CI22M (Nucleus 22) implant received FDA approval in 1985, making it the first FDA-approved multi-channel cochlear implant. While first approved for postlingually deaf adults, its FDA approval expanded to people ages two and up in 1990 after clinical trials on children.
In 1998 FDA approved the company's first Nucleus 24 family implant, the CI24M, which was the first cochlear implant to have a removable magnet to make it easier for patients to get an MRI. Nucleus 24 implants had 22 contacts. The next version of the Nucleus 24 to be approved by the FDA the CI24R implant, which came with the option of three different styles of electrode array. In 2005 the FDA approved the CI24RE "Freedom" implant, which had a new chip that reduced power consumption and better stimulation for improved sound processing. The implant had two options for the electrode array, both from the previous version of the CI24R "contour" options.
The CI500 implant range, which had 22 contacts enabling detection of 161 frequencies, was launched in 2009. When the whole CI500 family was recalled in 2011 due to soft failures of some CI512 implants, the CI500 family consisted of the CI512 and CI513 cochlear implants, the CI522, CI532 which had a perimodular electrode array, CI551 which had a double array, and the Nucleus ABI 541, which was an auditory brainstem implant version of the product.
In the mid to late 2000s, the company released its first short-electrode Hybrid implants, starting off with the Hybrid S8 and Hybrid S12; the devices were used in clinical trials and research on the potential for use in patients with severe to profound high-frequency hearing loss but significant low-frequency residual hearing. All Hybrid implants were paired with a sound processor fitted with an accompanying acoustic piece to amplify the lower frequencies in the recipient's residual hearing. Eventually, in 2014 the FDA approved the Nucleus L24 "Hybrid" implant (CI24REH) for use in people ages 18 and up.
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The Nucleus Profile implant, approved by the FDA in summer 2015, succeeded the Nucleus 24 implant. At the time it was released, it was the thinnest cochlear implant on the market. However, the titanium case on the Profile implant was 2.5 times stronger than the previous Nucleus 24 implant. Just like its predecessor, a variety of electrode array options were available the Nucleus Profile.
Body-worn
The first sound processors made by the company were quite primitive compared to modern behind-the-ear and off-the-ear processors. The first sound processor made for the Nucleus 22 was the Wearable Sound Processor (WSP), an analog device that was only worn by adults; three versions of it were produced. Eventually, in 1989 it was replaced by the Mini Speech Processor, a slightly smaller body-worn digital processor. Subsequently in 1994 the company released the Spectra processor, which continued to improve audio processing, and became the last body-worn processor designed specifically for the Nucleus 22, as all later processors were made backwards-compatible with Nucleus 22 implants (meaning that the version of those processors were first released were compatible with newer implants and that only later were versions of those processors compatible with the Nucleus 22 were produced). In 1997 the company released the SPrint processor which had a small screen on it, and was compatible with the newly-developed Nucleus 24 implants, which received FDA approval in 1998. The SPrint became the last body-worn processor offered by the company; no Nucleus 22 version of it was made since the processor was made obsolete by the ESPrit that same year.
Behind-the-ear
In 1998 the company released its first processor that lacked a body-worn component, the ESPrit. However, the original ESPrit was only compatible with the Nucleus 24 implants, so in 2001 the ESPrit 22, which looked nearly identical to the ESPrit, was released for patients with older Nucleus 22 implants.
In 2002 the company released the ESPrit 3G for Nucleus 24 implants. It was the first processor equipped with telecoil, allowing streaming of audio wirelessly from certain sources such as phones and sound systems that were telecoil compatible. Later a version for older Nucleus 22 implants was released.
In 2005 the company released the Nucleus Freedom sound processor. Unlike previous processor upgrades, the Freedom was larger than its predecessor. Nevertheless, it had more sophisticated sound processing technology than the ESPrit 3G. While the previous ESPrit 3G and the earlier ESPrit required the use of disposable batteries, the Nucleus Freedom was the company's first behind-the-ear processor that offered a rechargeable power supply option. However, it was not until 2008 that a version of the Nucleus Freedom processor compatible with N22 implants was released.
An electric acoustic stimulation (EAS) or "hybrid" version of the Freedom sound processor that included an earhook with an acoustic component provided amplification of sounds that could be picked up by residual hearing was used in clinical trials of early Nucleus Hybrid S8 and S12 implants, making it the first Cochlear processor that capable of EAS.
The Nucleus 5 (CP800 series) sound processor was approved by the FDA in 2009. Despite being much smaller than its predecessor, it also had more sophisticated sound processing capability. Initially released with the CI500 series implant, it was eventually made compatible with the earlier Nucleus 24 series implants.
The Nucleus 6 (CP900 series) was released in 2013; while it looked very similar to the Nucleus 5 and contained many of the same features, it was slightly smaller and had more advanced computer chip. Both the Nucleus 5 and Nucleus 6 shared many of the same outward features, such as a direct audio input port, dual omnidirectional microphones, three battery options (rechargeable, compact rechargeable, and disposable), and many similar or even identical accessories. The Nucleus 6 was backwards compatible with all Nucleus implants at the time, from the current generation to the Nucleus 22.
One-piece
In 2016 the company released the Nucleus Kanso processor, first one-piece sound processor made by the company. The electronics in and features of the device were nearly identical as in the previous Nucleus 6. However, because of its size and positioning, it is more easily concealed by hair or a hat.
Accessories
In 2013 Cochlear released the "Aqua Accessory", a sealable single-use plastic pouch shaped to fit a Nucleus 5 processor. When used properly, it gave an IP68 water resistance level to the processor inside. However, it soon became obsolete by the 2014 introduction of the Aqua+ kit, which consisted of a waterproof coil and a silicone sleeve for the processor unit.
Other accessories include a TV streamer using ReSound technology that allows streaming of audio directly to sound processor, a wireless mini mic that can be worn be the person speaking with the implant user, and a wireless phone clip for streaming audio from a bluetooth-enabled device to the sound processor.
Various sound processor models have been designed to be compatible with certain FM receivers made by other companies specifically for use in the given sound processor. For example, the Phonak Roger 20 made by Phonak is compatible with the Nucleus 7, where the receiver can be connected between the processing unit and the battery pack. However, the previous Roger 14 that was used with Nucleus 5 and Nucleus 6 devices was plugged into the side of the processor unit (pictured). Other earlier processors like the ESPrit and Freedom also had FM options.
Auditory brainstem implants (ABI)
The company also produces auditory brainstem implants, which look similar to cochlear implants but bypass the cochlea completely, instead placing a rectangular electrode array on the cochlear nucleus of the brainstem. The first ABI made by the company was the Nucleus 22ABI, released in the early 1990s. It had eight electrodes, utilized parts from the Nucleus 22 cochlear implant, and utilized the Spectra sound processor. This was followed by the 1999 introduction of an improved ABI based on the Nucleus 24, the Nucleus ABI24, which had 21 electrodes and allowed for more advanced audio processing in addition to having a removable magnet; in 2000 it was approved by the FDA for use in people with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 ages 12 and older. In 2016 the Nucleus Profile ABI541 received FDA approval.
