Implantology

Founded in 1988 by Hans-Peter Zenner, the implantology laboratory was successful in developing new otological implants like TICA®, TTP® , MiS-port and MiS-DDS currently available from industrial partners (Kurz Europe, Kurz America, MiS). Furthermore, pre- and postdoctoral fellows were trained in outcome orientated applied research allowing them later to obtain attractive positions in universities and industry (to be contd.).

Integrated is the laboratory of medical navigation and robotics which works in cooperation with the Fraunhofer-Institute Stuttgart and the Tuebingen Department of Radiology.

In a project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany) the group works on a partially implantable hearing aid which couples directly to the inner ear. Energy and signal are supposed to be transmitted optically. This allows to omit space-consuming coils which are typically used in implantable hearing aids. The external module contains a signal recording and processing unit as well as a light emitting unit. The internal unit consists of a ligth collecting unit and the actuator connected by a biocompatible and biostable insulated cable. The inner part is intended to be implanted permanently.