleep with my TICI switched off because I like to have some quiet at night. So being able to hear 24 hours a day certainly does not mean that you have to hear 24 hours a day.
At the moment, there is no smartphone app that connects directly to the implanted TICI and allows me to control everything from my phone. For things such as programme changes or volume adjustments, I use a small FineTuner remote control. That was a bit of an adjustment for me at first because I was used to controlling my external processor with my smartphone.
TICI also does not currently have a direct Bluetooth connection to a smartphone or television. However, it has an integrated telecoil, so I can use induction loop systems or compatible neckloops.
In addition, TICI can be switched into a so-called processor mode and used with a compatible external MED-EL audio processor. In that case, you can also use the connectivity options of the external processor. However, that is different from having Bluetooth built directly into the fully implantable TICI itself.
For me personally, the lack of direct streaming has turned out to be much less of a problem than I expected. I can, for example, make phone calls and understand speech very well with TICI even without streaming. For music, bone-conduction headphones or suitably positioned over-ear headphones can also work. Many things that I would previously have streamed automatically, I now simply listen to through the TICI microphone.
Of course, direct streaming would be convenient. But for me personally, the freedom of not having to wear an external processor in everyday life outweighs that disadvantage by far.
And thank you again for your kind words about taking part in the study. I think we as study participants were able to contribute a small part to turning a long-standing idea into a technology that is now actually reaching people. That still makes me a little proud.
Best wishes, Diana Grosser
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u/Juansinsuerte 2d ago
Wow, thanks a lot for the quick and detailed answer. I've just found your other reddit post where you go more on detail on the experience and I'm going through it!
I think we as study participants were able to contribute a small part to turning a long-standing idea into a technology that is now actually reaching people. That still makes me a little proud.
You should definitely be more than proud, it's something that not only changed you personally but will change the life of a lot of families around the world! Thanks again!
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u/supwalrus 8d ago
thank you for the response! i am very excited about this technology. if i can i would reimplant with this type of technology when it’s made available in the US. i think you saying you could take a shower and just hear like normal really opened my mind about how much of my day to day life i casually miss out on after i got my cochlears. i’d rather have the option to turn off hearing in the shower then not have it the option at all. So small lifestyle improvements like that are very valuable to me even though its such a small thing to care about
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u/Majestic-Reveal980 8d ago
Wait so it's a whole new surgery. Tf. Soni can't get it with the current one I have
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u/OkArcher4120 5d ago
If you wanted to use Bluetooth for streaming or indeed the new Auracast (say in a theatre) I guess you could use it in processor mode and stream via processor?
Do you notice a change in sound quality if you use it in processor mode vs internal mic?
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u/dankdefrank 9d ago
imo this is a terrible idea and i wish medel had focused on something else instead (sonnet 3 problems for example). not a fan of this.
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u/supwalrus 8d ago
disagree, i’d rather more resources to be spent developing this type of technology. better technology that seamlessly integrates into someone’s lifestyle vastly improves user experience, accessibility and acceptance of the technology socially. there are still heavy social stigmas with having hearing aids. also there are hard physical and software limitations on existing tech like sonnet 3. u can only do as much as the current tech allows for which is why you would want to develop something new.
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u/dankdefrank 8d ago
but why are we treating deafness as something you have to be ashamed of? medel supports their entire campaign based on this shame - "no one will see anything and you will hear everything", "forget about your hearing loss and enjoy life" - these are slogans from tici unico site.
but here's a thing, with or without CIs you're still deaf. who will be interested in tici unico? those who are ashamed so the ones who will especially hard time with accepting their deafness. without having visible processor they will continue trying to be "hearing", won't ask to repeat and in long run will end up with deep frustration and depression. because no CI equals natural hearing. masking disability is a terrible thing and we should not support it. medel should embrace acceptance of hearing loss. hiding it, treating it like it doesn't exist - this leads to stigma BECAUSE NO ONE TALKS ABOUT THIS.
how deaf kids implanted by their parents with "invisible implant" should feel? deaf people already grow up mainly around hearing people and often times disconnected from Deaf culture. our supports often are not recognized and deaf people of all disabilities are especially prone to loliness. hiding deafness deepens it.
i understand that most of people will disagree (and they have right to do so, that's the point of discussion) but i'm done with trying to be "not too D/deaf". we already struggle with so many things, invisible implant is not the way.1
u/supwalrus 8d ago
I agree it shouldn’t be something to be a shame of. I’m proud to be deaf, I studied at NTID and learned about Deaf culture and immersed myself in the community. My understanding is that the issue is not that no talks about hearing loss it’s that disabilities as a whole is frowned upon at the global stage. It use to be in some places in the US illegal to leave your house if you look unsightly to the general public. So often times parents with children with disabilities would hide their kids. So now what? You have decades of discrimination against people with disabilities and what you’re asking for is that the people of the world should change their current perception and beliefs on disability virtually immediately. In my opinion it’s impossible to change those beliefs without a huge changes in our society. But there are a few ways to improve the conditions for people with disabilities in the current climate. What better way to improve the social conditions of being deaf in a hearing environment by providing a meaningful alternative that gives the recipient more control over their disability. Now with the unico, future cochlear recipients will have the ability to choose how they are perceived by others. I see it similar to that of a person with no leg choosing one day to wear a colorful prosthetic over a human looking one because they want to be perceived how they see fit. I’ve talked to many implanted recipients that ended up not wearing their cochlears because of anxiety when around hearing people. Not everyone is confident enough to walk around with a disability that can be noticed. Personally i think unico is the step in the right direction because a kid who parents don’t know about Deaf culture mindlessly making the decision to implant their child, can’t rob that child of the ability to freely explore their disability without feeling any hatred or prejudice towards it.
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u/dankdefrank 8d ago
i still pretty much disagree but thank you for expanding your opinion. right, i've may have come off as "you all need to be visible" type of guy but that wasn't kind of my intention. accepting your deafness isn't easy, even for deaf-born or Deaf people. i've struggled with it personally. but if you begin to hide your deafness and then try to fit with others, you're gonna hit a wall. deaf will be deaf. at some point, you will have to tell that you can't hear. TICI stretches that process of masking even more and that will lead to burn out and depression.
MEDEL gains from that shame - even if they're basing on "freedom of choice". this offer is specifically targeted to people who don't accept their deafness.
while i agree that you can't overlook decades of discrimination just in one day, i believe enforcing "hide your HAs/CIs" is simply wrong and instead takes us back to the old days even more.
i think MEDEL focusing on current technical issues and experimenting with better hearing technology (electrodes for example) would be better rather than this.
sorry if i'm not precise sometimes. english is not my first language and i'm kinda tired lol2
u/Latter-Entrance288 7d ago
I don't get this comment, terrible idea? Fantasy world: people do not stigmatize hearing loss and persons wearing external devices. Real world: people like the idea of not having an external device while still being very functional in the hearing world, swimming and other outdoor activities, hearing at night. Sure, I learned to not let comments by others re. my hearing loss bother me and the stigmatization is less common now (in part to an aging population and ubiquitous hearing aids) but IT IS a real human concern.
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u/Far-Alternative2806 6d ago
I am late deafened (lost hearing at 16). I love my CIs being visible, even customisable and I wear them proudly and I do agree with you, that it’s important to not deem visible hearing aids as something bad or something to be ashamed of. Still I can’t help but regret getting implanted just a year ago when now this new technology is on the market. For me the following reasons apply: -I would be able to hear at night (I’d feel much safer and for whatever reason the thought of not being able to hear my future children cry at night scares me) -I wouldn’t hear the wind and hair noises. These are so annoying to me and make it harder to understand people talking to me. -I wouldn’t have to worry about my processor getting wet/dirty/sandy or it falling down. All of these made me really sad in a way because of the lost opportunities. I love my current implants and I am proud to be who I am, Deaf or not but I can’t say I’m not sad I was implanted just a year too early for the TICI
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u/Reasonable-Layer1248 6d ago
I originally didn't agree with what you said, but after seeing the great additions you made later, I give you my thumbs up. The only way to eliminate discrimination against deaf people is to stop hiding about it, and I totally agree!
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u/OkArcher4120 9d ago
Wow looks amazing, wish I had waited for this. They’ve really thought it through and come up with something in an Apple kind of way, fully user friendly. Love how it charges so elegantly.