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Recent Food and Drug Administration approval for the general use of a single-channel intracochlear implant as a method of treating profound deafness in adults has underscored the need to be informed as to the state of knowledge in this area. This book, consisting of 14 papers given at a symposium on artificial auditory stimulation held at the University of Erlangen, West Germany, in 1982, provides an overview of this topic based on material provided by a literal "who's who" of researchers in this matter.
Some topics include the aims of single vs multichannel cochlear stimulation; the pros and cons of extracochlear vs intracochlear electrode insertion; the rationale for various speech processor strategies.
A major problem in comparing the effectiveness of cochlear prostheses has been the lack of a universally accepted preinsertion and postinsertion test battery. A plea for the use of the minimal-auditory-capabilities—screening battery is made in this regard.