Apr 28, 2026

In this final episode of Closest to Natural Hearing, Marcus Schmidt speaks with Dr. Hinrich Staecker and Dr. Peter Nopp about the future of cochlear implantation. They explore how advances in AI, anatomy‑based fitting, hearing preservation, and fully implantable systems are reshaping outcomes for current and future CI...

Apr 21, 2026

In this episode, Marcus Schmidt discusses with Prof. Stefan Weder and Dr. Ilona Anderson how a flexible electrode array design and advanced surgical tools, such as OTOPLAN and OTODRIVE, are helping surgeons achieve more precise outcomes while supporting residual hearing preservation by protecting the delicate...

Apr 14, 2026

In this episode, Dr. Ilona Anderson welcomes Mariia Pazi and Krystian Koper, two cochlear implant users with unique hearing journeys. Together, they explore what “closest to natural hearing” means from a user’s perspective. 

Weblinks:

How MED-EL Cochlear Implants Provide the Closest to Natural...

Apr 7, 2026

In this episode, Jennifer Robinson is joined by Dr. Anja Kurz and Dr. Margaret Dillon for an in‑depth look at anatomy‑based fitting (ABF) and its role in reducing frequency–place mismatch. Together, they explore what makes ABF so impactful—from the underlying science to everyday clinical challenges—and...