Direct Drive Micro Hearing Device Voice Coil Actuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aids suffer from feedback, occlusion effects, stigma due to size, invasive surgery, and high costs, particularly for individuals with moderate to severe hearing loss, as they rely on acoustic amplification and lack effective solutions for reducing these issues.
Innovation Solution
A wearable hearing device placed deep in the ear canal that mechanically drives the ossicular chain using a voice coil actuator and preload force element, processing sound signals to drive an interactive tip and reduce feedback through electromagnetic or mechanical means, eliminating the need for invasive surgery and providing better sound quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hearing aids use acoustic amplification, then hearing loss is addressed, but feedback and occlusion effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the acoustic amplification system with a direct mechanical drive system. A voice coil actuator is positioned to directly drive the ossicular chain (malleus, incus, stapes), converting electrical signals directly into mechanical motion of the ear bones, thereby eliminating acoustic feedback loops and occlusion effects while maintaining hearing amplification functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a voice coil actuator as an intermediary device between the electronic signal processing system and the ossicular chain. This actuator serves as a mechanical mediator that directly couples to the ossicles, enabling precise control of ossicular motion without relying on acoustic pressure waves that cause feedback and occlusion
2Volume of moving object
If hearing aid size is reduced for visibility, then stigma is reduced, but feedback problems increase due to shorter microphone-s speaker distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the acoustic speaker component entirely and replaces it with a voice coil actuator that directly drives the ossicles. This substitution removes the acoustic feedback pathway that plagues miniaturized hearing aids, allowing the device to be made smaller and less visible without compromising feedback performance
3Object-generated harmful factors
If middle ear implants are used to eliminate feedback, then feedback is resolved, but invasive surgery and high cost are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a voice coil actuator as a non-invasive intermediary device that can be positioned in the ear canal to directly drive the ossicular chain. This approach achieves the feedback elimination benefits of middle ear implants without requiring surgical implantation, making the technology accessible and removable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a non-invasive copy or alternative to the surgical middle ear implant approach. By using a voice coil actuator that externally drives the ossicles through the eardrum or air-bone interface, it replicates the functional benefits of implantable devices without the surgical invasiveness
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 effectively reduces feedback and occlusion effects, offers improved sound quality, and is less visible, addressing the drawbacks of conventional hearing aids while being more comfortable and less invasive, suitable for a wider range of hearing loss levels.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator including an actuator element and preload force element, the preload force element configured place the interactive tip in contact with a portion of an ear
Implementation Method 2
a hearing device includes a microphone configured to receive sound and an actuator. The actuator may be a voice coil actuator and can include an actuator element and preload force element
Data Source
AI summary
A device and methods are provided for a hearing device. In one embodiment, a hearing device includes a microphone to receive sound, an interactive tip and actuator. The actuator can include an actuator element and preload force element to place the interactive tip in contact with a portion of an ear. The hearing device includes circuitry coupled to the microphone and actuator, the circuitry configured to process sound received by the microphone and drive the actuator based on processed sound, wherein the actuator drives the interactive tip relative to a portion of the ear based on one or more signals received from the circuitry.