Cochlear Implant systems are designed to mimic the functions of the human ear. Sound travels through your ear and the sound processor, which sits behind the ear. The microphones on the sound processor pick up the sounds and the processor converts them into digital information. This information is transferred through the coil to the implant just under the skin. The implant sends digital sound signals down the electrode into the cochlea. The hearing nerve fibers in the cochlea pick up the signals and send them to the brain, which is translated as the sound you hear. Unlike a hearing aid that simply amplifies sound, cochlear implants send sound directly to the hearing nerve and onto the brain.