Waterproofing CI Processor with a Balloon By Kaitlyn Fowler
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Before getting in the pool
Under Water
Go from this
to this
Materials: CI processor with rechargeable battery, earhook with earmold attached, oto clip, and qualatex balloon, size 646.
Qualatex balloon can be purchased from: http://www.ziggos.com/646‐jewel‐tone‐colors‐c‐8_286_340_375.html the clear ones are good because the indicator light can be seen through the latex but any color works. The oto clip can be gotten from: http://www.westone.com/catalog/color‐otoclips‐and‐color‐otoclip‐ii To get an earmold you need to go through your audiologist. Freedoms start on page 3. Nucleus Fives start on page 9.
Freedom: I strongly recommend taping the processor at the joint between processor and controller. This will stop it from coming apart as you insert it into the balloon. 1. Tighten the coil magnet by ½ to 1 turn. 2. Set the processor on the correct program. A program with a higher sensitivity than your normal one is ideal. 3. Lock the buttons or turn off the processor so the settings will not change when you put it in the balloon. 4. Remove earhook from processor.
5. If your earhook is not already stripped take a second to remove the threads from the inside of it with a small screwdriver. This will stop the earhook from damaging the balloon when you put the earhook back onto the processor.
6. Pull top of balloon open with two fingers from each hand. Insert processor top first into the balloon.
7. Work the processor into the balloon until the top of the processor is touching the end of the balloon. As you do this, rotate the coil so it will be pointing towards the head when the processor is on the ear.
8. Rotate the processor within the balloon so it is sitting perpendicular to the balloon and the coil is running straight towards the opening.
9. Remove all the air from the balloon. This is the inverse of blowing up a balloon.
10. Tie a knot just above the coil.
11. Cut the balloon just above the knot.
12. Cut the circular piece off of the end of the balloon.
13. Loop the circular piece from the end of the balloon around the processor just above the top button. This will keep the processor concave so it can sit comfortably on an ear.
14. Prepare to reattach the earhook. If the latex is clear around the abutment to which the earhook attaches it is stretched too tightly and will rip when you attach the earhook. Work the latex so it is translucent, but not transparent. 15. Reattach the earhook. To do this, gently slide it over the latex covered tip. Do not rotate the earhook while putting it on; rotation may rip the latex.
16. Open the oto clip so you can slide it over the coil.
17. Slide the clip over the coil then tighten the loop.
18. If you want to, repeat the process with a second processor. When both processors are waterproofed localization is possible and great games of Marco Polo can occur. 19. Finally, clip the end of the oto clip to the swim suit strap and run goggles over the coils. This will keep everything together for swimming. 20. If the backup processor is the one in the balloon it can be left in there until the battery dies. If it is turned off between swims, it will typically last for about 15 hours of swimming. 21. When you are ready to remove the processor from the balloon simply cut the balloon. Do not cut near the coil wire; instead stretch the latex away from the controller then cut the balloon.
Nucleus 5: I strongly recommend locking the battery to the processor. This will stop it from coming apart as you insert it into the balloon. 1. Tighten the coil magnet by ½ to 1 turn. 2. Set the processor on the correct program. A program with a higher sensitivity than your normal one is ideal. 3. Lock the buttons or turn of the processor so the settings will not change when you put it in the balloon. 4. Remove earhook from processor.
5. Pull top of balloon open with two fingers from each hand. Insert processor top first into the balloon.
6. Work the processor into the balloon until the top of the processor is touching the end of the balloon. As you do this rotate the coil so it will be pointing towards the head when the processor is on the ear.
7. Rotate the processor within the balloon so it is sitting perpendicular to the balloon and the coil is running straight towards the opening.
8. Remove all the air from the balloon. This is the inverse of blowing up a balloon.
9. Tie a knot just above the coil.
10. Cut the balloon just above the knot.
11. Cut the circular piece off of the end of the balloon.
1. Loop the circular piece from the end of the balloon around the processor just above the top button. This will keep the processor concave so it can sit comfortably on an ear.
12. Reattach the earhook. To do this hold it so the earmold is touching the processor and the earhook is tilted forward from its typical spot. Then rotate the earhook up so it clips into place over the balloon.
13. Open the oto clip so you can slide it over the coil.
14. Slide the clip over the coil then tighten the loop.
15. If you want to, repeat the process with a second processor. If both processors are waterproofed localization is possible and great games of Marco Polo can occur. 16. Finally clip the end of the oto clip to the swim suit strap and run goggles over the coils. This will keep everything together for swimming. 17. If the backup processor is the one in the balloon it can be left in there until the battery dies. If it is turned off between swims it will typically last for about 15 hours of swimming. 18. When you are ready to remove the processor from the balloon simply cut the balloon. Do not cut near the coil wire instead stretch the latex away from the battery then cut the balloon.