The mechanism of a cochlear implant is a marvel of neural engineering. It mimics the natural "tonotopic" organization of the ear, where different parts of the cochlea respond to different pitches.

1. Microphones pick up acoustic sounds from the environment.

2. The Speech Processor filters and digitizes these sounds into electrical pulses.

3. The Transmitter sends these pulses via radio frequency to the internal receiver.

4. The Internal Stimulator sends the pulses down the electrode array.

5. The Auditory Nerve picks up these electrical signals and sends them to the brain, which interprets them as sound.