Bone Conduction Hearing Aid Measurement System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current measurement systems fail to quantify the effect of wearing acoustic devices that transmit sound through a vibrating body to a human auricle, as they cannot accurately measure the air-conducted and vibration components separately, and thus cannot effectively adjust sound quality for bone-conduction hearing aids.
Innovation Solution
A measurement system comprising an ear model with an artificial auricle and external ear canal, equipped with vibration and air-conducted sound gauges, which detects and combines the sound pressure and vibration data to present a quantitative effect of wearing the acoustic device, allowing for adjustments to be made based on the measured sound characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a mechanical coupler (artificial mastoid) is used to measure bone-conduction hearing aid characteristics, then the force generated in the vibrating element can be measured, but the air-conducted radiation component and vibration component transmitted via cartilage cannot be measured separately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the measurement system into two separate measurement paths: one for measuring air-conducted sound components using a microphone in the artificial external ear canal, and another for measuring vibration components using a vibration sensor on the artificial auricle. This segmentation allows separate quantification of different sound transmission pathways that were previously mixed together.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an ear model (artificial head) as an intermediary between the bone-conduction hearing aid and the measurement instruments. This ear model includes an artificial auricle and artificial external ear canal, serving as a mediator that separates and directs different sound components to appropriate sensors for independent measurement.
2Loss of information
If only force magnitude of the vibrating element is displayed, then the characteristics of the acoustic device can be shown, but the combined effect of air-conducted and vibration components cannot be presented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the measurement data from two separate sensors (microphone for air-conducted sound and vibration sensor for vibration components) into a unified evaluation system. The sound pressure measurement unit and vibration measurement unit work together to provide comprehensive characteristics information that includes both air-conducted and vibration components, enabling complete presentation of the acoustic device's wearing effect.
3Measurement precision
If traditional measurement methods are used, then the setup is simple, but the quantitative presentation of wearing effect is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the measurement results from both air-conducted sound and vibration components are processed and presented as quantitative wearing effect data. This feedback loop allows for objective evaluation and adjustment of bone-conduction hearing aid performance based on actual measured characteristics rather than theoretical predictions.
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 system effectively quantifies the sound quality of acoustic devices that transmit sound through a vibrating body, enabling comprehensive adjustments to ensure comfortable sound levels for users by combining vibration and air-conducted sound data, thereby improving the user experience.
Implementation Method 1
vibration sound (bone-conducted sound) that is a sound component due to vibration conduction occurring when the vibrating panel is contacted to a human auricle
Implementation Method 2
air-conducted sound, PTL 1 discloses a sound that is transmitted to the user's auditory nerve by air vibrations, caused by a vibrating object, that are transmitted through the external ear canal to the eardrum
Implementation Method 3
a rectangular plate-shaped vibrating body, formed from a piezoelectric bimorph and a flexible substance, is attached to an outer surface of a housing via an elastic member. PTL 1 also discloses that when voltage is applied to the piezoelectric bimorph in the vibrating body, the piezoelectric material expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction, causing the vibrating body to vibrate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
This measurement system quantitatively presents the effect of wearing an acoustic device that transmits sound to a user by contacting a vibrating body to a human auricle. In a measurement system (10) including an ear model (50), which is provided with an artificial auricle (51) and an artificial external ear canal (53), and an air-conducted sound gauge (60) that measures air-conducted sound in the artificial external ear canal, while an acoustic device (1) is contacted to the ear model (50) of the measurement system (10), the acoustic device (1) including a vibrating body (10a) and transmitting sound to a user by contacting the vibrating body (10a) to a human auricle, the measurement system (10) measures, with the air-conducted sound gauge (60), air-conducted sound generated by the acoustic device (1) and presents the result of measurement together with a characteristic corresponding to when the user wears the acoustic device (1).