Embedded Audiphone Using Magnetic Induction for Bone Conduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone-conduction audiphones are cumbersome for users due to the need for strong head strap pressure and have limited output power, making them inconvenient and less effective for wide-band audible sound transmission.
Innovation Solution
An embedded audiphone system using an extracorporeal unit to generate a transmission magnetic flux, which induces an electromotive force in an intracorporeal receiver coil embedded in the skull, causing a giant magnetostrictive transducer to expand and contract, thereby transmitting sound vibrations through the skull without an internal power source or demodulation circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a head strap is used to push the transducer against the skull, then sound vibration transmission is achieved, but the user bears considerable burden
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer is extracted from the external structure and embedded directly into the skull, eliminating the need for head strap pressure. The intracorporeal transducer unit is implanted in the temporal bone, allowing sound vibration transmission without external mechanical pressure on the user's head.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical pressure system (head strap) is replaced with a magnetic field-based transmission system. The extracorporeal transmitter generates a magnetic field that induces current in the intracorporeal receiver coil, driving the transducer without mechanical contact or user burden.
2Reliability
If an external transducer is attached to a titanium bone-conduction terminal, then bone conduction is achieved, but the terminal is exposed on the skin and output power is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer is extracted from the external structure and embedded directly into the skull, eliminating the need for head strap pressure. The intracorporeal transducer unit is implanted in the temporal bone, allowing sound vibration transmission without external mechanical pressure on the user's head.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver coil and transducer are nested within the intracorporeal unit embedded in the skull. The extracorporeal transmitter coil is positioned externally, creating a nested configuration where the internal unit houses the signal reception and conversion components while the external unit handles signal generation.
3Device complexity
If inductive transmission is used to transmit signals, then power source is eliminated, but transmission efficiency must be sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A magnetic field serves as the intermediary between the extracorporeal transmitter and intracorporeal receiver. The transmitter coil generates a magnetic field that penetrates the scalp and skull to induce current in the receiver coil, enabling wireless power and signal transmission without direct electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes transmission efficiency by adjusting magnetic field parameters. The extracorporeal transmitter uses a coil with specific inductance and resistance characteristics to generate an efficient magnetic field, while the intracorporeal receiver coil is designed with complementary parameters to maximize induced current and signal reception.
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
Enables high-sensitivity, wide-band audible sound transmission with sufficient output power, reducing user burden and improving convenience by using magnetic induction to drive the transducer, allowing accurate bone-conduction of sound signals without the need for internal power or demodulation circuits.
Implementation Method 1
an extracorporeal unit 2 that generates a transmission magnetic flux 33 using an extracorporeal transmitter coil 31 on the basis of an audible sound modulation transmission signal S1
Implementation Method 2
an intracorporeal unit 3 that is embedded in a skull 5 under scalp 4, generates an induced electromotive force S11 with the use of the transmission magnetic flux 33 coming from the extracorporeal unit 2 and an interlinked intracorporeal receiver coil 32
Implementation Method 3
expands and contracts a transducer 34 made of a giant magnetostrictive element with the use of the induced electromotive force S11
Implementation Method 4
supplies vibrations corresponding to the sound collection signal S2 to the skull 5 as bone-conduction vibrations
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a high-accuracy embedded audiphone. A transducer (34) made of a giant magnetostrictive element is provided in an intracorporeal unit (3) that is embedded in a skull (5). An audible sound modulation transmission signal (S1), which is amplitude-modulated by a sound collection signal generated in an extracorporeal unit (2), is transmitted from an extracorporeal transmitter coil (31) to an intracorporeal receiver coil (32) provided in the intracorporeal unit (3) with the help of a transmission magnetic flux (33). Moreover, because of an induced electromotive force of the intracorporeal receiver coil (32), the transducer (34) expands and contracts. Therefore, it is possible to highly accurately conduct an audible sound signal through bone with no power source or demodulation circuit provided in the intracorporeal unit (3).