Is the definite article necessary here?

I see no need for "the" to appear here:

Context:
The electrical activation of the central and peripheral nervous system has been investigated for treatment of neural disorders for many decades and a number of devices have already successfully moved into the clinical phase, such as cochlear implants and pain management via spinal cord stimulation. Others are on the way, such as micro stimulation of the spinal cord to restore locomotion, micro stimulation of the cochlear nucleus, midbrain, or auditory cortex to better restore hearing and stimulation of the visual cortex in the blind subject. All of them, however, are wired, unlike FLAMES, which is not.

More:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017133804.htm