Multi-Body Earpiece Flexure for Stable Bio-Signal Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable EEG sensors, such as caps and in-ear devices, are cumbersome, uncomfortable, and often fail to provide stable, high-quality signal capture, especially for individuals with thick hair, while also obstructing ambient sound and being costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A multi-body earpiece design with two elements connected by a flexure, providing at least three points of contact along the outer ear, minimizes material usage, ensures secure and comfortable fit, and reduces sound occlusion, using bio-compatible materials and tunable flexure tension for extended wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a cap is worn to capture EEG signals via multiple data channels, then signal capture capability is improved, but comfort and ease of wear deteriorates due to cumbersome nature and extended wear discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is divided into multiple independent sensor modules that can be separately positioned and secured. Each module contains electrodes for capturing EEG signals from specific brain regions, allowing distributed signal acquisition without requiring a dense, cumbersome cap structure. This segmentation enables selective placement of sensors only where needed, reducing overall cap complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If a custom-molded in-ear sensor assembly is used, then signal detection capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to costly and labor-intensive manufacturing techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The in-ear sensor assembly is designed as a universal device that can be used across different user populations without requiring custom molding for each individual. The sensor housing and earpiece components are standardized, allowing mass production through conventional manufacturing techniques. The universal design maintains effective signal detection capability by ensuring proper contact with ear canal structures across diverse anatomies, eliminating the need for expensive custom fabrication while preserving measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If an in-ear sensor assembly is used, then signal detection is improved, but harmful factors increase due to partial or complete blocking of ambient sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The in-ear sensor assembly incorporates acoustic ventilation features that provide localized sound passage pathways. These ventilation channels are strategically positioned to allow ambient sounds to reach the eardrum while the sensor housing maintains secure contact with the ear canal for effective signal detection. The local quality modification creates differentiated zones: one for sensor contact and signal acquisition, another for acoustic ventilation, thereby resolving the contradiction between signal detection and ambient sound blocking.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a secure-fitting in-ear device is designed, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple components and assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional components are merged into integrated assemblies to reduce overall device complexity. The sensor housing combines the electrode array, signal processing electronics, and acoustic ventilation features into a single molded unit. The earpiece assembly integrates the securing mechanism and sensor housing, eliminating the need for separate attachment components. This merging maintains stable fit through coordinated design of multiple functions within unified structures, while reducing the total number of discrete parts and simplifying assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
The technology provides a multi-body earpiece suitable for use as an in-ear sensor system, which can be used for biometrics or a human-computer interface. The multi-body earpiece includes two body elements connected together by a flexure. These components provide at least 3 points of contact along different parts of the outer ear, in which the flexure is tethered to the two bodies and arranged to lock them in place during wear. In addition to having stability from moving while minimizing sound occlusion, this arrangement enables any electrodes for the on-board sensor(s) to remain in contact with the skin of the ear, and provide as many contact points in desired areas as the electronics dictate for the signals of interest.