97results about "Stammering correction" patented technology

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The invention relates to a portable listening system comprising a microphone device for picking up a person's voice and a listening device comprising a receiver. The invention further relates to the use of such system. The object of the present invention is to provide a portable device for treatment of stuttering. The problem is solved in that the system being adapted to pick up the voice of a person wearing the portable system by the microphone device, converting the voice to an own voice electrical signal, to transmit the own voice electrical signal to the listening device, to receive the own voice electrical signal in the listening device and to play it for the person by the receiver with a delay. An advantage of the invention is that it provides a flexible body worn system suitable for treatment of stuttering. The invention may e.g. be used for applications involving listening devices to be worn by a person to be treated for stuttering.

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.