A fully implantable cochlear implant isn’t just a technical milestone—it's a fundamentally different way of living with hearing loss. In a candid conversation, Gael Hannan speaks with Michael Seufer, one of the first recipients of the Envoy Medical Acclaim, an investigational fully implanted cochlear implant that eliminates external hardware.
Michael shares how his hearing loss, first identified in childhood, shaped his life—from academic challenges to finding refuge in hockey—and how traditional hearing aids eventually stopped providing the benefit he needed.
Michael describes the moment he decided to pursue the Acclaim after years of discouraging experiences with amplification. Motivated by wanting to fully hear his young son, he enrolled in the clinical trial at Mayo Clinic and embraced the risks of cutting-edge technology. He explains that the fully internal system allows him to hear 24/7 without putting anything on, removing daily barriers common to hearing aid and CI users. From waking up able to converse immediately to showering, exercising, and using headphones normally, he says the experience feels “transparent,” allowing him to simply go about his life without thinking about hearing loss.
He also details the device’s internal rechargeable battery, its wireless charging system, and the notable sound quality he experiences—without feedback or the limitations of microphones and speakers. Michael emphasizes that he isn’t a spokesperson, just someone whose life has changed dramatically and wants others to know what may be possible. Above all, he says, the Acclaim represents something deeper for him: “It’s what hope sounds like.”
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