99results about "Stammering correction" patented technology

Stuttering-treatment techniques using neural stimulation and / or drug delivery. One or more electrodes and / or a catheter are implanted adjacent to sites in the brain. A signal generator and the electrode deliver stimulation to a first site. A pump and the catheter deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to a second site. The first and second sites could be: the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, or other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei. The stuttering treatment could be performed via periodic transcranial magnetic stimulation. A sensor, located near the patient's vocal folds, can be used for generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient's speech-producing muscles. A controller adjusts one or more stimulation parameters in response to the signal from the sensor.

A method and system for evaluating movement of a user and providing biofeedback including setting a reference point for movement by the user, whereby the reference point corresponds to a reference rhythm, providing the reference rhythm to the user to assist the user in maintaining the reference point, sensing the user's movement, comparing the user's movement to the reference point movement, and alerting the user that the user's movement is away from the reference point by modifying the reference rhythm to a modified rhythm. The user's movement is corrected after receiving the alert.

Provided herein are orthodontic devices and methods for patients whose orthodontic devices are causing a lisp. The device can comprise an aligner configured to fit over a patient's dental arch and comprising an occlusal surface section positioned over an occlusal surface of the patient's teeth. The aligner can comprise a barrier portion extending laterally and adjacent to a region of the dental arch, the barrier portion allowing the patient's tongue to form a seal against the barrier portion when the patient is speaking while wearing the device.

Stuttering-treatment techniques using neural stimulation and / or drug delivery. One or more electrodes and / or a catheter are implanted adjacent to sites in the brain. A signal generator and the electrode deliver stimulation to a first site. A pump and the catheter deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to a second site. The first and second sites could be: the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, or other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei. The stuttering treatment could be performed via periodic transcranial magnetic stimulation. A sensor, located near the patient's vocal folds, can be used for generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient's speech-producing muscles. A controller adjusts one or more stimulation parameters in response to the signal from the sensor.

A device for volitional swallowing with a substitute sensory system comprises a band 101 wrapped around the neck with a vibrator 102 positioned over the larynx. Upon activation by a button 103 on a spoon 104 held by an operator, such as the subject 105, the vibrator 102 moves and vibrates the larynx. The patient 105 initiates the sensory stimulation immediately prior to the patient's own initiation of a swallow by viewing on a display screen 106 a movement feedback signal 107, possibly from a piezo-electric sensor 108 also contained in the band 101 which will also be displayed on the display screen 106. The signal 109 from the switch device initiating sensory stimulation will be presented on the same display screen 106 for the patient 105 and trainer to observe when the button or switch 103 is activated for sensory stimulation in relation to the onset of the swallow.

A method for utilizing oral movements is used in speech assessment, speech therapy, language development, and controlling external devices. A device is used which includes a sensor plate having sensors to detect contact of the tongue with the sensor plate. One aspect of the invention allows viewing representations of contact of the tongue and palate during speech and comparing the representations with model representations displayed in a split screen fashion. The model representations may be generated by another speaker utilizing a sensor plate or by computer generated representations which have been electronically stored. The representations may be analyzed to assess speech proficiency and the model may be mimicked for speech enhancement.

Methods, devices, and computer program products display visual choral speech to a patient who stutters or has a speech impediment or impairment as a visual stimulus for the patient to enhance the fluency of the patient. The visual choral speech is incongruous with the speech produced by the stutterer and is provided by a visual display of the articulatory movements of a person other than the patient (or a simulated representation thereof) of the person's lips and mouth as the person speaks. The visual speech gestures can be displayed to the patient in advance of a speaking event or speech production by the stutterer and / or concurrently with a speaking event (either intermittently or continuous during the speaking event). The visual choral speech gestures can be based on a string of coherent words to provide the visual speech gestures signal such that it is relayed to the user without the attendant auditory component allowing the user to speak at a substantially normal pace with enhanced fluency.

Portable devices for treating stuttering or communication disorders include a circuit configured to automatically electronically select sua sponte different signal parameters and / or sound effect algorithms used to generate varied altered auditory feedback signals to a user over time.

Stuttering treatment methods and apparatus which utilize removable oral-based appliances having actuators which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance are described. Such oral appliances may receive the user's voice and process the voice to introduce a time delay and / or a frequency shift. The altered audio feedback signal is then transmitted back to the user through a tooth, teeth, or other bone via a vibrating actuator element. The actuator element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric actuator mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations.

A comfortable and viable and removable device of channel-type tongue position correction for anti-snoring. The device is made of wire or band material, including a fixer, an upper and nether force-components which are connected with the fixer. The device is mostly applied on upper jaw. The force end of the upper force-component is designed to be suitable to the soft palate palatine velum, and acts to raise up the soft palate palatine velum and uvula upward / upward and backward suitably. The force end of the nether force-component is designed to be suitable to the normal configuration of the corpora linguae (anterior tongue), and acts on the portion in front of the sensitive position of the hind half of the corpora linguae (anterior tongue) to press the big tongue downward / downward and forward. Thus, depending on the co-action of the upper and nether force-components, the blocked respiratory tract could be expanded to prevent snore and remit sleep apnoea syndrome.

Methods, devices and systems treat non-stuttering speech and / or language related disorders by administering a delayed auditory feedback signal having a delay of under about 200 ms via a portable device. The DAF treatment may be delivered on a chronic basis. For certain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, the delay is set to be under about 100 ms, and may be set to be even shorter such as about 50 ms or less. Certain methods treat cluttering (an abnormally fast speech rate) by exposing the individual to a DAF signal having a sufficient delay that automatically causes the individual to slow his or her speech rate.

Stuttering-treatment techniques using neural stimulation and / or drug delivery. One or more electrodes and / or a catheter are implanted adjacent to sites in the brain. A signal generator and the electrode deliver stimulation to a first site. A pump and the catheter deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to a second site. The first and second sites could be: the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, or other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei. The stuttering treatment could be performed via periodic transcranial magnetic stimulation. A sensor, located near the patient's vocal folds, can be used for generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient's speech-producing muscles. A controller adjusts one or more stimulation parameters in response to the signal from the sensor.

The present invention relates to a comfortable type removable tongue position corrective anti-snoring & anti-suffocating device. The device is made of wire or band material provided with suitable elasticity and rigidity, including at least a fixer, an upper force piece which is connected with the fixer and lower force piece. The device is mostly applied on upper jaw. The force end of the upper force piece is designed to be suitable to the normal configuration of the soft palate palatine, and acts on the portion in front of the sensitive position of the soft palate to raise up the soft palate palatine and uvula upward / upward and backward suitably without causing nausea and discomfort of peripheral tissue. The force end of the lower force piece is designed to be suitable to the normal configuration of the big tongue, and acts on the portion in front of the sensitive position of the posterior of the tongue to press the big tongue downward / front downward without causing discomfort and nausea. Thus, depending on the co-action of the upper and lower force piece, the blocked respiratory tract could be expanded to prevent snore and remit sleep apnea syndrome.

An improved stuttering treatment program provides for a multi dimensional diagnostic procedure for identifying the problems associated with stuttering. A simultaneous attitude modification phase and a speech fluency enhancing techniques phase define a supervised, hands-on exercise portion of the program which is intended to advance the level of speech of a stutter afflicted person to speech fluency. Upon completion of attitude modification and speech fluency enhancing exercises, which raises the patient to speech fluency, a self-discipline phase of the program is provided where the patient supervises himself during speech exercising, monitors and analyzes exercise effect and reports his analysis to speech professionals. The self-supervised exercise is up-dated and communicated to the patient, for preventive maintenance of speech fluency.

Methods and devices treat treating non-stuttering pathologies having impaired or decreased communication skills by administering a frequency altered auditory feedback signal to a subject having a non-stuttering pathology while the subject is speaking or talking to thereby improve the subject's communication skills. Certain methods for treating subjects having non-stuttering pathologies or disorders presenting with an impairment or dysfunction in communication skills using frequency altered auditory feedback, comprise: (a) positioning a ear-supported device (devoid of external cabling during normal operation) for receiving auditory signals associated with a subject's speech in close proximity to at least one ear of an individual, the device being adapted to be in communication with at least one of the ear canals of the individual; (b) receiving in the device an audio signal associated with the subject's speech; (c) generating from the device a frequency altered auditory feedback signal having an associated frequency shift between about + / −2 octaves relative to the received audio signal; and (d) transmitting the frequency altered auditory feedback signal to at least one ear canal of the subject.

Methods, devices and systems treat non-stuttering speech and / or language related disorders by administering a delayed auditory feedback signal having a delay of under about 200 ms via a portable device. The DAF treatment may be delivered on a chronic basis. For certain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, the delay is set to be under about 100 ms, and may be set to be even shorter such as about 50 ms or less. Certain methods treat cluttering (an abnormally fast speech rate) by exposing the individual to a DAF signal having a sufficient delay that automatically causes the individual to slow his or her speech rate.

A method and apparatus are provided for processing a set of communicated signals associated with a set of muscles, such as the muscles near the larynx of the person, or any other muscles the person use to achieve a desired response. The method includes the steps of attaching a single integrated sensor, for example, near the throat of the person proximate to the larynx and detecting an electrical signal through the sensor. The method further includes the steps of extracting features from the detected electrical signal and continuously transforming them into speech sounds without the need for further modulation. The method also includes comparing the extracted features to a set of prototype features and selecting a prototype feature of the set of prototype features providing a smallest relative difference.

A device and method for improving speech. One embodiment comprises an apparatus and method for treating stuttering by providing biofeedback to monitor aspects of the user's voice and also providing altered audio feedback (AAF) to induce fluent speech. Biofeedback features include monitoring phonated intervals. AAF features include delayed auditory feedback (DAF), frequency-altered auditory feedback (FAF), and switching the user's voice between his or her left and right ears multiple times per second. The biofeedback controls AAF parameters including volume, which changes smoothly. Bluetooth is also included to connect to wireless microphones and earphones. Another embodiment comprises an apparatus and method for use by persons without speech disabilities for the purpose of improving public speaking by providing their voice back to their ears altered to appear to be in a different emotional state, thus inducing this preferred emotional state in the person speaking.

The present invention is directed to a wearable stutter reducing device incorporating novel methods that make extensive use of digital signal processing (DSP) technology. The wearable stutter reducing device of the present invention has an audio signal receiver for receiving speech signals corresponding to a wearer's voice. An input conversion means for converting the speech signals and noise mixed with the speech signals into frequency domain components is in communication with the audio signal receiver. A channelization means in communication with the conversion means separates the frequency domain components into a plurality of channels. An identifying means in communication with the plurality of channels identifies which channels of the plurality of channels contain substantially more speech corresponding frequency domain components than noise corresponding frequency components. An amplification means for amplifying signals identified as speech is in communication with the identifying means. The present invention also includes a frequency altering means for altering the frequency of a predetermined number of channels and an output conversion means in communication with the amplification means for converting the frequency components into time domain signals containing amplified speech.

The present invention is directed to methods and devices for teaching the proper configuration of the oral articulators, particularly the tongue, corresponding to particular speech sounds by providing intraoral tactile feedback. Intraoral tactile feedback is achieved by placing nodes in the oral cavity of the patient in locations corresponding to the proper lingual position required to produce a target sound. These nodes facilitate identification of the appropriate lingual position corresponding to a target speech sound by providing tactile differentiation when the target sound is properly produced.

A device to monitor vocal information such as vocal volume and frequency and provide such information in a plurality of forms, such as tactile, audible, temporal, and visual; and to induce altered vocal volume and / or frequency by altering how the user hears his or her voice, such as by shifting the frequency at which the user hears his or her own voice; for the treatment of vocal nodules, Parkinson's disease, or stuttering.

A customizable fitted device for immobilizing injuries and a method for constructing the fitted device is provided. The fitted device can be used to stabilize an al 1, wrist, hand, leg, knee, ankle, foot or other body parts through custom formation. The device can be formed by a sidewall having one or more sidewall sections that can be secured together using retaining clips positioned within retaining clip slots on the device. The device can further include one or more openings defined in the sidewall of each device section while maintaining rigidity in the sidewall. The device can be constructed by of creating a 3D image scan of the particular body part in which the device will be applied, creating a design of the device to precisely match the contours of the 3D image scan, and using a 3D printer to construct the device according to the design.

A device for treating and reducing stuttering by utilizing auditory feedback. A bone conducting hearing aid apparatus is arranged to be attached to the skull bone of a user with a stuttering problem so that his ear canal is left free. A tactile component in the form of a vibrator mechanically transmits sound information to the inner ears of the user via the skull bone so that both cochleas are stimulated. The cochlea on the opposite side of the skull receives a signal that is further delayed and also has another frequency characteristics compared to the digital received by the nearest cochlea.

A device for volitional swallowing with a substitute sensory system comprises a band 101 wrapped around the neck with a vibrator 102 positioned over the larynx. Upon activation by a button 103 on a spoon 104 held by an operator, such as the subject 105, the vibrator 102 moves and vibrates the larynx. The patient 105 initiates the sensory stimulation immediately prior to the patient's own initiation of a swallow by viewing on a display screen 106 a movement feedback signal 107, possibly from a piezo-electric sensor 108 also contained in the band 101 which will also be displayed on the display screen 106. The signal 109 from the switch device initiating sensory stimulation will be presented on the same display screen 106 for the patient 105 and trainer to observe when the button or switch 103 is activated for sensory stimulation in relation to the onset of the swallow.