Functionalized tympanic membrane implant contact for improved medical care in the field of passive and active hearing implants (TYMP-CONTACT)

Focus topic:	Life Science Technologies
Type of funding:	Project funding programmes
Programme:	CZS Transfer
Funded institution:	Hochschule Reutlingen

The project is researching the development of hearing implants. The surface properties of a tympanic membrane lens are to be optimized for this purpose. To this end, a material platform is to be developed that will make it possible to adapt the surface properties in a targeted manner.

Goals

10% of the population suffer from sensorineural hearing loss. However, current hearing aid technology does not optimally improve hearing.

The “TYMP-CONTACT” project is researching an electroactive film that is placed closely on the eardrum, similar to an eye lens. To do this, it must have specific contact properties. The eardrum lens is designed to provide optimal transmission properties for sound quality and speech intelligibility. To do this, the contact layer to the eardrum must be long-term stable and biocompatible. The eardrum lens has the potential to usher in a new generation of hearing systems and to contribute to the largely complete restoration of hearing.

The overarching goal of the project is to research functionalization strategies for the siliconized surface of a material platform. This will allow surface properties to be adapted in a targeted and application-specific manner, e.g. also for better healing as a wound dressing.