Hearing Aid Cochlear Dead Region Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aid devices struggle to accurately determine cochlear dead regions, which are areas in the ear where hair cells are damaged, leading to impaired hearing, especially in high frequencies, due to the difficulty in establishing the existence and frequency range of these regions.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid device with a sound generation unit, output transducer, and control unit that in situ determines cochlear dead regions by emitting electrical sound signals with specific frequency bands and sound pressure levels, allowing users to differentiate between them, thereby identifying dead regions without additional equipment and reducing the risk of collapsing canals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional hearing aid devices use standard audiometric methods to determine cochlear dead regions, then measurement coverage is achieved, but determination accuracy is poor and the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of sound signals used for testing by generating multiple sound signals with different frequency bands and sound pressure levels. The control unit systematically varies these parameters to map the cochlear dead region boundaries more accurately and efficiently than conventional fixed-parameter methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through the user interface where users indicate whether they can differentiate between consecutive sound signals. This feedback loop allows the control unit to adaptively adjust the frequency bands and sound pressure levels of subsequent test signals, refining the dead region determination iteratively and reducing overall testing time.
2Measurement precision
If additional equipment is used for cochlear dead region determination, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid device performs multiple functions using its existing components: it serves as both a hearing assistance device and a cochlear dead region diagnostic tool. The sound generation unit, output transducer, and control unit are utilized for both standard hearing aid operations and dead region determination, eliminating the need for separate diagnostic equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The hearing aid device determines its own user's cochlear dead regions using its built-in capabilities. The system self-diagnoses by generating test signals through its own output transducer and processing user responses through its control unit, making the device self-sufficient for diagnostic purposes without requiring external audiometric equipment.
3Ease of operation
If conventional sound pressure levels are used for dead region determination, then testing is simpler, but risk of hair cell damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts sound pressure levels based on the user's real-time responses. The control unit modifies the intensity of test signals adaptively, increasing or decreasing sound pressure levels during the determination process to optimize between obtaining accurate dead region boundaries and minimizing exposure to potentially harmful sound levels.
4Adaptability or versatility
If hearing aid devices amplify all frequencies equally, then hearing assistance is provided, but over-amplification in high frequencies occurs causing further damage
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid device applies different amplification characteristics to different frequency regions based on the determined cochlear dead region boundaries. The control unit configures the hearing aid to provide appropriate gain in frequencies outside the dead region while reducing or avoiding amplification within the dead region boundaries, preventing over-amplification damage to vulnerable high-frequency hair cells.
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 faster and more accurate detection of cochlear dead regions, allowing for personalized hearing aid adjustments and reducing over-amplification in high frequencies, thereby improving hearing experiences and reducing the risk of further hair cell damage.
Implementation Method 1
an output transducer configured to generate an output sound corresponding to the electrical sound signal
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining cochlear dead region. In particular, the invention relates to a hearing aid device (10, 10') with a sound generation unit (28), an output transducer (18), and a control unit (24). The sound generation unit (28) is configured to provide an electrical sound signal. The output transducer (18) is configured to generate an output sound (54; 100; 102) corresponding to the electrical sound signal. The control unit (24) is configured to select a frequency region of interest (86). The control unit (24) is configured to cause the sound generation unit (28) to provide a first electrical sound signal representing a first predetermined frequency band (88) adjacent to the frequency region of interest (86), with a first predetermined bandwidth (90), and a first predetermined sound pressure level (92). Further the control unit (24) is configured to cause the sound generation unit (28) to provide a first subsequent electrical sound signal representing a first subsequent predetermined frequency band (94) comprising the frequency region of interest (86) with a first subsequent predetermined bandwidth (96), a first subsequent predetermined sound pressure level (98), and a first subsequent predetermined time delay to the first electrical sound signal. The first subsequent predetermined frequency band (94) comprises the first predetermined frequency band (88), and the first subsequent predetermined bandwidth (96) is wider than the first predetermined bandwidth (90). The output transducer (18) is configured to generate a first output sound (100) corresponding to the first electrical sound signal and a first subsequent output sound (102) corresponding to the first subsequent electrical sound signal with the first subsequent predetermined time delay to the first electrical sound signal. The first output sound (100) and first subsequent output sound (102) are compared by a user, who decides, whether he hears a difference between the two sounds or not and gives a positive decision input or a negative decision input to the hearing aid device (10, 10') using a user interface (20). A negative decision input results in the detection of a cochlear dead region (80) and a positive decision input leads to re-initialization of the comparison between two output sounds with adjusted parameters.