#$%^&*AU2018203550A120180607.pdf#####OPTICALLY COUPLED COCHLEAR IMPLANT SYSTEMS AND METHODS ABSTRACT A system (10) to stimulate tissue of a user having a tympanic membrane, the system (10) comprising: a plurality of electrodes (32E) configured for placement at least partially within the tissue； circuitry configured to receive a signal from a source； at least one light source coupled to the circuitry, the at least one light source and the circuitry configured to transmit through the tympanic membrane a multiplexed optical signal comprising a plurality of light pulses； at least one photo detector (34) sized and shaped to collect a scattered multiplexed optical signal transmitted through the tympanic membrane, the at least one photodetector (34) and the plurality of electrodes (32E) configured to pass current through the electrodes (32E) in response to the scattered multiplexed optical signal comprising the plurality of light pulses in order to stimulate the tissue, wherein the multiplexed optical signal comprises a plurality of optical channels, each optical channel of the plurality corresponding to at least one frequency of the sound, and wherein the multiplexed optical signal is transmitted through the tympanic membrane of the user to the at least one photodetector (34) , the at least one photodetector (34) configured to be affixed to the middle ear and coupled to the plurality of electrodes (32e) configured to be positioned at least partially within the cochlea.
