Importance Histories of cochlear implant (CI) technology have often been inaccurate owing to the confusion of terms and anatomical situations or to biased reporting. This retrospective, published shortly after the death of inventor William F. House—and more than 50 years after placement of the first CI—offers a precise account of the early experimental period. Objective To clarify the first steps in the development of the CI, ie, an electrical stimulating device partially inserted into the cochlea.
