10. Cochlear
R&D spending: $167,700,000
Percentage of revenues: 12.4%
2018 overall revenue ranking: 53
One of the most significant devices to come out of Cochlear‘s (New South Wales, Australia) R&D department in recent years is the Nucleus 7 sound processor. The Australia-based company touts the Nucleus 7 as the world’s first made-for-smartphone cochlear implant sound processor — compatible with both iOS and Android devices.A small, behind-the-ear implant sound processor, the Nucleus 7 is available to people who have a Nucleus 24 series implant.