Implantable hearing system having multiple transducers

A method for transducing at least one input electrical signal to an output mechanical vibration in an ear, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of electrical-to-mechanical transducers comprising a first and second transducer having substantially nonidentical respective first and second electrical-to-mechanical frequency responses; transducing a first input electrical signal received at the first transducer into a first mechanical vibration; coupling the first mechanical vibration to an inner ear; transducing a second input electrical signal received at the second transducer into a second mechanical vibration; and coupling the second mechanical vibration to the inner ear, thereby forming the output mechanical vibration comprising a superposition of the first and second mechanical vibrations.

An apparatus for improving hearing, the apparatus comprising a plurality of electrical-to-mechanical transducers adapted to be placed in a middle ear, including a signal driver for producing a first signal and a second signal, first and second electrical-to-mechanical transducers having respective first and second mechanical vibration frequency responses the first electrical-to-mechanical transducer having a different mechanical vibration frequency response than the second electrical-to-mechanical transducer, the first and second electrical-to-mechanical transducers producing mechanical vibration frequency responses in response to said first signal and said second signal, the first and second electrical-to-mechanical transducers including means for coupling said transducers to an inner ear, thereby forming a combined output mechanical vibration comprising a superposition of the first and second mechanical vibration frequency responses.