The Cochlear Implant School Toolkit

2 - What is a Cochlear Implant?

External components

The external components of a cochlear implant, which are connected by cables, include a microphone, a sound processor, a transmitter, and batteries (continued on next page.)

• The microphone collects sound waves from the environment and carries the vibrations to the sound processor. The microphone is housed in the processor and is usually worn hooked over the ear.
• The processor is a small computer that transforms sound vibrations into electronic signals. The processor sits behind the ear, held in position by a hook worn over the ear. Some children have "body worn" processors, though these are becoming less common.