Nucleus Freedom Cochlear Implant Speech Processor
The Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant and speech processor was made by
Cochlear Ltd. of Australia. It was approved by the FDA for use in the
USA in 2005.
The external parts consisted of the circular headpiece coil
(left) and the behind-the-ear (BTE) speech processor/controller (right).
Read the instruction manual
for the Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant speech processor.
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The Nucleus Freedom came in at least two colors—black and beige. This is
a right-side view of the beige-colored Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant
speech processor and transmitting coil. This was an earlier model than
the black model as shown by their serial numbers. The beige version's
serial number was 0496272, much earlier than the black version's serial
number of 0872865.
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View of the left side of the Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant speech
processor and transmitting coil showing the underside of the
transmitting coil. |
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View of a picture of the internal implant. The curved electrodes (left)
are threaded into the cochlea. The wire to the right of the electrodes
is the ground wire that is implanted outside the cochlea. The large part (right) is implanted in a
hollowed out part of the mastoid bone just under the skin behind the
outer ear.
The magnet in the center of the circle mated with the magnet in the
center of the
headpiece coil (see below) to hold the external coil tightly to the head so signal
transfer could take place.
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The magnet (left) fitted into the center of the headpiece coil. The
cap screwed off to replace the magnet. The magnets came in different
strengths. Stronger magnets were needed if the person's skin or hair
were particularly thick, else the headpiece coil would fall off.
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View of the back of the Nucleus Freedom beige transmitting coil
showing the magnet screwed out. This was an earlier version of the
transmitting coil where the magnet screwed in or out, rather than just
sat there held in place by a cap as in the black (newer) version above.
The magnet could be screwed in or out to increase or decrease
the "pull" of the magnet on the internal magnet in the cochlear implant. |
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Close-up view of the magnet in the Nucleus Freedom beige transmitting
coil. This is a No. 2 strength magnet. Magnets came in one of 6
strengths—½, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
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View of the underside of the Nucleus Freedom headpiece coil showing the part that went
against the skin/hair. |
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The various external components of the Nucleus Freedom BTE cochlear
implant. The headpiece coil and its cable (top) plugged into the back of
the speech processor
(right) which twisted onto the controller (center). The rechargeable
battery (left) pushed into the bottom of the controller. |
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The plug of the headpiece coil cable plugged into the coil jack (a bit right of
center) on the rear of the Nucleus Freedom BTE speech processor. |
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View showing the battery being inserted into the bottom of the BTE
controller. |
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View of the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor (right) and the
controller (left) showing their connecting pins. The two units twisted
apart/together. |
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The microphone cover (right) protected the microphones of the Nucleus Freedom BTE
speech processor. The serial number (0872865) is visible to the right of the
leftmost microphone when the microphone
cover is removed. |
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Rear view of the Nucleus Freedom BTE controller showing the select
button above the LED readout and the rocker switch—increase (right)/decrease
(left) below it. |
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View of the bottom of the Nucleus Freedom BTE controller showing the
direct audio input (DAI) jack (left) and the bottom of the battery
(right).
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View of the bottom of the Nucleus Freedom BTE controller showing the
direct audio input (DAI) jack cover in place (left) and the bottom of
the battery (right).
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The Nucleus Freedom BTE processor used either 3 heavy duty 675 batteries
(left) or a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (right).
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Close-up view of the rechargeable lithium-ion battery showing the
contacts on the top (left). This battery is a model A-26 3.7 volt, 180 mAh
rechargeable battery.
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The three 675 batteries stacked in a special battery holder, which was
then inserted into the bottom of the Nucleus Freedom BTE controller. The Nucleus Freedom
BTE cochlear implant processor used 3 heavy duty 675 batteries such as
these Power One
p675 batteries.
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View of the back of the 675 battery holder showing the proper way to insert
the batteries for correct polarity.
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The Nucleus Freedom BTE speech processor came with a nifty key-chain
battery case shown here in the closed position.
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As you would expect, this Nucleus Freedom key-chain battery case could hold either a
rechargeable battery, or the triple 675 battery pack (shown here).
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Holding a spare battery wasn't all this nifty case did. It had a special
groove in the bottom to grab the bottom of the rechargeable battery
(shown here) or the bottom of the 675 battery pack to pull it out of the
BTE controller. This was much easier to do than trying to pull the
battery out using your
fingernails.
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When removing the 675 batteries from the battery pack, the top end of the
key-chain battery case had a "nubbin" that stuck out just enough so that
it pushed the each battery
out far enough so that you could get a grip on it to pull it out the
rest of the way.
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That was not all, The Nucleus Freedom key-chain battery holder also had a built-in magnet at the top end so you
could easily pick up the 675 batteries if you dropped one, or had
difficulty getting a new battery out of the battery package.
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View of the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor and headpiece coil in its
convenient carrying case. |
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Outside view of the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor and headpiece coil carrying case.
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The Nucleus Freedom came in two versions—the BTE version (shown in the
above pictures), and the body-worn version (shown here and in the next
11 pictures below). It consisted of the body-worn controller (right),
connecting controller cord (top center),
ear-level processor (bottom center) and headpiece coil (left).
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Top view of the Nucleus Freedom body-worn controller. The
controller-cord jack is on the left and the LCD display is on the right.
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Front view of the Nucleus Freedom body-worn controller. The case pulled off the
controller to reveal the rechargeable NiMH batteries inside.
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Close-up of the Nucleus Freedom body-worn controller showing the two AAA
rechargeable NiMH batteries. The three square buttons with the black centers
fit under the corresponding "buttons" on battery case when it
was closed.
The left button was the select button. The center one was the "increase"
button, and the right one was the "decrease" button.
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Side view of the Nucleus Freedom body-worn unit showing the ear-level processor
with the Snugfit accessory. |
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View of the Nucleus Freedom body-worn unit ear-level processor with the Snugfit removed.
It could be worn with the Snugfit (as shown above) or without the
Snugfit. In this latter case, you attached an ear hook of appropriate
size to the tip of the speech processor.
The Snugfit held the processor on the ear
better—good especially for children or when doing strenuous activities
which might let the processor fall off. |
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View of the Nucleus Freedom ear-level processor (left) and the top end of the connecting
controller cable showing the connecting pins. The two units twisted apart.
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Bottom view of the Nucleus Freedom body worn controller cable plug assembly
showing the direct audio input (DAI) cable jack.
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The above jack is covered when not being used.
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The Nucleus Freedom body-worn controller and its soft carrying/wearing
case.
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The Nucleus Freedom body-worn controller in its soft leather case.
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Rear view of the Nucleus Freedom body-worn controller case showing the
belt loop for wearing it on a belt.
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Top view of the battery charger for the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor
lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Two rechargeable batteries are
shown in the foreground.
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The recharger for the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor could recharge up to
4 batteries at a time. Batteries are shown in recharging slots 1 and 3.
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The recharger for the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor could recharge up to
4 batteries at a time. Shown here are 4 beige batteries for the
beige-colored Nucleus Freedom being charged.
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Close-up view of the back of a beige rechargeable battery. The
inscription reads, "Wyon A25f Swiss batteries" and "Li-ion [lithium-ion]
Accu 3.7 v [volt], 180 mAh" (milli-amp-hour).
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Bottom view of the recharger for the Nucleus Freedom BTE processor
batteries.
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The power cord plugged into the jack on the end of the recharger.
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The wall power adapter unit showing its modular design so it could work
with various plug adapters. The North American power adapter is shown
removed from the power unit.
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The wall power adapter unit with the standard North American plug
configuration snapped into place. The thumb slider (center) pushed back to
allow a person to add or
remove the current plug.
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Five plug adapters came with the Nucleus Freedom battery charger so it could be used in
various countries.
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The Nucleus Freedom came with an auxiliary lapel microphone that plugged into
the direct audio input (DAI) jack on the BTE controller, or into the DAI
jack on the body-worn controller plug. This let a person hear better
in noisy situations, for example. |
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The personal audio cable plugged into the DAI jack on either unit so a person could
directly listen to various personal audio devices
such as iPods, MP3 players, etc.
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The Nucleus Freedom also came with a special direct audio input (DAI) cord for
listening to a TV or stereo system. This DAI cord plugged
into the direct audio input (DAI) port on either of the two Nucleus
Freedom units. The in-line
volume control could decrease the input signal if it was too loud.
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The plug on the TV direct audio input (DAI) cord was a standard ⅛" stereo
plug. For audio devices that required a ¼" phono plug, a ⅛" to ¼"
adapter was included.
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The ⅛" stereo plug shown plugged into the phono plug adapter. |
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The Nucleus Freedom came with a special set of earbuds that could be plugged into either speech
processor to let the audiologist, or anyone else for that matter, listen
to the sounds coming from the CI.
That way the audiologist or parent of
a small child could tell whether the speech processor was working properly
or not.
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