Cochlear Fluid-Coupled Transducer for Hearing Aid Feedback Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hearing devices for mixed hearing loss, such as those with conductive and sensorineural components, often suffer from feedback, distortion, and lack of sound localization, particularly in noisy environments, and may be invasive or require frequent cleaning.
Innovation Solution
The development of a cochlear fluid-coupled hearing system that uses a transducer to vibrate the cochlear fluid with reduced energy, incorporating a support that contacts the cochlear fluid or stapes footplate, allowing for sound localization cues and minimizing feedback, with options including photodetectors and balanced armature transducers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional acoustic hearing devices are used, then hearing amplification is provided, but feedback occurs at high frequencies and sound localization cues are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional acoustic/mechanical hearing aid system with a direct cochlear stimulation system. Instead of using acoustic amplification through the ear canal, the invention uses a transducer to directly vibrate the cochlear fluid or stimulate the cochlear structure, thereby eliminating feedback issues and preserving natural sound localization cues.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a magnet is coupled to the eardrum to decrease feedback, then feedback is reduced, but user perceivable noise such as humming occurs in the presence of electromagnetic fields
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the magnet-based system entirely by using direct optical or mechanical coupling to the cochlea. This substitution removes the source of electromagnetic interference and humming noise while still achieving feedback reduction through direct cochlear stimulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical intermediary (light-based transducer) or direct mechanical coupling as a mediator between the external sound signal and the cochlea, replacing the magnetic field-based intermediary that caused electromagnetic interference and humming noise.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If optical coupling is used in hearing devices, then feedback is decreased, but user perceptible distortion occurs due to non-linearities of the optical coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical coupling system with a direct mechanical vibration system that couples the transducer to the cochlear fluid or structure. This mechanical direct coupling eliminates the non-linearities and distortion associated with optical coupling while maintaining feedback reduction benefits.
4Reliability
If bone conduction hearing aids are used, then conductive hearing loss is addressed, but sound localization is lost and the device is invasive requiring cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses direct cochlear fluid coupling as an intermediary that preserves the natural anatomical pathways for sound localization while correcting conductive hearing loss. This approach maintains the integrity of the cochlear structure and its ability to provide spatial information, unlike bone conduction devices that bypass these pathways.
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 system provides improved hearing with natural sound localization and reduced occlusion and distortion, enabling users to better determine sound sources even in noisy conditions, while being less invasive and requiring less maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
An output transducer assembly vibrates a cochlear fluid with a transducer
Implementation Method 2
The at least one detector comprises at least one photodetector
Implementation Method 3
An output transducer assembly vibrates a cochlear fluid with a transducer in response to an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
A transducer is configured to couple to the cochlear fluid so as to transmit sound with low amounts of energy, such that feed back to a microphone positioned in the ear canal is inhibited substantially. The cochlear fluid coupled hearing device can allow a user to determine from which side a sound originates with vibration of the cochlea and the user can also receive sound localization cues from the device, as feedback can be substantially inhibited. The transducer may be coupled to the cochlear fluid with a thin membrane disposed between the transducer and the cochlear fluid, for example with a fenestration in the cochlea. In some embodiments, a support coupled to the transducer directly contacts the fluid of the cochlea so as to couple the transducer to the cochlear fluid.