Phoneme Transformation for Hearing Impairment via Electrical Stimulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies face challenges in effectively communicating phonemes, especially for individuals with hearing impairments, as they struggle to distinguish between high-frequency consonant sounds, leading to difficulties in speech recognition and understanding.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that transform phonemes into sequences of nerve stimuli or sound representations using multi-electrode arrays and cochlear implants, or skin interfaces, by correlating phoneme symbols with electrode activations or stimulators, allowing for the assignment of specific sound frequencies and patterns that are perceivable by the user, thereby enhancing phoneme recognition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If phonemes are transmitted using original high-frequency sound waves, then speech information is preserved, but hearing-impaired users cannot distinguish consonant sounds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeech recognition accuracyVSAvoidhearing impairment limitation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the frequency parameter of phoneme signals from high-frequency acoustic range to low-frequency electrical stimulation range. Cochlear implant electrodes convert high-frequency sound waves into electrical signals at frequencies perceivable by hearing-impaired users, preserving speech information while adapting to reduced hearing capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical acoustic transmission system with an electrical stimulation system. Instead of transmitting phonemes as acoustic waves through air and ear structures, the system uses electrical signals delivered via cochlear implant electrodes to directly stimulate the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged mechanical hearing structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If phonemes are recoded into different frequency ranges, then they become perceivable by hearing-impaired users, but speech distortion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehearing range limitationVSAvoidspeech fidelity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments phonemes into constituent features (voicing, place of articulation, manner of articulation) and maps each feature to specific electrode stimulation patterns. This segmentation allows faithful representation of speech information through coordinated activation of multiple electrodes, preserving speech fidelity while adapting to hearing limitations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a signal processing intermediary that transforms acoustic phoneme signals into electrical stimulation patterns. This intermediary system analyzes original speech signals, extracts phonemic features, and reconstructs them as electrical signals that preserve speech information while being perceivable by hearing-impaired users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If multiple phoneme features are mapped to limited electrode channels, then communication capacity increases, but channel assignment complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephoneme discrimination capacityVSAvoidelectrode channel mapping system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds temporal and spatial dimensions to the electrode stimulation system. By varying stimulation timing, duration, and activation patterns across multiple electrodes, the system creates additional discrimination dimensions that increase phoneme capacity without requiring proportional increases in channel count

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 approach enables improved phoneme recognition and speech understanding by recoding speech sounds into frequencies within the user's hearing range, reducing distortion and discomfort, and simplifying the learning process for speech recognition.

Implementation Method 1

transforming the speech sounds into electrical signals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic to electrical transduction:

Implementation Method 2

activating a sequence of one or more electrodes corresponding to each phonetic symbol

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical nerve stimulation:

Data Source

PatentUS11878169B2Somatic, auditory and cochlear communication system and method

Publication Date: 2024.01.23 SOMATEK

AI summary

Methods and devices to deliver a tactile speech analog to a person's skin providing a silent, invisible, hands-free, eyes-free, and ears-free way to receive and directly comprehend electronic communications. Embodiments include an alternative to hearing aids that will enable people with hearing loss to better understand speech. A device, worn like watch or bracelet, supplements a person's remaining hearing to help identify and disambiguate those sounds he or she can not hear properly. Embodiments for hearing aids and hearing prosthetics are also described.