Study creates electronic devices powered by inner ear

A team led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has found a way of potentially powering medical devices using a natural power source within the inner ear.

Scientists have found a way of tapping into the chamber deep inside the inner ear of mammals that is filled with ions which produces an electrical potential to drive neural signals.

In experiments, electrodes were implanted into these biological batteries among guinea pig test subjects, allowing data about chemical conditions within their bodies to be transmitted wirelessly without impairing their hearing.

This discovery could pave the way for the development of a new generation of cochlear implants, diagnostic devices and implantable hearing aids.

Cliff Megerian, chairman of otolaryngology at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Case Medical Center, said: "If we could tap into the natural power source of the cochlea, it could potentially be a driver behind the amplification technology of the future."

According to NHS data, there are an estimated four million people in the UK with hearing loss that could benefit from using a hearing aid, but do not currently wear one.