What is Cochlear Limited?
Cochlear Limited is an Australian medical device company based in Sydney that makes cochlear implants and other hearing implants. It was founded in 1981 to commercialise Graeme Clark's bionic ear.
The company grew out of a partnership between the University of Melbourne, the federal government and Australian manufacturer Nucleus. Its first commercial implant, the Nucleus 22, was approved in the United States in 1985.
Today Cochlear is a world leader in hearing implants, selling its products in more than 180 countries. Its headquarters are at Macquarie University in Sydney.
Products
Besides cochlear implants for people with severe to profound deafness, Cochlear makes bone conduction implants, which send sound through the skull to the inner ear, and acoustic implants.
The company invests heavily in research and development and works with universities and hospitals around the world.
Cochlear is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and is often cited as one of Australia's most successful technology companies, turning local research into a global industry.
Did You Know?
Cochlear implants are sometimes called bionic ears because they replace the function of damaged parts of the inner ear.