Head Mountable Power Supply for Implantable Cochlear Stimulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cochlear implant systems are cumbersome and face regulatory hurdles, with patients finding the headpiece cable undesirable and seeking a smaller sound processor option.
Innovation Solution
A head mountable power supply with a magnetically attracted battery that wirelessly powers an implanted cochlear stimulator, combined with an external hearing assistance device that wirelessly transmits stimulation data, eliminating the need for a headpiece cable and allowing for a reduced size and weight of the external device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional BTE sound processor with headpiece cable is used, then power can be supplied to the implantable device, but the system becomes cumbersome and patients find the cable undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply function from the sound processor by introducing a separate head mountable power supply device. This power supply device contains a battery and power transmission coil that wirelessly transmits power to the implantable device, eliminating the need for a headpiece cable while maintaining power supply capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separate functional components: a sound processor for audio processing, a separate head mountable power supply for power transmission, and an implantable device. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and eliminates the cumbersome cable connection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all components (battery, microphone, sound processor, coil) are integrated in a single headpiece, then the system is self-contained, but the device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy battery and power transmission coil from the integrated headpiece design, creating a separate head mountable power supply. This allows the sound processor to be smaller and lighter, while the power supply can be positioned separately on the head, reducing the weight burden on the ear area.
3Ease of manufacture
If hearing aids are used as the platform for ICS system sound processing, then economies of scale and regulatory advantages are achieved, but the device must still supply power to the implant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power supply function from the hearing aid platform, allowing the hearing aid to focus on audio processing while a separate head mountable power supply handles power transmission. This enables the use of hearing aids (which benefit from economies of scale and favorable regulations) without requiring them to be redesigned as power supply devices.
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 configuration simplifies sound processing, reduces device size and weight, and leverages the economies of scale and regulatory advantages of hearing aids, providing effective power transmission and data communication for cochlear stimulation without the need for a headpiece cable.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet that is magnetically attracted to the position element of an implanted cochlear stimulator
Implementation Method 2
a power transmission apparatus carried by the housing, operably connected to the battery and configured to wirelessly supply power to the implanted cochlear stimulator
Data Source
AI summary
Hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods that involve the use of a head mountable power supply to power an implantable cochlear stimulator.