Non-surgical Bone Conduction Hearing Aid with Epoxy Probe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aids, including both surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices, often fail to provide sufficient hearing improvement for individuals with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, and they may suffer from issues like feedback, maintenance requirements, and high costs.
Innovation Solution
A non-surgical bone conduction hearing aid featuring a custom-fitted, heavy-filled epoxy probe with a moving or stationary coil vibrator that transfers vibrations directly to the Mastoid bone, bypassing the outer and middle ear, and utilizing a neodymium magnet and ferrous metal components to enhance sound transmission while minimizing feedback and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hearing aids are used, then air conduction is provided, but they fail to provide sufficient hearing improvement for severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bone conduction transducer as an intermediary device that converts sound waves into vibrations transmitted through the skull bone directly to the inner ear, bypassing the defective outer and middle ear structures. This mediator approach enables effective hearing assistance for severe sensorineural hearing loss where conventional air conduction hearing aids fail.
2Reliability
If surgical bone conduction hearing aids are used, then direct bone conduction is achieved, but surgical risks and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the hearing aid system into two separate components: an external sound processing unit and an internal bone conduction transducer implanted in the skull. This segmentation allows the transducer to be positioned optimally for direct bone conduction while keeping the complex electronics external, thereby maintaining effectiveness while reducing surgical complexity and risk compared to fully implanted systems.
3Volume of moving object
If in-the-ear bone conduction hearing aids are used, then compact design is achieved, but feedback paths from vibrator to microphone increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the microphone and sound processing electronics from the implanted transducer location and places them in a separate external unit. This separation removes the feedback path that would otherwise exist between the vibrator and microphone in compact in-the-ear designs, eliminating feedback issues while maintaining a relatively compact implanted component.
4Ease of operation
If traditional hearing aids are used, then air conduction is provided, but they occlude the ear canal and interrupt the ossicular chain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses bone conduction as an intermediary pathway for sound transmission, bypassing the ear canal and ossicular chain entirely. By transmitting vibrations through the skull bone directly to the inner ear, the system maintains natural hearing function through the air conduction path while providing additional assistance through the bone conduction path, avoiding occlusion and interruption issues.
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
The device provides increased hearing capability, is comfortable, easy to clean, and cost-effective, with extended useful life, effectively addressing the limitations of existing hearing aids by enhancing sound transmission and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
A non-surgical bone conduction hearing aid featuring a custom-fitted, heavy-filled epoxy probe with a moving or stationary coil vibrator that transfers vibrations directly to the Mastoid bone, bypassing the outer and middle ear
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a neodymium magnet and ferrous metal components to enhance sound transmission while minimizing feedback and noise
Data Source
AI summary
A non-surgical bone conductive hearing aid that provides an in-the-ear, vibration transducer that vibrates the Mastoid bone, in which the middle ear and cochlea are embedded. The bone vibration bypasses the outer and middle ear and stimulates the inner ear. The cochlear within the inner ear convert the sound to electrical impulses that travel to the brain allowing the recipient to hear naturally.