Computational Modeling in Cochlear Implants: Physical Modeling
摘要
Computational modeling provides a methodical approach to deconstructing the complexity of biological systems into realizable, definable, interconnected subsystems. In this chapter, modeling of the electrical behavior of the peripheral auditory system under electrical stimulation with a cochlear implant (CI) is explored and unpacked. An overview is provided of the different components required to create a three-dimensional volume electric model of the electrically stimulated cochlea, including extracochlear components such as the head, which affects current pathways between the stimulating and the return electrodes, and the facial nerve and vestibular systems that may also be affected by stimulation. A generalized workflow for developing volume electrical models of the cochlea is presented. It includes image acquisition, three-dimensional reconstruction techniques, meshing, applying the appropriate physics and boundary conditions, using numerical methods to solve the system of equations, obtaining meaningful predictions, and validating and interpreting predictions. The chapter concludes with an overview of existing volume electrical models, their contributions to our understanding of CI functioning, challenges and limitations of a computational modeling approach, and their current and future applications.