Prenatal Earbud Holder With Attenuating Layer for Safe Fetal Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for providing sound to fetuses in the womb often fail to ensure safe volume levels, potentially harming the fetus with excessive decibel levels, and lack innovative audio delivery mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A prenatal sound device using audio earplugs with an attenuating mechanism, attached to clothing via a clip, transmits sound to the fetus while ensuring safe decibel levels through in-line signal processing and using earbuds instead of loudspeakers, with optional simultaneous listening for the mother or father.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If in-line signal processing or loudspeakers are used to provide prenatal sound, then sound delivery is achieved, but volume control and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an attenuating mechanism as an intermediary component between the sound source and the fetus. This mechanism physically reduces the sound intensity before it reaches the fetus, ensuring safe decibel levels while maintaining effective sound delivery for cognitive development and bonding purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of sound transmission by using an attenuating mechanism that specifically modifies the intensity parameter. This allows the system to deliver sound at controlled, safe volume levels rather than uncontrolled high decibel levels, resolving the contradiction between effective sound delivery and safety.
2Productivity
If earbuds are used instead of loudspeakers, then sound transmission efficiency is improved, but proper attenuation and safety control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the earbud sound transmission device with an integrated attenuating mechanism. This combination maintains the high transmission efficiency of earbuds while incorporating safety control features, ensuring that the sound reaches the fetus at appropriate volume levels without the risks associated with uncontrolled loudspeaker output.
3Loss of information
If sound is transmitted directly without attenuation, then sound quality is maintained, but fetal safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful high intensity sound into a beneficial controlled sound transmission. The attenuating mechanism reduces excessive sound intensity to safe levels while preserving the essential sound quality needed for fetal cognitive development and bonding, effectively transforming a harmful factor into a beneficial one.
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
Effectively transmits sound to the fetus at safe levels, promoting cognitive development and bonding while preventing potential harm from loud sounds, and allows for parental listening during use.
Implementation Method 1
a thin layer of material that attenuates the volume of the sound from the audio ear plug to safe levels for the fetus
Data Source
AI summary
An audio attenuation device for attenuating audio for transmission to an unborn baby includes a body and an attachment mechanism for attaching the body to an article of clothing of an expectant mother. The body is configured to receive at least one audio earbud that includes an audio producing side from which an audio signal is transmitted from the earbud. The body further includes a layer of material configured to be positioned in contact with the audio producing side to receive the audio signal from the earbud and to attenuate an intensity of the audio signal. The layer of material is configured such that, when the audio signal that is received by the layer of material has a maximum sound level of approximately 90 decibels or greater, the attenuated audio signal exiting the layer of material has a maximum sound level between approximately 45 and 85 decibels.