544results about "Implantable hearing aids" patented technology

A number of ear-worn hearing system devices are provided that each include a pair of electrodes to transmit time varying electrical signals therebetween when in contact with skin of a user's body. The devices each include a housing, a sound sensor, and processing circuitry included within the housing. The electrodes are coupled to the circuitry and are spaced apart from one another a distance sufficient to provide capacitance between the electrodes below a desired threshold. The electrodes are disposed along the housing for placement on locations of the user's body where skin contact is not likely to be disrupted by nominal body movements.

The invention comprises a totally implantable hearing prosthesis for hearing impaired persons. An inertial vibrational element is hermetically sealed and implanted in bone between the lateral and superior semicircular canals without breaching the integrity of the canals. The vibrational element is adapted to vibrate the walls of the canals and the fluids contained therein, thereby vibrating contiguous fluids within the cochlea thus stimulating hair cells and creating a hearing percept. The invention can also be adapted to be a tinnitus masking system, and / or used in combination with a coehlear implant hearing system.

A canal hearing device has a subminiature filament assembly which vibrates and directly drives the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and imparts audible mechanical vibrations thereto. The filament assembly is partially supported by the tympanic membrane via capillary adhesion thereto and is dynamically coupled to a stationary vibration force element position at a distance from the tympanic membrane within the ear canal. The elongated filament assembly is freely movable within an operable range and is essentially floating with respect to the vibration force element. In a preferred embodiment, the vibrational filament assembly comprises a magnetic section which is insertable into the air-core of an electromagnetic coil. The filament assembly is coupled to the tympanic membrane via an articulated tympanic contact coupler.

Hearing systems for both hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects comprise an input transducer and a separate output transducer. The input transducer will include a light source for generating a light signal in response to either ambient sound or an external electronic sound signal. The output transducer will comprise a light-responsive transducer component which is adapted to receive light from the input transducer. The output transducer component will vibrate in response to the light input and produce vibrations in a component of a subject's hearing transduction pathway, such as the tympanic membrane, a bone in the ossicular chain, or directly on the cochlea, in order to produce neural signals representative of the original sound.

An implantable neural stimulation system, such as an auditory Fully Implantable System (FIS), includes: (1) an implanted device capable of providing desired tissue or nerve stimulation; and (2) a remote control unit that provides a mechanism for readily controlling the implant device, i.e., for selectively adjusting certain stimulation parameters associated with the tissue stimulation of the implanted device. The remote control unit uses a first signal path to send signals to the implant device, and a second signal path to receive signals from the implant device. The combination of these two signal paths provides a full-duplex channel between the remote control unit and the implant device through which air appropriate control and status signals may be sent and received. In one embodiment, the first signal path comprises an audio signal path through which audio control signals, e.g., a tone sequence or a 32-bit word FSK modulated between 300 and 1200 Hz, are sent; and the second signal path comprises a RF signal path through which a BPSK, QPSK or FM modulated RF signal is received. The full-duplex channel allows operation of the remote control unit, i.e., allows signals to be successfully sent to and received from the implant device, from as far away as 45-60 cm from the implant device.

An implantable hearing unit is provided that includes an implantable microphone, a rechargeable power storage device and a speech signal processor. The hearing unit further includes a signal coupling device that is adapted for electrical interconnection to an implantable auditory stimulation device, which is operative to stimulate an auditory component of a patient. Such a stimulation device may include cochlear implants, brain stem stimulation systems, auditory nerve stimulation systems, and middle or inner ear transducer systems. The signal coupling device is operative to provide processed drive signals from the signal processor to the stimulation device as well provide power from the power storage device to operate the stimulation device. In one arrangement, the signal coupling device is a wireless coupling between first and second coils. In such an arrangement, the hearing unit may be utilized with an existing implanted stimulation device to make that device a fully implanted hearing system.

The present invention relates to a hearing aid system comprising a hearing implant and a method of powering a hearing implant, the system comprising an external ear canal module and an implant, wherein the signalling and / or powering of the ear implant is by way of a light signal being provided to the implant through the ear drum from, for example, the ear canal module.

An implantable system includes a plurality of implantable devices that are detachably coupled to each other. Each implantable device of the system includes: (1) an hermetically-sealed case housing electronic components; (2) feedthru terminals mounted to a wall of the hermetically-sealed case adapted to allow electrical contact from a location outside the hermetically-sealed case with the electronic components housed inside the hermetically-sealed case; (3) a coil external to the hermetically-sealed case attached to the feedthru terminals; (4) a flexible molding bonded to the hermetically-sealed case, and wherein the coil is embedded within or otherwise attached to the flexible molding; and (5) engagement means for engaging the flexible molding with a flexible molding of another implantable device of the implantable system. Such engagement means also aligns the coils of the implantable devices that are thus engaged with the engaging means to allow electromagnetic coupling to occur between the aligned coils. In one embodiment, the engaging means includes a hole formed in the flexible molding of a first implantable device and a knob portion formed in the flexible molding of a second implantable device, wherein the knob portion is sized to fit within the hole, and wherein when the knob portion is placed within the hole, the coil of the first device is coaxially aligned with the coil of the second implantable device.

An implantable medical device with a main processor also has a telemetry processor to perform some telemetry processing functions resulting under some circumstances in reducing demands on the main processor, conserving energy, increasing telemetry processing speed, and many other advantages. A wide variety of implantable medical devices can be configured with a telemetry processor including neuro stimulators, pacemakers, defibrillators, drug delivery pumps, diagnostic recorders, and cochlear implants. The telemetry processor includes control logic, a data decoder, a receive buffer, a data encoder, and a transmit buffer. Methods of receiving messages and transmitting messages with a telemetry processor are also disclosed.

An implantable hearing aid transducer is provided that allows providing movement for stimulation purposes in at least first and second directions. This allows for moving an auditory component in a direction that may be substantially aligned with a natural direction of movement for the auditory component. In one arrangement, a middle ear transducer having an elongated vibratory member that extends into a patient's tympanic cavity is operative to move a tip of the vibratory member in at least first and second directions. A first direction may be along a long axis of the vibratory member while a second direction may be in a direction that is at least partially transverse to the long axis of the vibratory member. Further, the transducer may be positionable to provide alignment of the vibratory member such that the transverse direction of movement is substantially aligned with a direction of natural movement of a middle ear component (e.g. ossicles bone) to be stimulated.

The present invention relates to a percutaneous bone anchored transferring device and a connecting device for obtaining a transfer of an electrical signal and / or energy and / or distribution of a drug and / or airing of a body cavity and a system and a method for using the same.

Implantable microphone devices that may be utilized in hearing systems are provided. An implantable microphone device allows the implantable microphone's frequency response and sensitivity to be selected. A microphone device with an increased membrane flexibility and a decreased acoustic compliance of the sealed cavity. Vibrations of a membrane are transmitted through a primary air cavity and through an aperture of a microphone. Keeping a flexible membrane and decreasing the sealed air cavity compliance are the preferred way to simultaneously increase overall sensitivity of the device, and move the resonance peak to higher frequencies.

Hearing systems for both hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects comprise an input transducer and a separate output transducer. The input transducer will include a light source for generating a light signal in response to either ambient sound or an external electronic sound signal. The output transducer will comprise a light-responsive transducer component which is adapted to receive light from the input transducer. The output transducer component will vibrate in response to the light input and produce vibrations in a component of a subject's hearing transduction pathway, such as the tympanic membrane, a bone in the ossicular chain, or directly on the cochlea, in order to produce neural signals representative of the original sound.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, methods and systems are disclosed for delivering a stimulating signal by a stimulating medical device having a plurality of electrodes. Such methods and systems comprise receiving a signal; filtering the received signal to obtain a plurality of band pass filtered signals; delivering to each electrode of a first group of one or more electrodes, a first set of stimulation signals, wherein the first set of stimulation signals comprises stimulations signals for each of a first group of two or more band pass filtered signals; and delivering to each of electrodes of a second group of one or more electrodes, a second set of stimulation signals, wherein the second set of stimulation signals comprises stimulations signals for each of a second group of one or more band pass filtered signals; and wherein the first set of stimulation signals are delivered at a different effective stimulation rate than the second set of stimulation signals.

An implantable medical device, comprising an implantable component having a rechargeable power supply and an external wireless charger. The wireless charger has a rechargeable power supply, and an inductive coil configured to transcutaneously transfer power from the charger power supply to the implantable power supply, and configured to detect and receive, via the inductive coil, power from an auxiliary charger for recharging of the charger power supply.

The robustness of hearing aid devices in terms of electromagnetic disturbances and chemically aggressive surroundings should be improved. For this purpose, provision is made to equip a hearing aid apparatus with optical microphones. Since no metal parts must be used for these optical micro-phones, corrosion can be largely excluded. Furthermore, no EMC problems occur as a result of the optical signal processing.

An In The Ear (ITE) microphone improves the acoustic response of a Behind The Ear (BTE) Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system during telephone use. An acoustic seal provided by holding a telephone earpiece against the ear provides improved coupling of low frequency (up to about 1 KHz) sound waves, sufficient to overcome losses due to the near field acoustic characteristics common to telephones. In a preferred embodiment, the ITE microphone is connected to a removable ear hook of the BTE ICS system by a short bendable stalk.

The invention comprises a totally implantable hearing prosthesis for hearing impaired persons. An inertial vibrational element is hermetically sealed and implanted in bone between the lateral and superior semicircular canals without breaching the integrity of the canals. The vibrational element is adapted to vibrate the walls of the canals and the fluids contained therein, thereby vibrating contiguous fluids within the cochlea thus stimulating hair cells and creating a hearing percept. The invention can also be adapted to be a tinnitus masking system, and / or used in combination with a cochlear implant hearing system.

Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and / or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and / or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.

A speech processor module is disclosed. The speech processor module is configured to be implemented in more than one mode of operation of a hearing prosthesis including as a component of a stand-alone speech processing unit, and as a component of a body-worn speech processing unit, wherein said body-worn speech processing unit comprises a case that protects the speech processor module from environmental conditions which can damage said speech processor module implemented in said stand-alone operating mode.

A prosthetic hearing device comprising a biocompatible housing having a surface that vibrates in response to sound waves traveling through tissue; and an interferometer mounted in the housing, the interferometer is constructed and arranged to generate a light beam that impinges on a reflective interior surface of the vibrating surface, and to receive light reflected from the reflective interior surface. The device detects ambient sound by impinging a light beam on a portion of the vibrating surface; receiving light reflected from the reflective portion; measuring the movement of the vibrating surface based on an interference pattern of the impinging and reflected light; and determining at least a frequency of the incident sound wave based on the interference pattern.

Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and / or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and / or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.

Tinnitus masking systems for treating tinnitus are described where a device is coupled to a surface of a bone or to a tooth or several teeth. Such a device may comprise an oral appliance having an electronic and / or transducer assembly for generating sounds via a vibrating transducer element. Generally, the transducer may generate one or more frequencies of sound via the actuatable transducer to transmit a modified audio signal via vibratory conductance to an inner ear of the patient to mask tinnitus during a peak of the audio signal and to allow the user to perceive the tinnitus during a trough of the audio signal. The audio signal is also modified to account for any hearing loss of the patient as well as a bone conductance profile measured from the patient.

An implantable neural stimulation system, such as an auditory Fully Implantable System (FIS), includes: (1) an implanted device capable of providing desired tissue or nerve stimulation; and (2) a remote control unit that provides a mechanism for readily controlling the implant device. The remote control unit uses a first signal path to send signals to the implant device, and a second signal path to receive signals from the implant device. The combination of these two signal paths provides a full-duplex channel between the remote control unit and the implant device through which appropriate control and status signals may be sent and received. In one embodiment, the first signal path comprises an audio signal path through which audio control signals, e.g., a tone sequence or a 32-bit word FSK modulated between 300 and 1200 Hz, are sent; and the second signal path comprises a RF signal path through which a BPSK, QPSK or FM modulated RF signal is received. The full-duplex channel allows operation of the remote control unit, i.e., allows signals to be successfully sent to and received from the implant device, from as far away as 45–60 cm from the implant device.

Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and / or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.

Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and / or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and / or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.