Audio Accessory for Body-Worn Cochlear Implant Beamforming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional body-worn sound processor units lack beamforming capabilities, preventing patients from achieving improved hearing performance despite their preference for these units due to factors like power requirements and water-proofing benefits not available in behind-the-ear units.
Innovation Solution
An audio accessory with microphones and a control module is interposed between the body-worn sound processor and headpiece, providing beamforming capabilities by processing audio signals and relaying control parameters for cochlear implant operation, thereby enabling noise cancellation and wireless connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a body-worn sound processor unit is used, then power requirements for older-generation cochlear implants are met and water-proofing benefits are achieved, but beamforming capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
An audio accessory is introduced as an intermediary device between the body-worn sound processor and the external world. This accessory contains microphones and beamforming processing capabilities, allowing the body-worn processor to maintain its power-efficient and water-proof design while the intermediary adds the missing beamforming functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a behind-the-ear sound processor unit is used, then beamforming capabilities are available, but power requirements for older-generation cochlear implants cannot be met and water-proofing benefits are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate functional components: a body-worn sound processor that handles power-efficient operation and water-proofing, and an external audio accessory that handles beamforming. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
3Measurement precision
If beamforming operations are implemented in body-worn sound processor units, then hearing performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Complex beamforming operations are moved to an external audio accessory that acts as a mediator. The body-worn processor sends audio data to the accessory, which performs the complex beamforming processing and returns the processed audio, thereby improving hearing performance without increasing the complexity of the implanted or body-worn device.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This setup enhances hearing performance by enabling beamforming operations in body-worn sound processor units, improving noise cancellation and wireless connectivity, allowing patients to maintain their preferred device while benefiting from advanced sound processing.
Implementation Method 1
The audio accessory may include a plurality of microphones that receive incoming audio and convert the incoming audio into a plurality of audio signals
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary auditory prosthesis system for a patient includes a body-worn sound processor apparatus configured to control an operation of a cochlear implant, a headpiece configured to facilitate wireless coupling of the body-worn sound processor apparatus to the cochlear implant, an audio accessory that includes a microphone configured to receive incoming audio and convert the incoming audio into an audio signal, a first communication port configured to connect directly to a communication port of the body-worn sound processor apparatus by way of a first cable, a second communication port configured to connect directly to a communication port of the headpiece by way of a second cable, and a control module communicatively coupled to the microphone and the first and second communication ports and that is configured to provide the audio signal to the body-worn sound processor apparatus by way of the first cable.