Optical Hearing Aid Using Pulsed Light for Cochlear Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aid technologies face challenges in effectively stimulating the cochlea without damaging the hearing organ, particularly when there are obstructed pathways or non-functional elements in the ear, and they often require direct mechanical coupling or high-energy laser irradiation, which can cause cellular damage.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid device using pulsed light sources, such as lasers or LEDs, coupled with optical fibers to emit modulated irradiation at specific target sites in the ear, like the tympanic membrane or ossicular chain, without direct mechanical contact, generating mechanical vibrations that stimulate the auditory nerve without causing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct mechanical coupling is used to transmit vibrations to the cochlea, then effective hearing stimulation is achieved, but the risk of mechanical damage and infection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical transducer system with an optical system. A laser source emits light pulses that are transmitted through optical fibers to the cochlea. The light pulses are converted to mechanical vibrations directly within the cochlear fluid, stimulating the hair cells without requiring external mechanical coupling. This substitution eliminates the mechanical contact interface that causes damage and infection risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical fibers as an intermediary medium to transmit energy to the cochlea. The optical fibers deliver light pulses that are then converted to mechanical vibrations within the cochlear environment. This intermediary approach allows energy transmission without direct mechanical contact between the external device and the cochlea, reducing the risk of mechanical damage.
2Reliability
If high-energy laser irradiation is used to stimulate the cochlea, then effective auditory nerve signals are generated, but cellular damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of laser irradiation to achieve effective stimulation without damage. Specifically, it uses pulsed laser delivery with controlled pulse duration, repetition rate, and energy per pulse. The optical fibers are positioned to deliver light at specific locations within the cochlea, and the pulse parameters are adjusted to generate sufficient mechanical vibrations for hair cell stimulation while keeping the total energy exposure below damage thresholds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic pulsed laser irradiation instead of continuous high-energy exposure. The pulsed delivery allows the cochlear tissue to recover between pulses, preventing thermal accumulation and cellular damage. The pulse repetition rate and duty cycle are carefully controlled to maintain effective stimulation while avoiding the harmful effects of continuous high-energy irradiation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ear canal or ossicular chain is obstructed or non-functional, then natural sound transmission is blocked, but conventional hearing aids cannot effectively stimulate the cochlea
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sound transmission pathway with an optical system that can deliver energy directly to the cochlea regardless of the status of the ear canal or ossicular chain. The laser pulses transmitted through optical fibers bypass the obstructed mechanical pathways and generate vibrations directly within the cochlear fluid, making the system effective for patients with conductive hearing losses due to ear canal obstruction, tympanic membrane perforation, or ossicular chain dysfunction.
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
The device effectively generates auditory nerve signals without damaging the cochlea, allowing for long-term use and avoiding the risks associated with direct mechanical coupling or high-energy laser exposure, while maintaining the integrity of the hearing organ.
Implementation Method 1
optical fibres for the conduction of stimulating pulsed signals to the end section of the optical fibres for activating the cochlea
Implementation Method 2
at least one optical fibre for the conduction of stimulating pulsed signals
Implementation Method 3
generating mechanical vibrations that stimulate the auditory nerve
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hearing aid device for humans with impaired hearing, who have an at least partially functional cochlea and a functional nervous signalling pathway from the cochlea via the auditory nerve to the brain. The hearing aid device contains a receiver, a transducer of the sound or other acoustic signals into electrical current serving as a signal representing a sound, a pulsed irradiation source connected to the transducer for receiving the electrical current and for generating modulated pulsed irradiation in dependence from the electrical current, and preferably one or more optical fibers optically coupled to the exit of the pulsed irradiation source, wherein the optical path for conduction of irradiation within the device ends directly opposite a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway, e.g. adjacent the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, or the oval window membrane.