Audiometer Control Device With Adaptive Touchscreen Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional standalone audiometers have complex user interfaces due to numerous physical keys and dials, making them cumbersome for hearing care professionals, and PC-based audiometers with standard keyboards are not user-friendly for audiological tests, requiring a more intuitive and adaptable control device.
Innovation Solution
A keyboard with a touch screen and rotatable dials that provides an intuitive user interface, allowing for touch inputs, adaptive layout adjustments, and wireless communication with audiological test instruments to simplify the operation of various tests and improve user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional standalone audiometers use multiple physical pressure keys and dials to enable comprehensive hearing test functions, then the device can perform various audiological tests, but the user interface becomes complex and the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by integrating multiple control functions into a single touchscreen interface that can display different layouts for various hearing test types (pure tone, speech audiometry, impedance). The touchscreen replaces multiple dedicated physical keys and dials, allowing one interface element to perform multiple functions depending on the selected test mode, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive test capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics through an adaptive touchscreen interface that dynamically changes its layout and configuration based on the selected hearing test type. The interface transitions between different operational modes (pure tone with frequency/intensity controls, speech audiometry with different parameters), allowing the same physical interface to adapt its functionality rather than requiring static dedicated controls for each test type
2Ease of operation
If PC-based audiometers use standard keyboards for control, then the device can be operated with familiar input methods, but the keyboard requires many keys for non-audiological functions that increase complexity and reduce usability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential audiological control functions from a standard keyboard layout, creating a customized touchscreen interface that includes only the keys and controls necessary for hearing tests (frequency adjustment, intensity control, test type selection). This extraction removes unnecessary non-audiological keys while preserving the familiar QWERTY-based navigation patterns, reducing complexity while maintaining ease of operation for the specific medical application
3Adaptability or versatility
If audiometers are designed for international use with multiple country-specific designs and labelling, then the device can accommodate different regional requirements, but the device complexity and variety of designs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a single touchscreen interface design that can adapt to multiple international requirements through software configuration rather than hardware redesign. The touchscreen can display different languages, symbols, and layout configurations for different countries and regions, allowing one physical device design to serve multiple international markets without requiring separate designs for each country
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a control device, the control device comprising a housing, and at least one dial comprising a rotatable part, where said housing comprises a touch screen comprising a first user input unit and a user output unit both forming part of a user interface presented on said touch screen, the first user input unit configured to receive a touch input from a user and providing a corresponding first input signal and the user output unit configured to provide an output on said touch screen based on an output signal, where said at least one dial comprising a second user input unit, said dial is configured to control magnitude and/or size and/or intensity of one or more audiological parameters of an audiological test via said rotatable part, and where said second user input unit is configured to provide a second input signal in response to the user rotating said rotatable part, wherein said control device further comprising a communication module for establishing a communication link between the control device and at least one auxiliary device, said communication link providing that information and/or data is transmitted to and/or received from said auxiliary device, and wherein said user interface configured to provide one of a plurality of user interface layouts presentable on said touch screen, and where said user interface is configured to adaptively adjust/modify said provided user interface layout in response to said first and/or second input signals.