Wireless In-Ear Noise Dosimeter with Occluded Ear Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing in-ear noise dosimeters face challenges with wires causing discomfort and safety hazards, incorrect noise exposure measurements due to unaccounted occluded versus unoccluded ear responses, and inadequate storage solutions, leading to potential hearing damage and compliance issues.
Innovation Solution
A wireless in-ear noise dosimeter system with a dock unit that compensates for occluded versus unoccluded ear responses, eliminates the need for external cables, and provides a sanitary storage solution, using a proximity switch and temperature sensor for accurate noise monitoring and user feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired in-ear noise dosimeters are used to monitor noise exposure, then noise monitoring functionality is achieved, but wire-related discomfort and safety hazards occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the wire connection between the earplug and the dosimeter unit, extracting the harmful element while preserving the core functionality. The earplug is made completely wireless, eliminating all wire-related discomfort and safety hazards while maintaining noise monitoring capabilities through wireless data transmission.
2Device complexity
If traditional in-ear dosimeters are used without compensation, then simple noise monitoring is achieved, but incorrect noise exposure measurements occur due to unaccounted occluded versus unoccluded ear responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calibration by measuring the occluded ear response when the earplug is inserted in the earbath during manufacturing. This pre-measured compensation factor is stored in memory and automatically applied during normal operation, enabling accurate noise exposure measurements without requiring complex real-time adjustments or user intervention.
3Reliability
If wired earplugs are used for noise protection, then hearing protection is provided, but hygiene issues and storage problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the wire connection that creates hygiene contamination risks and storage complications. The wireless earplug can be easily removed, cleaned, and stored without dealing with cable management issues, improving both hygiene and storage convenience while maintaining hearing protection functionality.
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 system offers improved comfort, accurate noise exposure monitoring, and enhanced compliance by eliminating wire-related issues, providing correct noise dose measurements, and ensuring proper storage and usage of the earplugs, thereby reducing the risk of hearing damage.
Implementation Method 1
an earplug microphone that senses sound in an ear canal when the earplug is worn in an ear
Implementation Method 2
a proximity switch that detects when the earplug is in the earbath
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor for sensing human body temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
An in-ear noise dosimeter in the form of an earplug which senses sound in the ear canal using an eartip which has a sound delivery channel that couples sound at the end closest to the eardrum to an earplug microphone. The earplug can communicate wirelessly with a remote data collection and processing system. A dock unit for storing the earplugs when not worn can compensate for differences in unoccluded-ear versus occluded-ear responses by an acoustic compensator. An electronic compensation filter can be modified by a proximity switch in the earplug which changes state when the earplug is worn in the ear versus stored in a dock unit. The dosimeter can also have a temperature sensor for sensing human body temperature and remotely-located wireless LEDs used to alert the user of high noise dosage. Data can also be downloaded from the earplug using a reader unit.