| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
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| 20080234539 | SOFT TISSUE PLACEMENT OF IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE - Provided herein are systems and methods where an implantable microphone of an implantable hearing system is positioned at a location spaced from the surface of the patient's skull. More specifically, the microphone is mounted to soft tissue of the patient to at least partially isolate the microphone from skull-borne vibrations. Accordingly, by utilizing a soft tissue mount, the microphone may be made more sensitive to ambient sounds with reduced concern to amplification of non-ambient vibrations caused by skull-borne vibrations including, for example, transducer feedback, talking and/or chewing. The system will further include an auditory stimulation device that is located proximate to the skull of the patient and which is operative to stimulate an auditory component of the patient in accordance with an output signal generated by the microphone. A subcutaneously routed signal wire may extend between the implanted microphone and the auditory stimulation device. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080249351 | IMPLANTABLE HEARING AID TRANSDUCER WITH ADVANCEABLE ACTUATOR TO FACILIATE COUPLING WITH THE AUDITORY SYSTEM - A hearing aid transducer that includes an actuator advanceable relative to the transducer to couple with a middle ear component. In one aspect of the invention, the actuator is a separate structure from the transducer that is insertable into an aperture defined between a first and second end of the transducer. This permits separate connection of the actuator to the middle ear component and the transducer to improve coupling of the transducer to the middle ear component, e.g., minimizing loads on the middle ear component. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080255406 | Implantable Auditory Stimulation Systems Having a Transducer and a Transduction Medium - Systems and methods for improving sound perception in a subject equipped with an implantable vibratory unit comprising a transducer and a transduction medium in which the transducer is disposed within or against the transduction medium. The transducer is configured to impart vibrations to a vibratory structure of a subject's ear through the transduction medium in response to an electrical signal corresponding to sound. In certain embodiments, the transduction medium directly contacts the vibratory structure of the subject's ear, whereas the transducer does not. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080293998 | LATERAL COUPLING OF AN IMPLANTABLE HEARING AID ACTUATOR TO AN AUDITORY COMPONENT - An apparatus and method is provided for lateral contact loading of an implantable transducer relative to an auditory component. The apparatus may include a contact tip for directly contacting a lateral aspect of an auditory component, and a vibratory actuator adapted for axial displacement in response to the operation of an interconnected implantable hearing aid transducer. At least a portion of the vibratory actuator may be deflectable, wherein the contact tip is laterally displaceable upon lateral deflection of the vibratory actuator to apply a lateral loading force to an auditory component. In operation, the contact tip may be positioned to apply the lateral loading force upon initial placement and then automatically moved to maintain contact with the auditory component by virtue of deflection of the vibratory actuator, (e.g., responsive) post-implantation auditory component movement. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080319250 | Vibrator - An electromagnetic vibrator for generating vibrations in bone conducting hearing aid devices. The vibrator includes a magnetic device, a vibrator plate and an inner spring member providing an air-gap between the magnetic device and the vibrator plate. The vibrator is housed in a casing and an outer spring is arranged between the vibrator and the casing to isolate movements of the magnetic device relative to the casing. The outer spring is part of the surrounding casing and is mechanically attached to the vibratory transmitting element via an elastic sealing element. The sealing function of the hearing aid housing is provided by the outer spring attachment. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090023976 | IMPLANTABLE MIDDLE EAR HEARING DEVICE HAVING TUBULAR VIBRATION TRANSDUCER TO DRIVE ROUND WINDOW - An implantable middle ear hearing device having a tubular vibration transducer to drive a round window is designed to input sound to a round window opposite an oval window in an inner ear. The tubular vibration transducer has a unique structure that does not attenuate the magnitude of a signal, particularly, in a high frequency band. Sound delivery effect is much higher than those of conventional schemes. It is also possible to minimize difficulties associated with and problems resulting from the operation, which the conventional methods would have. Further, the transducer can have a relatively less compact than ossicle contact type transducers, and thus be easily fabricated. The hearing device can be applied to a sensorineural hearing loss patient with the ossicle damaged. Moreover, since sound is directly transmitted without through the ear drum and the ossicle, high efficiency sound delivery is achievable and hearing loss compensation are easy. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090043149 | Hearing implant - The present invention concerns an actuator for an implantable hearing aid for implantation into the human middle ear. The actuator comprises a substantially elongate piezoelectric component ( | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090088598 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental implant are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon the implant to form a hearing assembly. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090099408 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TINNITUS - Methods and apparatus for treating tinnitus are described where an oral appliance having an electronic and/or transducer assembly for generating sounds via a vibrating transducer element is coupled to a tooth or teeth. Generally, the transducer may generate one or more frequencies of sound via the actuatable transducer positioned against at least one tooth such that the sound is transmitted via vibratory conductance to an inner ear of the patient, whereby the sound completely or at least partially masks or provides sound therapy for habituation of the tinnitus perceived by the patient. The one or more generated frequencies may be correlated to measured tinnitus frequencies or they may be preset. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090105523 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COMPLIANCE MONITORING - Systems and methods are disclosed for determining compliance for a treatment device powered by an energy storage device by determining an average power consumption of the treatment device and a power capacity of the energy storage device; determining a start time and a stop time for using the energy storage device; determining usage based on the power capacity and the average power consumption; and determining compliance as a function of the usage, start time and stop time. In another aspect, the compliance monitoring device monitors sound delivery as a measure of compliance. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090112051 | OBSERVER-BASED CANCELLATION SYSTEM FOR IMPLANTABLE HEARING INSTRUMENTS - Provided is an implanted hearing instrument having reduced sensitivity to vibration. In this regard, the instrument differentiates between the desirable and undesirable signals within an implanted microphone response. In one arrangement, an observer identifies a current operating state of the implanted hearing instrument and one or more cancellation filters are adjusted based on the current operating state. The cancellation filter(s) are used to reduce undesired signals form the implanted microphone response. In a first arrangement, the output of the implanted hearing instrument may be filtered and removed from the implanted microphone response to reduce or substantially eliminate feedback in the microphone signal provided to an implanted signal processor. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090124849 | SPANNING CONNECTOR FOR IMPLANTABLE HEARING INSTRUMENT - Provided herein are various connectors that allow for translating the axial movement of an implantable hearing transducer | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090131742 | ROUND WINDOW DRIVING TRANSDUCER FOR EASY IMPLANTATION AND IMPLANTABLE HEARING DEVICE HAVING THE SAME - The present invention relates to a round window driving transducer for easy implantation and an implantable hearing device having the same. The round window driving transducer is implantable in the round window of the cochlea in the middle ear cavity, and has excellent high frequency characteristics, which can assist patients with sensorineural hearing loss to hear sound better. The round window driving transducer can be placed inside the middle ear cavity, radiate sound with high efficiency, and be implanted by surgery using a fixing part formed with shape memory alloy, shape memory resin, or a bendable spring structure. Further, the round window driving transducer can overcome problems of the prior art, such as a difficult surgery and low vibration efficiency, which would inevitably occur when floating mass transducers are implanted in a drilled groove in the bone or when various types of piezoelectric transducers are implanted in the round window. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090149697 | Length-variable auditory ossicle prosthesis - An auditory ossicle prosthesis with a first and a second securing element for mechanical securement in the middle ear as well as a connecting element, which is rigidly connected to the securing elements and connects them to each other and has a receiving part and a push-in part that can be pushed into a receiving opening of the same, the connecting element being designed so as to be variable in length in the axial direction between the receiving part and the push-in part, and it being possible for the receiving part and the push-in part to be clamped in a desired relative coaxial pushed-in position, characterized in that the clamping force F | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090187065 | AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL FOR IMPLANTED MICROPHONE - An implantable hearing instrument is provided that reduces the response to unnaturally high vibrations (e.g., due to a patient's own voice), without necessarily or substantially affecting the response to desired signals. The implantable hearing instrument system is operative to selectively alter/lower the gain of signals that have a magnitude above a predetermined threshold. Signals having unnaturally large amplitudes (e.g., due to a patient's own voice) are amplified less than desired signals, so that a patient may experience a more representative sound. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090192345 | BONE CONDUCTING HEARING AID WITH CONNECTION - The hearing aid according to the invention comprise:
| 07-30-2009 |
| 20090209806 | IMPLANTABLE TRANSDUCER - A method and device for connecting a bone conductor transducer contained in a housing to the skull bone for the transmission of vibrations characterized by, that the housing has at least one surface, which is placed against the bottom plane of a recess shaped in the temporal bone with a static force exceeding the dynamic signal forces. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090240099 | BI-MODAL COCHLEA STIMULATION - An improved implantable hearing instrument and associated method utilize a transducer to mechanically stimulate a patient's cochlea (e.g. via the round window or oval window) in response to a first electrical drive signal, and a supply electrode to electrically stimulate the patient's cochlea in response to a second drive signal. The first and second drive signals may be provided to affect mechanical stimulation across a first predetermined frequency range and electrical stimulation across a second predetermined frequency range, respectively, wherein the predetermined frequency ranges are at least partially non-overlapping. In one embodiment an electromechanical transducer, having the supply member supportably interconnect thereto, may be selectively positioned via a mounting member fixedly interconnected to a patient's skull. The supply electrode may define a distal tip that is supportably interconnected to a vibratory member of the electromechanical transducer. In another embodiment, an implantable transducer may be employed that includes an external housing and an active transducer element located within an internal chamber of the external housing for receiving the first electrical signal. Further, the supply electrode may be one of electrically connected to and defined by at least an electrically-conductive portion of the external housing of the transducer. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090247810 | CUSTOMIZABLE MASS ARRANGEMENTS FOR BONE CONDUCTION DEVICES - A bone conduction device, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; and a transducer configured to generate motion of a mass component based on said electrical signal so as to generate one or more mechanical forces resulting in one or more of motion and vibration of a recipient's skull thereby causing sound perception, wherein one or more of the size and shape of said mass component is selectable at least partially based on a desired mechanical force to be generated by said transducer. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090247811 | MECHANICALLY AMPLIFIED PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER - A piezoelectric transducer having a component therein for amplifying the deformation of the piezoelectric element so as to increase the available transducer stroke. This amplification of the piezoelectric element may be provided by a mechanical amplifier coupled to the piezoelectric element. The mechanical amplifier is configured to exert a preloading force on the piezoelectric element. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090247812 | DUAL PERCUTANEOUS ANCHORS BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE - A bone conduction device for enhancing the hearing of a recipient, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing the acoustic sound signal; a transducer configured to generate mechanical forces representing the electrical signal for deliver to the recipient's skull; and dual percutaneous anchors coupled to the transducer and configured to receive and transmit the mechanical forces. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090247813 | BONE CONDUCTION HEARING DEVICE HAVING ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK REDUCTION SYSTEM - A bone anchored hearing device, comprises: a housing, a sound input element positioned in the housing configured to receive sound signals, and a transducer positioned in the housing configured to generate vibrations representative of the sound signals received by the sound input device. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090247814 | BONE CONDUCTION HEARING DEVICE HAVING ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK REDUCTION SYSTEM - A bone anchored hearing device, comprises: a housing, a sound input element positioned in the housing configured to receive sound signals, and a transducer positioned in the housing configured to generate vibrations representative of the sound signals received by the sound input device. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090253951 | BONE CONDUCTING FLOATING MASS TRANSDUCERS - A floating mass transducer for assisting hearing in a person is provided. Inertial vibration in the floating mass transducer ( | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090259090 | BONE CONDUCTION HEARING DEVICE HAVING ACOUSTIC FEEDBACK REDUCTION SYSTEM - A bone anchored hearing device, comprises: a housing, a sound input element positioned in the housing configured to receive sound signals, and a transducer positioned in the housing configured to generate vibrations representative of the sound signals received by the sound input device. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090259091 | BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SOUND INPUT DEVICES - The present invention relates to a bone conduction device for enhancing the hearing of a recipient is provided. The bone conduction device may include a first sound input device configured to receive sound signals and generate a first electrical signal representative of the signal, a second sound input device configured to receive sound signals and generate a second electrical signal representative of the signal, electronic circuitry configured to select at least one of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and an electronics module configured to generate a third electrical signal representing the sound signals based on at least of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090270673 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TINNITUS TREATMENT - Methods and systems for tinnitus treatment are described where a device is coupled to a surface of a bone or to a tooth or several teeth. Such a device may comprise an oral appliance having an electronic and/or transducer assembly for generating sounds via a vibrating transducer element. Generally, the transducer may be programmed to adjust any number of settings and treatment options to generate one or more frequencies of sound via the actuatable transducer to transmit a modified audio signal via vibratory conductance to an inner ear of the patient to mask the tinnitus. The audio signal is also modified to account for any hearing loss of the patient as well as a bone sensitivity threshold measured from the patient and calibrated by the programming device. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090281366 | FLUID CUSHION SUPPORT FOR IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - A system for reducing the vibration sensitivity of an implantable microphone without an equal or greater reduction in sound sensitivity. The system reduces non-ambient vibrations by placing at least one compliant member into the path of transmission for tissue-borne vibration, but not into the path for ambient sound-induced vibration. More particularly, a fluid filled compliant member is disposed between an implanted microphone and an implant wearer's skull. The compliant member and the implanted microphone define a supported system having a natural or resonant frequency. This natural frequency may be set to a value to advantageously isolate the microphone against transmitted vibration. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090281367 | TRANS-TYMPANIC MEMBRANE TRANSDUCER AND IMPLANTABLE HEARING AID SYSTEM USING THE SAME - A trans-tympanic membrane transducer and an implantable hearing aid system using the same. The trans-tympanic membrane transducer vibrates the tympanic membrane using a miniature magnetic member perpendicularly extending through a portion of the tympanic membrane and a coil implanted adjacent to the magnet to generate alternating magnetic field corresponding to sound signal, so as to remarkably improve sound qualities in high frequency bands, which are hardly achievable by a conventional air conduction hearing aid. This overcomes difficulty, inconvenience and risk associated with a conventional operation that implants a miniature magnet on the surface of the tympanic membrane or on an auditory organ such as the ossicle in the middle ear. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090281368 | Hearing aid system including implantable housing and exchangeable transducer - A hearing aid system comprised of a housing configured for subcutaneous implantation having a portion configured to extend percutaneously into a patient's outer ear canal. The percutaneous portion is configured to functionally mate with a transducer capable of being readily exchanged via said outer ear canal. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20090287038 | IMPLANTED-TRANSDUCER BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE - An implanted-transducer bone conduction device for enhancing the hearing of a recipient, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; a transducer implanted within the recipient and mechanically coupled to the recipient's bone, said implanted transducer configured to generate mechanical forces representing said electrical signal for deliver to the recipient's skull. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090292161 | MULTI-MODE HEARING PROSTHESIS - A multi-mode hearing prosthesis for enhancing the hearing of a recipient, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive a sound signal component; a frequency spectral analysis module configured to analyze the sound signal component and to categorize the component into at least a high- or lower-frequency component; a bone conduction processor configured to generate bone conduction stimulation signals from at least one of said high- and lower-frequency component for bone conduction stimulation of the recipient's skull; and a second stimulation processor configured to generate auditory stimulation signals from at least one of said high- and lower-frequency components for stimulating the recipient. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090306457 | IMPLANTABLE HEARING SYSTEM - A system for rehabilitating the hearing of a recipient. The system comprises: an elongate hollow access device having a symmetrical shape about a longitudinal axis through the center of the device, and comprising first and second ends each having apertures therein which have their geometric centers positioned at the longitudinal axis, wherein the access device is configured to be at least partially positioned in the mastoid bone of the recipient, such that the first end is positioned adjacent the surface of the mastoid bone, and the second end is inserted into the cochlea, and a first membrane disposed across the aperture at the first end of the device configured to vibrate in response to an acoustic sound signal presented there to, and wherein the access device has a cross-sectional diameter along its length that provides a desired amplification of the received sound signal. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090306458 | Direct acoustic cochlear stimulator for round window access - A mechanical stimulator for evoking a hearing percept by directly generating waves of fluid motion of fluid in a recipient's scala tympani. The stimulator comprises a sound processing unit configured to process a received sound signal; and an implantable stimulation arrangement, comprising: an actuator configured to receive electrical signals representing the processed sound signal and configured to vibrate in response to the electrical signals, a stapes prosthesis having first and second ends, the first end having a surface configured to be positioned abutting the round window in the recipient's cochlea, and wherein the first end surface is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis extending through the actuator, an elongate rod extending longitudinally from the actuator connecting the actuator to the stapes prosthesis such that vibration of the actuator results in waves of fluid motion in a recipient's scala tympani that evoke a hearing percept of the received sound signal. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100030012 | WIRELESS COMMUNICATION IN A MULTIMODAL AUDITORY PROSTHESIS - A multimodal auditory prosthesis. The prosthesis comprises a sound processing unit configured to process sound and to generate electrical signals representing different frequency components of the processed sound and a stimulation module communicably coupled to the sound processing unit, configured to stimulate the recipient to evoke a hearing percept of a range of the frequency components. The prosthesis also comprises an external stimulation module, configured to be positioned within an externally accessible portion of the recipient's first ear, comprising: a receiver unit to wirelessly receive the electrical signals representing the different frequency components, and a transducer that delivers acoustic or mechanical energy to the recipient's ear to evoke a hearing percept of a range of the frequency components. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100041940 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMIZATION OF A BONE CONDUCTION HEARING DEVICE - The present invention relates to recipient customization of a bone conducting hearing device. Customization of the bone conducting hearing device may include attaching the bone conducting hearing device to a recipient, establishing communication between the hearing device and an external device, generating at least one control setting with the external device, and storing the at least one control setting in a memory device in the hearing device. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100048982 | Optical Electro-Mechanical Hearing Devices With Separate Power and Signal Components - A device to transmit an audio signal comprises at least one light source configured to transmit the audio signal with at least one wavelength of light. At least one detector is configured to detect the audio signal and generate at least one electrical signal in response to the at least one wavelength of light. A transducer is supported with and configured to vibrate at least one of an eardrum, an ossicle or a cochlea. Active circuitry is coupled to the transducer to drive the transducer in response to the at least one electrical signal, so as to provide the user with high quality sound. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100048983 | Multipath Stimulation Hearing Systems - A prosthetic hearing system is described that provides multi-path stimulation of the patient auditory system. A mechanical stimulation component applies mechanical stimulation signals to cerebral tissue such as the dura mater, cerebrospinal fluid, vestibular structures, etc. using multiple separate mechanical stimulation channels. And an electrical stimulation component provides electrical stimulation of auditory neural tissue of the patient user. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100056851 | Piezoelectric Nanowire Vibration Sensors - A vibration sensor includes a substrate. A first electrical contact and a spaced apart second electrical contact are both disposed on a first surface of the substrate. The elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure extends outwardly from the first surface of the substrate and is disposed between, and in electrical communication with, the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. The elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure is oriented so that a voltage potential exists between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact when the elongated piezoelectric nano-scale structure is bent from a first state to a second state. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100069705 | HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE HAVING REDUCED MECHANICAL FEEDBACK - An electronic hearing aid apparatus comprises a first component, a second component and a cable assembly for electrically connecting the first component to the second component. The first component includes a vibration sensor for sensing acoustic vibrations and generating a vibration signal based on the sensed acoustic vibrations, electronics for processing and amplifying the vibration signal and an output port for providing access to the amplified vibration signal. The second component includes an input port for receiving the amplified vibration signal and a vibration generator for generating vibrations based on the amplified vibration signal. The cable assembly conducts the amplified vibration signal from the output port of the first component to the input port of the second component. The cable assembly includes a first connector for electrically connecting to the first component, a second connector for electrically connecting to the second component and a flexible cable portion for electrically connecting the first connector to the second connector. In some embodiments, the cable portion has a stiffness of no more than about 7.0 Taber stiffness units. In one most preferred embodiment, the cable portion has a stiffness of no more than about 1.0 Taber stiffness unit. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100087700 | Cochlear Implant Sound Processor for Sleeping with Tinnitus Suppression and Alarm Function - An external processor device is described for an implanted audio prosthesis. A low profile device housing attaches on the head of a patient user over an implanted receiver coil. A limited functionality processor within the device housing generates an implant data signal consisting of special non-representational audio data not characteristic of the nearby environment. A transmitter coil within the housing in communication with the processor transmits the implant data signal to the implanted receiver coil. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100121134 | BONE CONDUCTION DEVICES GENERATING TANGENTIALLY-DIRECTED MECHANICAL FORCE USING A ROTATIONALLY MOVING MASS - A bone conduction device, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; and a transducer, comprising a mass configured to move in a rotational direction, configured to generate a vibrational force in a tangential direction with respect to a recipient's bone. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100137675 | BONE CONDUCTION DEVICES GENERATING TANGENTIALLY-DIRECTED MECHANICAL FORCE USING A ROTATIONALLY MOVING MASS - A bone conduction device, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; and a transducer, comprising a mass configured to move in a rotational direction, configured to generate a vibrational force in a tangential direction with respect to a recipient's bone. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100145135 | Skull Vibrational Unit - An implantable hearing prosthesis for a recipient patient is described. An implantable receiving coil transcutaneously receives an externally generated communication data signal. An implantable signal processor is in communication with the receiving coil and converts the communication data signal into an electrical stimulation signal. An implantable transducer housing is fixedly attachable to skull bone of the patient. An implantable drive transducer is in communication with the signal processor and removably engageable with the transducer housing for applying to the transducer housing a mechanical vibration signal based on the electrical stimulation signal for audio perception by the patient. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100152527 | Hearing-aid transducer having an engineered surface - A hearing aid transducer adapts itself to variations in the surface of a tympanic membrane and slides over the migrating membrane without lubrication. Microscopic setae create a conforming interface between the biocompatible material of the transducer and the living tissue of the tympanic membrane. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100160714 | Hearing Aid - A hearing aid has a hearing aid component, a brain wave signal receiver configured to receive brain wave signals, and a hearing aid controller configured to control the hearing aid component dependent on the detected brain wave signals. Therefore the hearing aid can be controlled by the detected brain wave signals. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100179375 | VIBRATOR FOR BONE CONDUCTING HEARING DEVICES - A vibrator for generating vibrations in a bone conducting hearing device, i.e. a hearing device of the type in which the sound information is mechanically transmitted via the skull bone directly to the inner ear of a person. The vibratory movements are provided by a piezo-electric or magneto-elastic element arranged to transfer the vibrations via the skull bone from the area behind the outer ear to the inner ear. The piezo-electric or magneto-elastic element is arranged to be at least partially implanted in a surgically drilled hole directly into the mastoid bone behind the outer ear so that the vibrations are transferred directly from the element to the bone and transferred in the skull bone to the inner ear. The element is encapsulated with a bone integrating material, such as titanium or various biocompatible ceramic materials or coatings and is disc shaped and acts with a radial expansion upon electrical stimulation so that longitudinal sound waves are induced into the skull bone. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100185046 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental implant are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon the implant to form a hearing assembly. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100197995 | LIGHT ACTIVATED HEARING AID DEVICE - 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 fibres 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. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100222639 | HEARING DEVICE HAVING A NON-OCCLUDING IN THE CANAL VIBRATING COMPONENT - A self-retaining bone conduction hearing device having a sound processor ( | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100280307 | USING A GENETIC ALGORITHM IN MIXED MODE DEVICE - Apparatus and method for at least partially fitting a medical implant system to a recipient is described. The medical implant system is configured to provide electrical stimulation and at least one other mode of stimulation to the recipient. These apparatuses and methods comprise executing a genetic algorithm to select a set of parameter values for the medical implant system. This genetic algorithm may comprise generating successive generations of child populations and then providing a determined set of parameter values to the medical implant system for use in providing stimulation to the recipient. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100292529 | BONE ANCHORED BONE CONDUCTIVE HEARING AID - The invention relates to a bone anchored bone conductive hearing aid which has a bone implantable screw ( | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100298626 | BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE HAVING A MULTILAYER PIEZOELECTRIC ELEMENT - A bone conduction device comprising a multilayer piezoelectric element. The multilayer piezoelectric element comprises two stacked piezoelectric layers, and a flexible passive layer disposed between the piezoelectric layers. The device also comprises a mass component attached to the multilayer piezoelectric element; and a coupling attached to the multilayer piezoelectric element configured to transfer mechanical forces generated by the multilayer piezoelectric element and the mass component to a recipient's skull. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100317913 | IMPLANTABLE AUDITORY STIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH OFFSET IMPLANTED MICROPHONES - An improved implantable auditory stimulation system includes two or more implanted microphones for transcutaneous detection of acoustic signals. Each of the implanted microphones provides an output signal. The microphone output signals may be combinatively utilized by an implanted processor to generate a signal for driving an implanted auditory stimulation device. The implanted microphones may be located at offset subcutaneous locations and/or may be provided with different design sensitivities, wherein combinative processing of the microphone output signals may yield an improved drive signal. In one embodiment, the microphone signal may be processed for beamforming and/or directionality purposes. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100317914 | Optically Coupled Active Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis - An active ossicular replacement device is configured to couple the malleus to the stapes, and conduct sound through the vibratory structures of the ear in response to the transmitted electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic energy may comprise light so as to decrease interference from sources of noise external to the user. The prosthetic device may comprise an assembly that can be implanted in the middle ear in a manner that simplifies surgery. The assembly may comprise a narrow cross-sectional profile such that the assembly can be positioned in the middle ear through an incision in the eardrum, for example without cutting bone that defines the shape of the ear canal or the shape of the middle ear. The prosthetic device can be sized to the user based on a measurement of the ear. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100324355 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING HEARING - An implantable device for improving hearing is provided. The device includes a vibration generator including an output region configured to apply vibrational stimulation to an inner ear fluid, a proximal electrode configured to physically attach to a wall enclosing an inner ear at a location proximal to the output region of the vibration generator, and a separate distal electrode configured to make electrical contact with an auditory nerve. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110015466 | PARTIALLY IMPLANTABLE HEARING DEVICE - There is provided a partially implantable hearing device for a user, comprising a microphone assembly ( | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110034755 | IMPLANTABLE UNIVERSAL DOCKING STATION FOR PROSTHETIC HEARING DEVICES - A system for implantation in a recipient comprising: first and second functional implantable components configured to interoperate in order to stimulate the recipient's ear, and an implantable docking station having a plurality of interfaces, the interfaces comprising: a first interface configured to at least one of detachably mechanically and electrically connect to the first component, and at least a second interface configured to at least one of detachably mechanically and electrically connect to the second component, wherein one of the plurality of interfaces is configured to at least one of detachably mechanically and electrically connect to a third component, and wherein the third component is configured to perform an analogous function as one of the first and second components. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110071339 | METHOD OF DETERMINING A GAIN SETTING OF A BONE-ANCHORED HEARING AID - The invention regards a method for determining a gain setting of a bone-anchored hearing aid comprising a bone anchor, the proximal and the distal ears having respective first and second monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds, the first monaural bone-conduction hearing threshold being higher than the second monaural bone-conduction hearing threshold. The method comprises: obtaining respective first and second measured monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds for the proximal and the distal ear; and determining the gain setting in dependence on the first and the second measured monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110077453 | Systems and Methods For Photo-Mechanical Hearing Transduction - Hearing systems for both hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects comprise an input transducer and a separate output transducer. The input transducer will include a light source for generating a light signal in response to either ambient sound or an external electronic sound signal. The output transducer will comprise a light-responsive transducer component which is adapted to receive light from the input transducer. The output transducer component will vibrate in response to the light input and produce vibrations in a component of a subject's hearing transduction pathway, such as the tympanic membrane, a bone in the ossicular chain, or directly on the cochlea, in order to produce neural signals representative of the original sound. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110082327 | SALINE MEMBRANOUS COUPLING MECHANISM FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC AND PIEZOELECTRIC ROUND WINDOW DIRECT DRIVE SYSTEMS FOR HEARING AMPLIFICATION - A system and method for electromagnetic or piezoelectric direct drive hearing amplification using a magnetic or piezoelectric oscillator attached to a saline implant coupled to the round window membrane and secured by a titanium or platinum ribbon. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110105829 | Implantable Signal Delivery Systems - An implantable hearing prosthesis is described for a recipient patient. An implantable receiving coil receives an externally generated communication data signal. An implantable signal processor is in communication with the receiving coil for converting the communication data signal into a transducer stimulation signal. An implantable enclosed acoustic transducer is in communication with the signal processor for converting the transducer stimulation signal into an acoustic signal for generating acoustic vibrational stimulation of one or more hearing structures in the middle ear of the patient. The transducer can be enclosed in an implantable signal delivery baffle. A probe microphone system includes a baffle to seal middle ear structures to reduce ambient noise pickup. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110112355 | IMPLANTABLE SOUND SENSOR FOR HEARING PROSTHESES - A sound sensor implantable in a recipient of a hearing device. The sound sensor comprises a biocompatible housing comprising a cavity having an opening at a first end of the housing and a membrane attached to the housing so as to hermetically seal the opening, wherein the membrane vibrates in response to vibration of at least one of a structure of the recipient's ear and fluid within one of the recipient's body cavities. The sound sensor also comprises a vibrational sensor disposed in the housing configured to detect vibrations of the membrane, and configured to generate signals representative of the detected vibrations; and a transmitter configured to provide the generated signals to one or more other components implanted in the recipient. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110130622 | Inductive Signal and Energy Transfer through the External Auditory Canal - An inductive coil arrangement is described for an ear canal of a recipient patient. An inner transmitter coil inserts into the ear canal for transmitting a communication signal through the skin of the outer wall of the ear canal. The transmitter coil includes transmission wire loops that lie substantially in a common plane which curves around the central axis of the ear canal conformal to the outer wall of the ear canal. An outer receiver coil is implantable under the skin of the outer wall of the ear canal for receiving the communication signal from the transmitter coil. The receiver coil includes receiver wire loops that lie substantially in a common plane which curves around the central axis of the ear canal substantially parallel to the transmitter coil. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110137109 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE FOR HEARING SYSTEMS - An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a back wall. The back wall has a recess (e.g., blind hole) configured to be coupled to an auditory ossicle. The implantable microphone also includes a membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and a vibration sensor adjacent to the membrane. The membrane is configured to move in response to movement from the auditory ossicle, and the vibration sensor is configured to measure the movement of the membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110144414 | MIDDLE EAR IMPLANT AND METHOD - An improved middle ear implant and method are disclosed. The invention particularly relates to magnetic implants and to attachment devices and methods for mounting a magnet in the middle ear of a patient. The implant comprises a wire-form and a magnet disposed in a housing. The method may comprise the steps of: positioning a magnet in optimal alignment; and attaching said magnet to an ossicle in the middle ear. The method may further comprise the step of using a wire-form to attach the implant to the ossicle. Still further, the method may comprise the step of anchoring the implant to the ossicle with biological cement. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110144415 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE FOR HEARING SYSTEMS - An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The second membrane has an opening that permits fluid to flow from the first volume to the second volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor adjacent to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and/or a MEMS sensor. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110152601 | Optically Coupled Bone Conduction Systems and Methods - A hearing device can allow a user to determine from side which a sound originates with bone conduction vibration of the cochlea and the user can also receive sound localization cues from the device, as feedback can be substantially inhibited with bone conduction vibration of the cochlea. An output transducer assembly can be positioned on a first side of the user to vibrate a first bone tissue near a first cochlea with a first amount of energy, such vibration of a second cochlea on a second side with a second amount of energy is attenuated substantially, for example at least about 6 db, such that the user can localize the sound to the first side. A microphone may be located on the first side and coupled to the output transducer assembly, such that the user localizes the sound to the first side detects sound localization cues. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110152602 | Round Window Coupled Hearing Systems and Methods - A support can be configured for placement in the middle ear to couple a transducer to the round window, such that the transducer can be removed from the round window without damaging the round window. The support can be configured to couple the transducer to the sound window such that the support can be removed from the round window. The support may be configured to decouple the transducer from the round window such that the transducer can be removed from the middle ear of the user, for example when the support is affixed to the middle ear. Removal of the transducer from the middle ear without damaging the round window can allow safe removal of the transducer, for example when the patient wishes to receive MRI imaging. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110152603 | Optically Coupled Cochlear Actuator Systems and Methods - A transducer is configured to couple to the cochlear fluid so as to transmit sound with low amounts of energy, such that feed back to a microphone positioned in the ear canal is inhibited substantially. The cochlear fluid coupled hearing device can allow a user to determine from which side a sound originates with vibration of the cochlea and the user can also receive sound localization cues from the device, as feedback can be substantially inhibited. The transducer may be coupled to the cochlear fluid with a thin membrane disposed between the transducer and the cochlear fluid, for example with a fenestration in the cochlea. In some embodiments, a support coupled to the transducer directly contacts the fluid of the cochlea so as to couple the transducer to the cochlear fluid. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110178363 | PROGRAMMABLE HEARING PROSTHESES - A hearing prosthesis and method of programming a processor of a hearing prosthesis are described. In order to provide compatibility with updated fitting software, the prosthesis stores at least the transformation instructions to convert measured parameters into operating coefficients for the hearing prosthesis. As a consequence, the fitting software need not be made specifically compatible with older devices. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110178364 | Incus Replacement Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis - An ossicular prosthesis is described which includes an elongated prosthesis member having a proximal end and a distal end. A cochlea striker mass is at the distal end of the prosthesis member and includes an outer striking surface for coupling vibration of the striker mass to an outer cochlea surface of a recipient patient. A locking clamp is at the proximal end of the prosthesis member and includes a clamp strap having a fixed end and a free end, and a locking head at the fixed end of the clamp strap which has a strap opening for insertion of the free end of the clamp strap. The clamp strap passes around an ossicle of the middle ear in a closed loop and is fixedly engaged by the locking head such that acoustic vibration of the ossicle is coupled by the prosthesis member to the cochlea surface. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110190568 | ENHANCED PERFORMANCE IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE SYSTEM - To improve the performance of an implantable hearing prothesis having an implanted microphone, the present invention discloses the use of an acoustic hearing aid to amplify the ambient sound signals. This results in a higher signal level for the implanted microphone, and hence improved performance. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110207990 | Methods and Apparatus for Aligning Antennas of Low-Powered Intra - and Extra - Oral Electronic Wireless Devices - The present invention relates generally to the design and optimal placement of transmitting and receiving directional antennas, a priori, as used in intra-oral to extra-oral (or visa versa) wireless electronic systems regardless of the type and purpose of the data transmitted between the antennas (intra-oral and extra-oral). Systems related to the invention transmit data via electromagnetic radio waves or through an inductive loop coupling such as in stimulating the human hearing nerve (inner ear) via dental bone conduction pathway when operating in “receive mode”. “Send mode” systems related to the invention transmit non-acoustic information or voice data from inside the mouth to a receiver located outside the mouth. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110213196 | Middle Ear Direct Action Improved Hearing Aid and Related Installation Method - A middle ear prosthesis device and corresponding implantation procedure are described. A sensing microphone converts an acoustic audio signal into a corresponding electrical audio signal. A sensing amplifier amplifies the electrical audio signal. An audio transducer converts the amplified electrical audio signal into a corresponding amplified acoustic audio signal. An acoustic waveguide conducts the amplified acoustic audio signal from the audio transducer to the middle ear and includes: i. a main tubular portion having an outer end for placement in the outer ear canal and an inner end for placement in the middle ear, and ii. an extension portion having an outer end coupleable to the audio transducer and an inner end coupleable to the outer end of the main tubular portion. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110218386 | Incus Replacement Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis - An ossicular prosthesis is described which includes an elongated prosthesis member having a proximal end and a distal end. A cochlea striker mass is at the distal end of the prosthesis member and includes an outer striking surface for coupling vibration of the striker mass to an outer cochlea surface of a recipient patient. A locking clamp is at the proximal end of the prosthesis member and includes a clamp strap having a fixed end and a free end, and a locking head at the fixed end of the clamp strap which has a strap opening for insertion of the free end of the clamp strap. The clamp strap passes around an ossicle of the middle ear in a closed loop and is fixedly engaged by the locking head such that acoustic vibration of the ossicle is coupled by the prosthesis member to the cochlea surface. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110224481 | SPHENO-TEMPORAL BONE CONDUCTION COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT AND/OR HEARING AID EQUIPMENT - A spheno-temporal bone conduction communication equipment and/or hearing aid includes a system device, a bone skin conduction oscillator and a carrier device for supporting said abovementioned devices. The carrier device has a structural body, and the structural body allows the supported bone skin conduction oscillator in close contact with the spheno-temporal bone. The bone skin conduction oscillator contains a transducer, and the transducer converts an electrical signal into an acoustic oscillating wave and transmits the acoustic oscillating wave into the inner ear via spheno-temporal bone, or receives an acoustic oscillating wave produced by vibration of the skull when speaking and converts it into an electrical signal. The equipment implements bone conduction transmission of the acoustic oscillating wave via spheno-temporal bone, and can be used in bone conduction speaker, bone conduction microphone, bone conduction multimedia device, bone conduction hearing aid device or bone conduction communication device. The equipment can be used with a nasal bone conduction device, can avoid the defect of much external noise when using air conduction mode and overcome shortcomings of the structure easy to slide and inconvenience to add the component when using commonly used bone conduction. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110245584 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental implant are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon the implant to form a hearing assembly. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110270014 | HEARING PROSTHESIS HAVING AN ON-BOARD FITTING SYSTEM - A hearing prosthesis comprising an external component having an integrated user interface, a sound processor configured to process received sounds based on predefined fitting data, and an on-board fitting system configured to set the fitting data in response to control inputs received via the integrated user interface. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110295053 | Implantable Inner Ear Drive System - An acoustic drive device for an implantable hearing prosthesis is described. A cantilevered positioning stalk has a base end fixedly coupled to an implantable signal processor, an elongated center beam supported by the base end, and an unsupported free end of the positioning stalk. An acoustic drive unit is located at the free end of the positioning stalk and adapted to convert an electrical stimulation signal from the signal processor into an acoustic mechanical stimulation signal directed to an outer surface of a patient cochlea. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110301404 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR APPLYING A VIBRATION SIGNAL TO A HUMAN SKULL BONE - Hearing losses caused by deficiencies in a person's outer or middle ear may be compensated for by converting received sounds to vibrations and transmitting the vibrations to the skull bone ( | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110319703 | Implantable Microphone System and Calibration Process - A method of calibrating an implantable microphone for a hearing prosthesis is disclosed. For an implantable microphone which includes a vibration sensor to provide body noise cancellation, a calibration method is disclosed, in which known acoustic and vibration signals are provided by an external device. This may be as part of the external charging system for an implantable device. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120016180 | MIDDLE EAR IMPLANT - A hearing actuator ( | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120016181 | Fully or Partially Implantable Hearing System - There is provided an at least partially implantable hearing system comprising a microphone assembly for capturing audio signals from ambient sound; an audio signal processing unit for processing the audio signals captured by the microphone assembly; an implantable main electromechanical output transducer for direct mechanical stimulation of the cochlea according to the audio signals processed by the audio signal processing unit; an implantable box having a central part and an open flange for penetrating through the cochlear wall into the perilymph fluid, wherein the inner cross section of the central part is larger than the inner cross section of the flange; and wherein the electromechanical output transducer is for acting on the perilymph fluid in the central part of the box through a port provided at the box. The box comprises at least one of a port for an implantable auxiliary electromechanical output transducer for acting on the perilymph fluid in the central part of the box, a port for drug application into the perilymph fluid in the central part of the box, a port for taking out perilymph fluid from the central part of the box, a port for applying optical stimuli to the perilymph fluid of the cochlea, and a port for at least one sensor for sensing at least physical or chemical parameter of the perilymph fluid in the central part of the box. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120029267 | Electromagnetic Bone Conduction Hearing Device - An implantable hearing prosthesis for a recipient patient is described. An implantable attachment magnet is fixable beneath the skin of the patient to underlying skull bone and is adapted to magnetically connect with an external attachment magnet over the skin. An implantable signal transducer also is fixable beneath the skin of the patient to underlying skull bone and is adapted to transform a magnetic audio signal from an external signal drive coil into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal for delivery by bone conduction of the skull bone as an audio signal to the cochlea. A connector member flexibly connects and positions the attachment magnet a fixed distance from the signal transducer. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120029268 | MAGNETOFLUIDIC HEARING AID SYSTEM AND HEARING AID - A magnetofluidic hearing aid system includes a hearing aid having a signal processing device connected to a magnetic transmitter. The system includes such a hearing aid and a magnetofluid suitable for use in the body. The magnetic transmitter transmits a magnetic field producing vibrations in a liquid mixture containing the magnetofluid. The liquid mixture is operatively introduced into a cochlea, and the vibrations are suitable for triggering an auditory perception in the cochlea. Acoustic feedback is precluded as a result of the transmitter producing neither acoustic signals nor mechanical vibrations. A functional impairment caused by physical influences such as soiling, for example, of an acoustic receiver, is also precluded. Problems arising from impaired contact with the body are prevented from the beginning by the non-contact signal transmission. A hearing aid supply is also advantageously enabled regardless of the functional capability of the middle ear apparatus. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120065458 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE WITH COMMUNICATION MEANS - The invention relates to an implantable device, e.g. a Deep Brain Stimulation device ( | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120078035 | COVER FOR A BONE FIXTURE - A cover for a bone fixture, including a recess to receive an abutment, implanted into a skull of a recipient, the bone fixture being a part of a bone conduction hearing prosthesis. The cover includes a fixation device sized and dimensioned to rigidly connect the cover to the implanted bone fixture, and a ferromagnetic material reactive to a magnetic field, wherein the cover is dimensioned to cover at least the recess of the bone fixture, and wherein the fixation device is configured to transmit vibrations induced in the cover via the magnetic field into the implanted bone fixture. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120088956 | BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE HAVING AN INTEGRATED HOUSING AND VIBRATOR MASS - A bone conduction hearing aid device comprising a vibrator configured to vibrate in response to sound signals received by the device. The device further comprises a housing mass forming a housing for one or more operational components of the device, wherein the housing mass is attached to the vibrator so as to move in response to the vibration. The device also comprises a coupling configured to attach the device to a recipient so as to deliver the generated mechanical to the recipient's skull. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120088957 | SUBCUTANEOUS PIEZOELECTRIC BONE CONDUCTION HEARING AID ACTUATOR AND SYSTEM - An implantable bone-conduction hearing actuator based on a piezoelectric element, such as a unimorph or bimorph cantilever bender, is described. Unlike other implantable bone conduction hearing actuators, the device is subcutaneous and once implanted is entirely invisible. The device excites bending in bone through a local bending moment rather than the application of a point force as with conventional bone-anchored hearing aids. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120095283 | TRANSCUTANEOUS BONE CONDUCTION SYSTEM - A transcutaneous bone conduction system comprising a bone conduction device configured to vibrate in response to received sound. The system also comprises a totally implantable support apparatus positionable under a recipient's skin, comprising: a fixture configured to be implanted in the skull, and a substantially rigid cradle. The cradle has opposing, spaced plates connected by a bridge member, wherein a first of the plates is configured to be secured to the fixture and wherein the space between the plates is sufficient to receive the bone conduction device, and wherein the plates are configured to retain the bone conduction device against the skin proximate to the first plate. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120095284 | BONE ANCHORED HEARING AID WITH ADJUSTABLE RESONANCE DAMPING - The invention relates to a bone anchored hearing aid with a sound processor which generates a vibration signal and serves the signal at a vibrator for transmission of the vibration signal into the skull bone of a wearer and where a resonance damping system is provided in the hearing aid and comprising an electronic notch filter having a notch filter center frequency F1, wherein the notch filter frequency F1 is below a resonance frequency F | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120108887 | HEARING PROSTHESIS HAVING AN IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR SYSTEM - An implantable actuator system is disclosed. The system comprises a hermetically sealed housing; an actuator positioned in the housing, the actuator having at least one element displaceable relative to the housing; a coupling element connecting the actuator to the recipient's ear; and a diaphragm positioned at an end of the housing to provide a hermetic seal between the coupling element and the housing, wherein the diaphragm has sufficient flexibility to permit the coupling element to transmit vibrations to or from the actuator, wherein a liquid is positioned around the displaceable element of actuator to dampen the frequency response of the actuator, and in certain aspects, to make the system insensitive to differences in pressure between inside and outside of the housing. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120136197 | HEARING PROSTHESIS HAVING A FLEXIBLE ELONGATE ENERGY TRANSFER MECHANISM - Aspects of the present invention are generally directed to using a flexible conductor for transmitting energy to a recipient's cochlea. The flexible conductor may be used to transmit mechanical energy, such as sound vibrations, to the cochlea from an actuator implanted, for example, in a recess in the mastoid bone of the recipient. The flexible conductor may be coupled at its distal end to a component of the recipient's middle or inner ear. In operation, mechanical movement (e.g., vibrations) may be transferred from the actuator to the middle or inner ear of the recipient by the flexible conductor. These vibrations then induce movement of perliymph in the recipient's cochlea to cause, for example, perception of the sound by the recipient. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120165597 | IMPLANTABLE PIEZOELECTRIC POLYMER FILM MICROPHONE - Implantable piezoelectric polymer film microphone apparatus and methods are described for use as an integral component of a hearing augmentation device system. The piezoelectric polymer film can be polyvinylidene fluoride (“PVDF”). Generally, a piezoelectric polymer film serves as the sensor that is well matched to tissue and which directly converts to an electrical signal by the piezoelectric effect vibration signals which are received through the tissue in which the piezoelectric polymer film microphone is implanted. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120172658 | MEDICAL IMPLANT SYSTEM - An implant including a bone fixture configured to anchor to bone of a recipient, and a structural component configured to be connected to the bone fixture and connect a functional component of the implant to the bone fixture, wherein at least one of the bone fixture or the structural component includes a deformable element configured to deform to form an anti-microbial seal between the bone fixture and the structural component, and the at least one deformable element and the respective at least one bone fixture or structural component form a monolithic structure. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20120172659 | Magnetic Attachment System for Implantable Device - A magnet arrangement is described for use with hearing implant systems. An external device for use with an implant system has an external device housing that contains external elements of a hearing implant system. A cylindrical external magnet arrangement within the housing has multiple magnetic sections lying in a common plane, including an inner center disc having an inner magnetic orientation in an inner magnetic direction, and an outer radial ring having an outer magnetic orientation in an outer magnetic direction opposite to the inner magnetic direction. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20120184804 | Insertion System For Inserting Implantable Electrode Carrier - An insertion system for inserting an implantable electrode carrier includes an insertion instrument having a housing with a proximal end and a distal end, and a vibration generator coupled adjacent to the housing. The proximal end is configured to hold the implantable electrode carrier. The vibration generator is configured to generate vibrations in at least a portion of the electrode carrier. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120190914 | Hearing Aid Microactuator - A fenestration piercing the otic capsule bone of the cochlea receives a therapeutic appliance, such as a microactuator, plug, micropump for drug or therapeutic agent delivery, electrode, and the like. Several different ways of achieving a ‘water tight’ seal between the otic capsule bone and the therapeutic appliance are provided. The therapeutic appliance may be implanted with or without a sheath or sleeve lining the wall of the fenestration formed using specialized surgical burrs. The burrs permit safely fenestrating the otic capsule bone adjacent to the scala tympani of the cochlea without damaging the basilar membrane or organ of corti. This approach may also be adopted for safely fenestrating other areas of the inner ear such as the scala vestibuli, bony labyrinth of semicircular canals, or walls of the vestibule, or the oval or round windows thereof. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120197065 | Systems and Methods for Using a Simplified User Interface for Hearing Prosthesis Fitting - The present application discloses systems and methods for displaying and operating a user interface having one or more channel group controllers corresponding to one or more groups of hearing prosthesis channels. The hearing prosthesis may be configured to generate a plurality of signals via a plurality of channels based on a channel profile. The channel profile may define at least one intensity level for each channel. In operation, the user interface may be configured to instruct the hearing prosthesis to change the channel profile of the plurality of channels in response to receiving an input via one of the channel group controllers. The user interface may be used to fit a hearing prosthesis to a recipient. In one embodiment, an initial channel profile may be automatically determined, and the prosthesis channel profile may be adjusted by changing a representative intensity level corresponding to the channel profile. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120197066 | COUPLING APPARATUS - Coupling apparatus for coupling an implantable element to the round window membrane. The apparatus comprises engagement means in the form of a clip or a filler material for engaging the bone surface within the round window niche. This supports the apparatus in the region of the round window membrane. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120215055 | DOUBLE DIAPHRAGM TRANSDUCER - A transducer comprising a main and an auxiliary diaphragm. Each of these diaphragms are coupled to opposite sides of a central shaft located internal to the transducer. Further, the diaphragms may have similar thicknesses and areas. A difference in the pressure internal to the transducer and external to the transducer may result in a force being exerted onto the diaphragm on each side. These forces are transferred from the diaphragms to the central shaft where they may cancel out each other. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120215056 | CUSTOMIZATION OF BONE CONDUCTION HEARING DEVICES - The present invention relates to recipient customization of a bone conducting hearing device. Customization of the bone conducting hearing device may include attaching the bone conducting hearing device to a recipient, establishing communication between the hearing device and an external device, generating at least one control setting with the external device, and storing the at least one control setting in a memory device in the hearing device. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120215057 | MULTI-MODE HEARING PROSTHESIS - A multi-mode hearing prosthesis for enhancing the hearing of a recipient, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive a sound signal component; a frequency spectral analysis module configured to analyze the sound signal component and to categorize the component into at least a high- or lower-frequency component; a bone conduction processor configured to generate bone conduction stimulation signals from at least one of said high- and lower-frequency component for bone conduction stimulation of the recipient's skull; and a second stimulation processor configured to generate auditory stimulation signals from at least one of said high- and lower-frequency components for stimulating the recipient. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120220818 | Middle Ear Implant for Otosclerosis - A middle ear transducer arrangement is described for engaging a round window membrane of a patient cochlea. A mechanical transducer is surgically implantable into a fixed position in the round window niche of the patient cochlea adjacent to the round window membrane. A drive face on the outer surface of the transducer has a diameter less than half the diameter of the round window membrane. The fixed position of the transducer engages the drive face against a side section of the round window membrane without engaging the center point to generate an acoustic stimulation signal for perception as sound. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20120232332 | Hearing Aid Apparatus and Method - An apparatus for imparting low amplitude vibrations to at least one tooth in a human head having a cochlea to facilitate hearing via a dental bone conduction pathway includes an extraoral transmitter, a band at least substantially surrounding and adhesively secured to at least one tooth, and a receiver assembly. The transmitter is configured to detect ambient sounds, and to generate and wirelessly transmit audio signals corresponding to the detected ambient sounds. The receiver assembly is removably coupleable to the band and configured to receive the audio signals from the transmitter, and to transduce the audio signals into vibrations that are conducted to the cochlea via the dental bone conduction pathway. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120232333 | Adaptive Cancellation System For Implantable Hearing Instruments - The invention is directed to an implanted microphone having reduced sensitivity to vibration. In this regard, the microphone differentiates between the desirable and undesirable vibration by utilizing at least one motion sensor to produce a motion signal when an implanted microphone is in motion. This motion signal is used to yield a microphone output signal that is less vibration sensitive. In a first arrangement, the motion signal may be processed with an output of the implantable microphone transducer to provide an audio signal that is less vibration-sensitive than the microphone output alone. Specifically, the motion signal may be scaled to match the motion component of the microphone output such that upon removal of the motion signal from the microphone output, the remaining signal is an acoustic signal. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120238799 | Magnetic Attachment Arrangement for Implantable Device - A magnet arrangement is described for use in implantable devices. An implantable housing contains a portion of an implantable electronic system. An implant magnet arrangement within the housing has adjacent magnetic sections that lie substantially in a common plane and include an inner center disc having an inner magnetic orientation in an inner magnetic direction, and an outer radial ring having an outer magnetic orientation in an outer magnetic direction opposite to the inner magnetic direction. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120245406 | Vibro-Electro Tactile Ultrasound Hearing Device - The present application takes advantage of a simultaneous three pronged approach that converts sound to electricity and subsequently to vibration and ultrasound. The vibrations and electricity are transmitted via skin nerves to the brain to give the deaf or hard of hearing person “hearing sensation” through conditional reflex. The ultrasound wave is transmitted wirelessly to skull and then via bone conduction to the brain and inner ear. This hearing device is not solely dependent on the partially or totally damaged or absent inner ear. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120245407 | Line Transmission for Vibratory Actuation in Implantable Transducers - A transducer arrangement for a hearing implant is described. A bendable vibration transmission tube has a proximal end attached to a vibrational actuator, and a distal end with a drive surface for coupling vibration to an outer cochlea surface of a recipient patient. Multiple vibration coupling pieces have spherical outer surfaces and are arranged in a linear sequence within the transmission tube. A proximal-most coupling piece is in mechanical engagement with the vibrational actuator. A distal-most coupling piece is in mechanical engagement with the drive surface. The outer surfaces of adjacent coupling pieces are in mechanical engagement with each other. During surgical implantation to affix the vibrational actuator in the middle ear of the patient, the transmission tube accommodates bending so as to engage the drive surface against the cochlea surface, and vibration is coupled by the coupling pieces to the drive surface to vibrate the cochlea surface. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120245408 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING ACTUATOR PERFORMANCE BY REDUCING TENSILE STRESSES IN PIEZOELECTRIC THIN FILMS - Disclosed are methods and systems for improving actuator performance by reducing tensile stresses in piezoelectric thin films. In one embodiment, a piezoelectric actuator includes a substrate, a first electrode positioned on the substrate, a piezoelectric thin film positioned on the first electrode, and a second electrode positioned on the piezoelectric thin film. The displacement capability of the actuator is enhanced by reducing the tensile stresses of the piezoelectric thin film. In some embodiments, a constant DC voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator generates compressive in-plane stresses, which counteract the tensile in-plane stresses. As a result, the overall tensile stresses in the actuator are reduced, and the actuator displacement is improved. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120253104 | HEARING PROSTHESIS WITH A PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR - A hearing prosthesis including an actuator. The actuator includes a material that deforms in response to an electrical signal and that is adapted to, upon implantation in a recipient, transmit vibrations representative of a sound signal to an organ of the recipient, wherein the material is at least partially exposed to at least one of body tissue and fluid of the recipient. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120253105 | METHOD OF ANCHORING AN ACOUSTIC ELEMENT IN A BONE OF THE CRANIOMAXILLOFACIAL REGION AND ACOUSTIC ELEMENT - An acoustic element is implanted in a human bone of the craniomaxillofacial region with the aid of at least one anchor element including a material having thermoplastic properties, wherein for implantation of the acoustic element an opening is provided in the bone, the anchor element is positioned in the bone and energy is transmitted into the material having thermoplastic properties for at least partly liquefying the material and making it penetrate the bone tissue in the opening and on re-solidification to constitute a positive fit connection between the anchor element and the bone tissue. Depending on the design of the anchor element and/or on the relative dimensions of the opening and the anchor element it is possible to achieve an anchorage which either transmits sound between the acoustic element and the bone tissue or does not do so. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120259158 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental patch are disclosed herein. The patch assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded intra-orally on a tooth or oral tissue. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 10-11-2012 |
| 20120271097 | Bone Conductive Devices For Improving Hearing - A method is described for providing sound perception in a hearing impaired patient. An externally generated electrical audio stimulation signal is received in a receiver unit located under the skin of an implanted patient. The electrical audio stimulation signal is delivered to an implanted bone conduction transducer having a planar bone engagement surface mounted to a temporal bone surface of the patient. The electrical audio stimulation signal is transformed into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal coupled to the temporal bone by the bone engagement surface for delivery by bone conduction through the temporal bone to the cochlear fluid of the patient for perception as sound. | 10-25-2012 |
| 20120296154 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental implant are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon the implant to form a hearing assembly. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120296155 | Magnetic Attachment Arrangement for Implantable Device - An arrangement is described for an implantable medical system. An implant housing contains a portion of an implantable electronic system and has a planar outer surface adapted to lie parallel to overlying skin in an implanted patient. An implant magnet arrangement is located within the housing and adapted to magnetically interact with a corresponding external magnet in an external device on the skin of the implanted patient over the implant housing. The implant magnet arrangement includes an inner center disc having a magnetic dipole parallel to the planar outer surface of the implant housing with an inner magnetic orientation in an inner magnetic direction, and an outer radial ring having a magnetic dipole parallel to the planar outer surface of the implant housing with an outer magnetic orientation in an outer magnetic direction opposite to the inner magnetic direction. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120302822 | VIBRATION ISOLATION IN A BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE - A bone conduction device, including a bone fixture adapted to be fixed to bone, a vibratory element adapted to be attached to the bone fixture and configured to vibrate in response to sound signals, and a vibration isolator adapted to be disposed between the vibratory element and the bone. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120302823 | CONVERTIBILITY OF A BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE - An external component of a bone conduction device, including a vibrator and a platform configured to transfer vibrations from the vibrator to skin of the recipient, wherein the vibrator and platform are configured to quick connect and quick disconnect to and from, respectively, one another. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120323066 | THREE-COIL TYPE ROUND WINDOW DRIVING VIBRATOR HAVING EXCELLENT DRIVING FORCE - The present disclosure provides a three-coil type round window driving vibrator, which includes a permanent magnet having the same magnetic poles adjoining each other and is designed to allow electric current flowing through coils to run in opposite directions in order to increase driving force without being affected by an external magnetic field. The round window driving vibrator includes a permanent magnet having three poles of SNS or NSN, a coil member wound around an outer periphery of the permanent magnet, and a vibration member connected to one end of the permanent magnet. Here, the coil member includes a first coil wound around a middle section of the permanent magnet and second and third coils wound around upper and lower sections of the permanent magnet, respectively. | 12-20-2012 |
| 20130006042 | Method and System for Configuration of a Medical Device that Stimulates a Human Physiological System - A method and system for automatically configuring a medical device that is at least partially implanted in a human recipient and that includes a transducer arranged to stimulate a physiological system of the recipient, such as a middle-ear implant for instance. The energy level of a signal provided to drive the transducer is progressively increased until there is a threshold electrical change indicative of a threshold change in impedance of the transducer. In the context of a middle-ear implant, for instance, the threshold electrical change indicative of the threshold change in impedance of the transducer may be indicative of the acoustic reflex. The energy level of the signal at that point is then used as a basis to set an operational parameter of the medical device, such as a comfort-level of the middle-ear implant for instance. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130006043 | SYSTEMS FOR MANUFACTURING ORAL-BASED HEARING AID APPLIANCES - Systems for manufacturing oral-based hearing aid appliances utilizing various manufacturing methods and apparatus are described herein. The oral appliance may have an electronic and/or transducer assembly for receiving incoming sounds and transmitting processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or teeth. The oral appliance may be formed or fabricated via three-dimensional digital scanning systems or via impression molding to create a housing for the electronics and/or transducer assembly as well as to securely conform the appliance to the user's dentition. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130006044 | HEARING AID AND METHOD OF IMPLANTING A HEARING AID - A hearing aid including a permanent magnet to be fixed at a patient's incus ( | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130018216 | FULLY-IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONELESS COCHLEAR IMPLANT - A fully implantable apparatus for improving the hearing of a hearing-impaired subject is shown, said apparatus comprising a means for sensing vibrations impinging upon the tympanic membrane or an object in operative contact with the tympanic membrane, a means for converting said vibrations to an electrical signal, and a means for transmitting the electrical signal to the inner ear. | 01-17-2013 |
| 20130018217 | Clover Shape Attachment for Implantable Floating Mass Transducer - A middle ear prosthesis device includes an elongated prosthesis member having first and second ends. A transducer clamp is at the first end with clamping fingers for securely engaging the outer surface of an enclosed mechanical signal transducer. An ossicle fastener is at the second end for secure attachment to the ossicle of the middle ear. The ossicle fastener includes parallel planar fastener clips each having a clover shape with springy lobes surrounding an interior region defined by lobe connecting bends. There is an opening between opposing bent leg ends of each fastener clip that displaceably provides access for the ossicle to the interior region of the clip so that the fastener clips securely enclose an ossicle such as the incus bone within the interior region. Vibration of the mechanical signal transducer is coupled by the prosthesis member to the incus secured within the ossicle fastener. | 01-17-2013 |
| 20130018218 | Systems, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids - Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for hearing devices and systems. | 01-17-2013 |
| 20130035540 | Electromagnetic Bone Conduction Hearing Device - An external component for a hearing implant is described. An external housing contains an attachment magnet configured to magnetically connect with an implant magnet of an implanted signal transducer. A pair of external electromagnetic drive coils within the external housing are adjacent to the attachment magnet for conducting electrical current to develop magnetic drive signals through the skin to the signal transducer to generate responsive vibrations of the signal transducer for perception by the patient as sound. The drive coils are configured such that their respective magnetic drive signals have opposing magnetic directions. | 02-07-2013 |
| 20130041206 | EPIDERMAL DOWN-GROWTH BARRIER - A percutaneous implant for reducing the risk of post-implant infection by reducing the likelihood of epidermal down-growth between the dermis of the skin and the implant. In one example, the implant comprises a barrier member between the epidermis and the dermis about the implant. In another example, a barrier is provided by removing a portion of the epidermis from the dermis about the implant. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130046131 | MRI Safe Actuator for Implantable Floating Mass Transducer - An implantable hearing prosthesis for a recipient patient is described. An implantable signal transducer includes one or more electromagnetic drive coils for receiving an electrical stimulation signal and a cylindrical transducer magnet arrangement including an inner disk magnet having a first magnetic field direction, and an outer annular magnet surrounding the inner rod magnet and having a second magnetic field direction opposite to the first magnetic field direction. Current flow through the one or more electromagnetic drive coils from the electrical stimulation signal creates a coil magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement to create vibration in the transducer magnet which is developed by the signal transducer as a mechanical stimulation signal for audio perception by the patient. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130090517 | Flexible Protocol for an Implanted Prosthesis - The present application discloses systems and methods for transmitting configuration between a command module and a stimulation module of a hearing prosthesis. In accordance with at least some embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods, a hearing prosthesis determines that a block of configuration data is queued for transmission. In response to this determination, the hearing prosthesis divides the amount of queued configuration data into a plurality of configuration data fragments and transmits the data fragments separately. In some embodiments, the command module appends each configuration data fragment to a different packet of stimulation commands and transmits to the stimulation module appended stimulation packets. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130090518 | BONE CONDUCTION IMPLANT - A bone conduction implant, including a bone fixture including a male screw section configured to screw into a skull and an abutment configured to be rigidly attached to the bone fixture, wherein the abutment includes an exterior surface diameter lying on a first plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the bone conduction implant that is less than or substantially equal to the maximum thread diameter of the male screw section of the bone fixture. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130096366 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - An implant configured for secured implantation into a recess formed in a recipient's bone and to removably retain a separate component in a compartment thereof such that the separate component is removable from the implant without removing the implant from the bone. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130096367 | OPTICAL MICROPHONE FOR IMPLANTABLE HEARING INSTRUMENT - An implanted microphone is provided that allows for isolating an acoustic response of the microphone from vibration induced acceleration responses of the microphone. The present invention measures the relative motion between a microphone diaphragm, which is responsive to pressure variations in overlying media caused by acoustic forces and acceleration forces, and a cancellation element that is compliantly mounted within a housing of the microphone, which moves primarily in response to acceleration forces. When the microphone and cancellation element move substantially in unison to acceleration forces, relative movement between these elements corresponds to the acoustic response of the microphone diaphragm. This relative movement may be directly measured using various optical measuring systems. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130116497 | Coupling Systems For Implantable Prosthesis Components - Disclosed are coupling systems for implantable prosthesis components, including implantable microphones and implantable actuators associated with prostheses including hearing prostheses. Some embodiments include a flexible elongate member having a first end mechanically coupled to a vibrating structure of a prosthesis recipient's body and a second end secured to a diaphragm, where the flexible elongate member is configured to transfer vibrations between the vibrating structure and the diaphragm. Microphone embodiments further include a vibration sensor configured to detect vibrations of the diaphragm and generate electrical signals based at least in part on the detected vibrations. Actuator embodiments include an actuation mechanism configured to apply mechanical vibration signals to a vibrating structure of the recipient's body via the elongate member by causing the first diaphragm to vibrate, where the mechanical vibration signals are based on electrical signals received from a sound processor associated with the prosthesis. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130131437 | System and Method for Measuring and Recording Skull Vibration in situ - A method and apparatus for recording and measuring in-situ skull vibration includes a receiving means, a transducer mounted into or unto the receiving means and capable of transducing mechanical vibration within the dental bone conduction pathway into electrical signals, and extra-oral recordation hardware and software capable of receiving and processing the electrical signals from the transducer. | 05-23-2013 |
| 20130150657 | IMPLANTABLE COMPONENT OF A HEARING PROSTHESIS - A hearing prosthesis including an implantable component including a vibrator portion configured to vibrate in response to a sound signal to evoke a hearing precept and a screw portion configured to removably attach the implantable component to a recipient, wherein the vibratory portion is rigidly adhered to the screw portion. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130165737 | IMPLANTATION OF A HEARING PROSTHESIS - A method of implanting a hearing prosthesis in a recipient, including boring an artificial passageway into the temporal bone to a middle ear cavity based on a virtual model of at least a portion of a recipient's temporal bone. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130165738 | Magnet Arrangement for Bone Conduction Hearing Implant - An implantable magnet arrangement is described for a hearing implant in a recipient patient. A pair of implant magnets are fixable in a common plane beneath the skin of the patient to underlying skull bone. At least one of the magnets is adapted to transform a magnetic drive signal from an external signal drive coil into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal for delivery by bone conduction of the skull bone as an audio signal to the cochlea. Each implant magnet includes a pair of internal magnets lying in parallel planes which meet along a common junction with repelling like magnetic polarities facing towards each other, and the magnetic polarities of each implant magnet are reversed from each other. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130172662 | PARTIALLY IMPLANTABLE HEARING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - A partially implantable hearing assistance system, having: an external unit ( | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130190552 | IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR FOR HEARING APPLICATIONS - The invention relates to an electromechanical actuator | 07-25-2013 |
| 20130197298 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER WITH MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE - A vibratory apparatus, including a housing having an internal chamber, wherein the internal chamber includes a lever having a first end and a free second end, and a piezoelectric element adapted to deform in response to an applied voltage, wherein deformation of the piezoelectric element displaces the free second end of the lever, and wherein displacement of the free second end of the lever within the internal chamber imparts a vibration to the housing. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130225912 | COMBINED FUNCTIONAL COMPONENT AND IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR POSITIONING MECHANISM - An implantable component including an implantable body including a functional component of the implantable medical device, and implantable actuator positioning mechanism connected to and extending from the implantable body, the actuator positioning mechanism configured to removably receive an implantable actuator. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130245362 | Vibration Sensor for Bone Conduction Hearing Prosthesis - The present application discloses a vibration-based hearing prosthesis configured to measure the vibration applied by a hearing prosthesis to the skull of the hearing prosthesis recipient while the recipient is wearing the hearing prosthesis. Directly measuring the applied vibration in situ allows hearing characteristics to be more accurately mapped to voltage inputs. A recipient's hearing threshold and associated voltage input may be directly measured. Additionally, measuring the applied vibrations allows co-listening. A doctor can monitor the sound output from a vibration-based hearing prosthesis as it is worn by a recipient. Directly measuring the vibration output also allows an additional degree of freedom in diagnostics because a recipient can perform diagnostic tests at home. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130245363 | ACOUSTICAL TRANSMISSION MEANS AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING SOUND - The application relates to: An acoustical transmission means for transmission of acoustical energy to the cochlea including:
| 09-19-2013 |
| 20130261377 | SUBCUTANEOUS PIEZOELECTRIC BONE CONDUCTION HEARING AID ACTUATOR AND SYSTEM - An implantable bone-conduction hearing actuator based on a piezoelectric element, such as a unimorph or bimorph cantilever bender, is described. Unlike other implantable bone conduction hearing actuators, the device is subcutaneous and once implanted is entirely invisible. The device excites bending in bone through a local bending moment rather than the application of a point force as with conventional bone-anchored hearing aids. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130267767 | Artifact Cancellation In Hybrid Audio Prostheses - A system and method are described for determining an estimated neural response in a hybrid electric acoustic audio prosthesis. Target nerve tissue such as remaining hair cells and cochlear nerve tissue receive synchronized electric and acoustic stimulation signals which are recorded and processed to determine an artifact canceled estimated neural response. | 10-10-2013 |
| 20130281764 | TRANSCUTANEOUS BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE - An implantable component of a hearing prosthesis, including a bone fixture and one or more magnets, wherein at least one of the one or more magnets is disposed in a housing coupled to the bone fixture via a structure that extends from the housing to the bone fixture. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20130281765 | OBSERVER-BASED CANCELLATION SYSTEM FOR IMPLANTABLE HEARING INSTRUMENTS - A method including receiving input indicative of a parameter related to an operating environment of an implantable portion of a prosthesis and adjusting an adjustable system of the prosthesis based on the received input. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20130303835 | Microactuator - A microactuator has a proximal end configured to receive an electrical signal and a distal end configured to be inserted into a fenestration of an otic bone to provide access through the lateral wall of the cochlea of a subject. The microactuator includes a piezoelectric transducer assembly having a piezoelectric transducer disposed on a membrane (the piezoelectric transducer having a smaller dimension than a corresponding dimension of the membrane), a hermetically sealed fluid cavity filled with a fluid sealed at a first end to a first side of the piezoelectric transducer assembly and at a second end to a diaphragm, a second cavity containing a vacuum or a gas sealed at a first end to a second side of the piezoelectric transducer assembly and at a second end to an end cap. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130338427 | IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR FOR DIRECT COCHLEA STIMULATION - There is provided an implantable actuator for direct stimulation of a patient's cochlea comprising a frame to be fluid-tightly fixed within the patient's oval window in a manner to replace the stapes footplate and having an oval shape conforming to the shape of the oval window, a rigid vibration element for acting on the perilymph fluid, which vibration element is guided within the frame, an elastic holding element fixed both at the frame and at the vibration element and extending laterally between the frame and the vibration element for allowing axial movement of the vibration element relative to the frame but preventing lateral movement of the vibration element relative to the frame, and a rod having a first end to be driven by the tympanic membrane, an ossicle or a driver of an at least partially implantable hearing aid and a second end connected to the vibration element for causing reciprocating movement of the vibration element within the frame. | 12-19-2013 |
| 20130345495 | Optimal Pre-Load for Floating Mass Transducers - A middle ear implant arrangement is described which includes an implantable electromechanical transducer with an inner end and an outer end, for converting an input electrical stimulation signal into a corresponding output mechanical stimulation signal. A cochlear engagement member at the inner end of the transducer has a cochlear engagement surface for coupling the mechanical stimulation signal to an outer cochlear surface of a recipient patient. A transducer loading structure has: i. an inner end adapted to releasably engage the transducer, ii. an outer end elongated along a central end axis for engaging a fixed anatomical structure within the middle ear of the recipient patient, and iii. a center spring structure connecting the inner end and the outer end and adapted to expand along a central spring axis to develop a spring force between the fixed anatomical structure and the outer end of the transducer. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20130345496 | Bone Conduction Devices Generating Tangentially-Directed Mechanical Force Using a Rotationally Moving Mass - A bone conduction device, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing said acoustic sound signal; and a transducer, comprising a mass configured to move in a rotational direction, configured to generate a vibrational force in a tangential direction with respect to a recipient's bone. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20140012069 | Electromagnetic Bone Conduction Hearing Device - An external component for a bone conduction hearing implant is described. An external housing is fixedly attached on the skin of a hearing implant patient over an implanted bone conduction hearing transducer. An electromagnetic drive coil arrangement is fixed within the external housing for conducting electrical current to develop electromagnetic drive signals. An attachment magnet arrangement is suspended with the external housing by a flexible spring arrangement and magnetically coupled to the drive coil arrangement and to a corresponding implant magnet arrangement within the implanted bone conduction transducer. The electromagnetic drive signals magnetically interact with the attachment magnet arrangement which reacts by vibrating on the spring arrangement and magnetically interacting with the implant magnet arrangement to generate a bone conduction vibration signal by the implanted bone conduction hearing transducer for perception by the patient as sound. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140012070 | Magnet Arrangement for Bone Conduction Hearing Implant - An implantable magnetic transducer arrangement is described for a hearing implant in a recipient patient. An implant housing hermetically encapsulates an interior housing volume and is fixedly attached to skull bone beneath the skin of the patient. A magnetic transducer is located within the housing volume and includes multiple permanent magnets wherein adjacent magnets have opposite magnetic polarities, and one or more suspension elements that resiliently couple adjacent magnets to allow their relative movement. The magnetic transducer forms a coupled oscillating system with an external magnetic drive component above the skin of the patient to develop a mechanical stimulation signal to the implant housing for delivery by bone conduction of the skull bone as an audio signal to the cochlea of the patient. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140012071 | Symmetric Magnet Arrangement for Medical Implants - An arrangement is described for a hearing implant system. An implantable housing has an outer surface configured to lie under and parallel to the skin of the implanted patient. An implant magnet arrangement is located within the implantable housing and has multiple local magnetic sections with different independent local magnetic fields that are combined together to form a net magnetic field with at least two-fold symmetry and zero net magnetic dipole moment, wherein the magnetic fields are oriented parallel to the outer surface of the implant housing. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140073840 | Implantable Receptacle for a Hearing Aid Component - An implantable receptacle for receiving a hearing aid component includes a body having a proximal portion, a distal cylindrical portion and a joining portion joining the proximal portion to the distal cylindrical portion. First flexible tines extending from an outer wall of the distal cylindrical portion in the general direction of the proximal portion are configured to engage with and lock the distal cylindrical portion to a wall of a fenestration in a bone of the patient in a permanent fashion in response to pressing the sleeve into the fenestration. Second flexible tines extending from an outer wall of the distal cylindrical portion in a direction generally tangential to the circumference of the distal cylindrical portion are configured to engage with and prevent rotation of the distal cylindrical portion within the wall of the fenestration. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140073841 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE - An implantable microphone for placement in soft tissue, comprising a sensor arrangement comprising a housing, a first pressure sensor having a first membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue and a second pressure sensor having a second membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue and a compensation circuitry for combining the output signals of the first and second sensor in a manner so as to eliminate signals resulting from acceleration forces acting on the sensor arrangement, wherein the first and the second sensor are of a mirror-symmetric design with regard to each other, with the first and the second membrane being arranged parallel to each other. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140073842 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE - An implantable microphone, comprising a rigid housing, a sensor membrane for being exposed to surrounding soft tissue, the sensor membrane being arranged to seal an opening of the housing, a transducer, for generating an output signal corresponding to the deflection of the sensor membrane, and a compliant suspension arrangement located opposite to the sensor membrane for being exposed to soft tissue and for supporting the housing on soft tissue in a manner that the housing is moveable relative to said soft tissue upon acceleration of the housing and the soft tissue, the suspension arrangement comprising means for adjusting the spring constant of the suspension arrangement when the microphone is implanted. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140094646 | ADJUSTABLE FIXATION DEVICE HAVING REDUCED INFECTION - Components and portions of components of a hearing prosthesis encapsulated in a microorganism-barrier membrane. Methods and apparatus are described for implanting hearing prosthesis components in precise locations, and maintaining the locations, with at least some components or portions of components encapsulated in a microorganism-barrier membrane. | 04-03-2014 |
| 20140100415 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE FOR HEARING SYSTEMS - An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume has an opening that permits fluid to flow out from the first volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor coupled to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and/or a MEMS sensor. | 04-10-2014 |
| 20140107400 | TEMPLATE FOR IMPLANTING A HOUSING OF A HEARING INSTRUMENT - The invention relates to a template for implanting a housing of an implantable unit of a partially implantable hearing instrument, comprising a template plate comprising an implant position marking opening and a template position indicating element which extends substantially normal with regard to the surface of the template plate, wherein the implant position marking opening is designed to mark the position of a receptacle to be created in the patient's temporal bone for receiving an elevated housing positioning portion of the housing, and wherein the template position indicating element is a projection designed to be seen or felt by a surgeon through the patient's skin when the template plate is positioned at the patient's skull to mark the position of said receptacle. | 04-17-2014 |
| 20140121449 | Adjustable Magnetic Systems, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids - Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for adjustable bone conduction hearing aids where a patient or health care provided can select different positions of a magnetic spacer on a patient's skull after a magnetic implant has been implanted beneath the patient's skin and affixed to the patient's skull. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140121450 | Magnetic Abutment Systems, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids - Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for magnetically coupling ferrous or magnetic spacers of bone conduction hearing aids to ferrous or magnetic bone screws or implants affixed to a patient's skull. In one embodiment, a spacer is provided that is configured to magnetically couple the hearing aid to an abutment and corresponding bone screw, or to an implanted ferrous or magnetic member, that is affixed to the patient's skull. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140121451 | Magnetic Spacer Systems, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids - Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for magnetic spacers configured for use in conjunction with bone conduction hearing aids and corresponding magnetic implants. According to some embodiments, the magnetic spacers are configured to vary the amount and/or orientation or direction of magnetic coupling force provided thereby. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140121452 | Abutment Attachment Systems, Mechanisms, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids - Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for mechanically coupling a bone conduction hearing aid, or a spacer or other device for a bone conduction hearing aid, to an abutment of a bone screw affixed to a patient's skull. Some embodiments of abutment attachment mechanisms employ axially-directed forces to secure a hearing aid to an abutment of a bone screw, while others employ radially directed forces to secure a hearing aid to an abutment of a bone screw. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140128661 | MRI Safe Actuator for Implantable Floating Mass Transducer - A floating mass transducer has a cylindrical transducer housing within which is a cylindrical transducer magnet arrangement with a magnetic pair of: i. an inner rod magnet disposed along the cylinder axis with a first magnetic field direction, and ii. an outer annular magnet surrounding the inner rod magnet along the cylinder axis with a second magnetic field direction opposite to the first magnetic field direction. Current flow through the drive coils creates a coil magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement to create vibration in the transducer magnet which is coupled by the transducer housing to the middle ear hearing structure for perception as sound. In addition, the opposing magnetic fields of the transducer magnet arrangement cancel each other to minimize their combined magnetic field and thereby minimize magnetic interaction of the transducer magnet arrangement with any external magnetic field. | 05-08-2014 |
| 20140155685 | Inductive Signal Transfer in an Implantable Medical Device - An implantable medical device having a hermetically-sealed biocompatible housing configured to be implanted in a recipient. The implantable medical device includes at least one trans-housing transformer configured to transfer electrical signals through the housing. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140155686 | Data/Power Transfer Over a Communication Link - The present application discloses systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for transferring data and/or data over a communication link. A medical device in one example includes receiver(s) configured to receive first signals, which include power signals and first stimulation data, and second signals, which include second stimulation data. Each of the first stimulation data and the second stimulation data includes data encoded according to a same data encoding protocol. The device also includes control circuitry coupled to the one or more receivers and configured to operate in a first mode and in a second mode. The control circuitry is configured in the first mode to apply the power signals to provide power to the medical device and to apply the first stimulation data to a medical device recipient. Further, the control circuitry is configured in the second mode to apply the second stimulation data to the medical device recipient. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140163308 | ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCER WITH MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE - A vibratory apparatus including a lever arm apparatus including a living hinge, wherein the vibratory apparatus is configured such that at least a portion of the lever arm moves about the living hinge when the vibratory apparatus is generating vibrations. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140163309 | IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR FOR HEARING AID APPLICATION - An electromechanical actuator for an implantable hearing aid device including a mechanical output structure that has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is a mechanical attachment structure to attach a stapes prosthesis, and wherein the second portion is a wire-like member coupling the mechanical attachment structure to a magnetically permeable armature shaft assembly. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140179985 | PROSTHESIS ADAPTER - A prosthesis including an abutment, an operationally removable component including a coupling apparatus, and an adapter, wherein the abutment is connected to the adapter and the coupling apparatus of the operationally removable component is releasably coupled to the adapter. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140194673 | PIEZOELECTRIC-BASED, SELF-SUSTAINING ARTIFICIAL COCHLEA - Piezoelectric transducer arrays and methods of making the same are discussed. Such an array can include a piezoelectric film comprising a plurality of segments. Adjacent segments can be separated by trenches of a plurality of trenches in the piezoelectric film. Additionally, such an array can include a plurality of electrodes attached to the plurality of segments. | 07-10-2014 |
| 20140221729 | AUTOMATIC GAIN CONTROL FOR IMPLANTED MICROPHONE - A method for use in an implantable hearing instrument, including receiving an output signal from an implanted microphone implanted in a person, identifying a first characteristic of said output signal, based on said first characteristic, amplifying said microphone output signal by at least one of a plurality of gain settings to produce an amplified signal, wherein said plurality of gain setting comprise at least two different gain settings, inputting said amplified signal into a signal processor, processing said amplified signal to generate a transducer drive signal; and using said transducer drive signal to drive implanted auditory stimulation device implanted in a person to stimulate an auditory component. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20140275728 | Wireless Microactuator - According to an exemplary embodiment the hearing of a patient may be improved by providing the patient with a wearable package having a microphone, a wireless transmitter circuit responsive to the microphone to transmit a wireless transducer signal, a power storage device configured to provide power to the transmitter circuit; and a wireless power transmission circuit configured to transmit a wireless power signal and implanting into the patient an electrically powered microactuator having: a wireless receiver circuit to receive the wireless transducer signal; a transducer drive circuit coupled to the wireless receiver circuit to convert the received transducer signal into a transducer drive signal; a transducer coupled to the transducer drive circuit to convert the transducer drive signal into motion; and a wireless power reception circuit configured to receive the wireless power signal to power the transducer drive circuit. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275729 | DATA TRANSMISSION THROUGH A RECIPIENT'S SKULL BONE - Systems and methods are disclosed for data transmission through a recipient's skull bone. In one aspect of the present technology there is provided a bilateral system, comprising a first mechanical stimulator configured to transmit first data through vibrations of a skull of a recipient, and a sensor device configured to receive the first transmitted data. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275730 | Control for Hearing Prosthesis Fitting - A method for adjusting parameters of a hearing prosthesis system includes adjusting a control to shift an audiogram associated with a first stimulator, applying a prescription rule using the shifted audiogram to adjust a cross-over frequency that defines a first frequency range and a second frequency range. The first stimulator is configured to apply stimulation signals in the first frequency range and a second stimulator is configured to apply stimulation signals in the second frequency range. The method also includes applying the prescription rule using the shifted audiogram to determine gain and maximum power output (MPO) levels for the first frequency range associated with the first stimulator. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275731 | ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCER WITH SPECIFIC INTERNAL GEOMETRY - A device, including an electromagnetic transducer including a bobbin having a space therein, a connection apparatus in fixed relationship to the bobbin configured to transfer vibrational energy directly or indirectly at least one of to or from the electromagnetic transducer, and a passage from the space to the connection apparatus. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275732 | Hearing Prosthesis Fitting Incorporating Feedback Determination - The present application discloses systems and methods to analyze feedback path information during a fitting session. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided and includes during a fitting session, calculating a feedback gain margin of a hearing prosthesis by causing the hearing prosthesis to receive a test signal, output an output signal based on the test signal, and receive a feedback signal based on the output of the output signal, the test signal being configured to test a different parameter of the hearing prosthesis. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275733 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental implant are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon the implant to form a hearing assembly. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other hone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275734 | Optically Coupled Cochlear Actuator Systems and Methods - A transducer is configured to couple to the cochlear fluid so as to transmit sound with low amounts of energy, such that feed back to a microphone positioned in the ear canal is inhibited substantially. The cochlear fluid coupled hearing device can allow a user to determine from which side a sound originates with vibration of the cochlea and the user can also receive sound localization cues from the device, as feedback can be substantially inhibited. The transducer may be coupled to the cochlear fluid with a thin membrane disposed between the transducer and the cochlear fluid, for example with a fenestration in the cochlea. In some embodiments, a support coupled to the transducer directly contacts the fluid of the cochlea so as to couple the transducer to the cochlear fluid. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275735 | Implantable Sound Transmission Device for Magnetic Hearing Aid, And Corresponding Systems, Devices and Components - Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for a magnetic hearing aid system comprising an implantable sound transmission device configured for implantation in a patient's skull. The sound transmission device is configured to receive acoustic signals generated by an EM transducer in a magnetic hearing aid that are transmitted through the patient's skin, and to transmit the received acoustic signals to the patient's cochlea via one or more sound-transmitting metal members. According to some embodiments, the sound transmission device is curved to permit optimal placement of the hearing aid and corresponding magnetic implant behind a patient's ear. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140275736 | Sound Acquisition and Analysis Systems, Devices and Components for Magnetic Hearing Aids - Disclosed are various embodiments of components and devices in a sound acquisition system for a magnetic hearing aid that include a sound acquisition device. In one embodiment, the sound acquisition device is configured to be positioned between a magnetic spacer and a magnetic implant, and to be magnetically coupled to the magnetic spacer and the magnetic implant, such that sound signals generated by an EM transducer in the hearing aid may be acquired by a sound sensor forming a portion of the sound acquisition device as the sound signals pass through the sound acquisition device into the patient's skull or a test fixture. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140288356 | ASSESSING AUDITORY PROSTHESIS ACTUATOR PERFORMANCE - A computer-implemented method including energizing an actuator of an auditory prosthesis with a driving signal, de-energizing the actuator, obtaining information indicative of a momentum-indicative parameter of the actuator while the actuator is de-energized, and evaluating the obtained information, and assessing actuator performance based on the action of evaluating. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140288357 | FILTERING WELL-DEFINED FEEDBACK FROM A HARD-COUPLED VIBRATING TRANSDUCER - Systems and methods are disclosed for a hearing prosthesis, and more particularly to a hearing prosthesis with a rigidly coupled vibrating transducer. In embodiments, the mechanical stimulating hearing prosthesis comprises, for example, at least one sound input device configured to sense a sound signal, and a transducer configured to generate a vibration based on the sound, wherein the sound input device is rigidly coupled to the transducer. Systems and methods are also described for reducing a well-defined mechanical feedback generated by a transducer in a hearing prosthesis. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140288358 | Optically Coupled Bone Conduction Systems and Methods - A hearing device can allow a user to determine from side which a sound originates with bone conduction vibration of the cochlea and the user can also receive sound localization cues from the device, as feedback can be substantially inhibited with bone conduction vibration of the cochlea. An output transducer assembly can be positioned on a first side of the user to vibrate a first bone tissue near a first cochlea with a first amount of energy, such vibration of a second cochlea on a second side with a second amount of energy is attenuated substantially, for example at least about 6 db, such that the user can localize the sound to the first side. A microphone may be located on the first side and coupled to the output transducer assembly, such that the user localizes the sound to the first side detects sound localization cues. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140296618 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING VIBRATIONS - Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a dental patch are disclosed herein. The patch assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded intra-orally on a tooth or oral tissue. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140296619 | Hearing Prosthesis with Accessory Detection - The present application discloses hearing prostheses with two modes of operation and methods for operating the prostheses. In the first mode of operation, a hearing prosthesis receives a microphone input and produces an output based on the microphone input. In the second mode of operation, the hearing prosthesis may detect an accessory input signal and switch to an accessory input mode. The second mode of operation may produce an output that is based at least in part on the accessory input signal. Some embodiments may include detecting an accessory input signal with a detector. In response to detecting an accessory input signal, the hearing prosthesis may switch to an accessory operation mode. When the accessory input signal is not detected, the hearing prosthesis may operate in microphone operation mode. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140296620 | Optical Electro-Mechanical Hearing Devices with Separate Power and Signal Components - A device to transmit an audio signal comprises at least one light source configured to transmit the audio signal with at least one wavelength of light. At least one detector is configured to detect the audio signal and generate at least one electrical signal in response to the at least one wavelength of light. A transducer is supported with and configured to vibrate at least one of an eardrum, an ossicle or a cochlea. Active circuitry is coupled to the transducer to drive the transducer in response to the at least one electrical signal, so as to provide the user with high quality sound. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140316190 | IMPLANTABLE AUDITORY STIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH OFFSET IMPLANTED MICROPHONES - An improved implantable auditory stimulation system includes two or more implanted microphones for transcutaneous detection of acoustic signals. Each of the implanted microphones provides an output signal. The microphone output signals may be combinatively utilized by an implanted processor to generate a signal for driving an implanted auditory stimulation device. The implanted microphones may be located at offset subcutaneous locations and/or may be provided with different design sensitivities, wherein combinative processing of the microphone output signals may yield an improved drive signal. In one embodiment, the microphone signal may be processed for beamforming and/or directionality purposes. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20140323798 | Middle Ear Implant Sensor - A middle ear implant may include a first interface portion configured to interface with a first structure of a middle ear of a patient, a second interface portion configured to interface with a second structure of the middle ear of the patient, a shaft configured to connect the first interface portion and the second interface portion, and a sensor disposed at one end of the shaft, between the shaft and one of the first interface portion or the second interface portion. The sensor may be configured to provide a DC signal output indicative of static pressure on the sensor based on placement of the sensor between the first and second structures. The sensor may also be configured to provide an AC signal output indicative of a frequency response of the implant in response to the sensor being coupled to an output device. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20140336447 | Medical Device Coupling Arrangement - Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to a coupling arrangement for securing an external component to a recipient of an implantable medical device. The coupling arrangement is configured to magnetically couple the external component to a recipient so as to minimize damage to tissue of the recipient adjacent to the coupling arrangement. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140336448 | Method and System for Use of Hearing Prosthesis for Linguistic Evaluation - A method and system to help determine the extent to which a hearing prosthesis recipient is exposed to speech. The hearing prosthesis will log data regarding audio input, optimally in correspondence with times when the hearing prosthesis is in a stimulation-on mode in which the hearing prosthesis is set to stimulate a physiological system of the recipient in accordance with received audio input, so as to facilitate identification of speech to which the recipient is exposed. Further, as the hearing prosthesis itself receives the audio input, the hearing prosthesis may analyze the audio input to determine one or more linguistic characteristics of the audio input, such as a quantity of speech by the recipient and/or by others, and the hearing prosthesis may output data representing the determined one or more linguistic characteristics. Advantageously, the data may then be used to help facilitate rehabilitation of the recipient. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140336449 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERING BONE CONDUCTION STIMULI TO AND FOR MEASURING GRAVITATION RECEPTOR FUNCTIONS OF THE INNER EAR - Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for delivering bone conduction stimuli for measuring the gravitation receptor functions of the inner ear. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include (i) an impactor operatively linked to a guide disposed within a housing and (ii) an electrically driven actuator enclosed within the housing. The electrically driven actuator may be configured to cause the impactor to (i) travel to a striking point to deliver a mechanical bone conduction stimulus for transmission to a skull bone and (ii) controllably decelerate prior to the instance of stimuli delivery. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140364681 | PROSTHESIS STATE AND FEEDBACK PATH BASED PARAMETER MANAGEMENT - A method including obtaining data based on a current and/or anticipated future state of a hearing prosthesis and adjusting a set gain margin of the hearing prosthesis based on the current or anticipated future state of the hearing prosthesis. | 12-11-2014 |
| 20140364682 | Signal Processing For Hearing Prostheses - A device includes a sound input element for receiving a sound signal and converting the sound signal into an electrical signal. The device also includes an actuator and a sound processor for processing the electrical signal to generate a stimulation signal. The sound processor is configured to apply frequency shifting on the stimulation signal to generate a frequency shifted stimulation signal and to apply the frequency shifted stimulation signal as an output from the device. The frequency shifting can be triggered by detecting that the stimulation signal is associated with frequencies above an output limit of the device for a recipient and/or the stimulation signal can be applied as vibration. | 12-11-2014 |
| 20150031941 | Eardrum Implantable Devices for Hearing Systems and Methods - An implantable device is configured for placement in the eardrum to transmit an audio signal to a user. The device may be configured to improve transmission of an electromagnetic signal from an input assembly on a lateral side of an eardrum to an output assembly positioned on a medial side of the eardrum, for example, at least partially in the middle ear of the user. The output assembly may comprise a transducer or at least two electrodes configured to stimulate the cochlea, for example. The device may include an opening to transmit the light signal or an optic to transmit the light signal. Alternatively, the device may be configured to support a transducer of the output assembly with the eardrum when the device is implanted in the eardrum, such that the eardrum vibrates in response to the electromagnetic signal. The electromagnetic signal may include light energy. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150038774 | BONE-SEALED AUDIO DEVICE - An audio device with an insertion part being adapted to be inserted into an ear canal of a user. The insertion part comprises pressure means and a resilient surface. The resilient surface comprises an adhesive, which is adapted to adhere to a skin portion of a bony portion of an ear canal of a user. The pressure means are adapted to provide a force to press the adhesive against the skin portion. The pressure means include a phase-changing material, which is adapted to cause a reduction in the force, when heat is supplied to the phase-changing material. | 02-05-2015 |
| 20150038775 | Systems, Devices, Components and Methods for Improved Acoustic Coupling Between a Bone Conduction Hearing Device and a Patient's Head or Skull - Disclosed are various embodiments of systems, devices, components and methods for improving acoustic coupling between a bone conduction hearing device (BCHD) and a patient's head or skull. Such systems, devices, components and methods include disposing a gel or paste between the BCHD and the patient's skin, hair and/or skull. The gel or paste improves the transmission of acoustic signals generated by a transducer in the BCHD to the patients head or skull by providing a more efficient and improved intermediary acoustic medium for the transmission of acoustic signals to the patient's head or skull. | 02-05-2015 |
| 20150045607 | ELECTRIC SWITCHING DEVICE - An electric switching device for an implantable hearing aid is disclosed. The device automatically, directly or indirectly activates the power consumption for an implantable hearing aid when an outer sound processor is installed on the patient and turns off/reduces the power consumption when the sound processor is removed. | 02-12-2015 |
| 20150051439 | DIRECTIONALITY DEVICE FOR AUDITORY PROSTHESIS MICROPHONE - Devices are used to receive sound so as to enhance directionality in a single microphone auditory prosthesis. A tube including a plurality of openings directs sound into a microphone located on the auditory prosthesis. Directionality of such a system is based on a constructive and destructive interference between added sound components as sound enters the openings on the tube. The spacing and size of the openings can be configured such that sounds coming towards the recipient from a predetermined direction are received, while sounds from less desirable directions are cancelled out due to sound wave phase differences. | 02-19-2015 |
| 20150073205 | Magnet Arrangement for Bone Conduction Hearing Implant - An implantable magnet arrangement is described for a hearing implant in a recipient patient. A pair of implant magnets are fixable in a common plane beneath the skin of the patient to underlying skull bone. At least one of the magnets is adapted to transform a magnetic drive signal from an external signal drive coil into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal for delivery by bone conduction of the skull bone as an audio signal to the cochlea. Each implant magnet includes a pair of internal magnets lying in parallel planes which meet along a common junction with repelling like magnetic polarities facing towards each other. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150087891 | Osteoconductive Implantable Component for a Bone Conduction Device - An osteoconductive implantable component for use in coupling a bone conduction device to a recipient is provided. The implantable component is configured to be implanted adjacent to a recipient's bone and is configured to promote bone ingrowth and/or ongrowth to interlock the implantable component with the recipient's bone so as to prevent movement of the implantable component with respect to the recipient's skull. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150087892 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE WITH REMOVABLE MAGNET - A cochlear implant system includes a subcutaneous housing which includes a main body and a bottom cover secured to the main body. A central cavity in a center of the subcutaneous housing is formed by a portion of an outer surface of the main body. A magnet is removably inserted into the central cavity and includes a cylindrical body with a central axis aligned with a removal axis of the central cavity, a groove extending circumferentially around the cylindrical body, and a top surface, which includes an outer edge, a plurality of ribs extending radially farther than the outer edge, and a plurality of abutments extending radially farther than the ribs. A compressive ring is seated in the groove of the cylindrical body and engages under a ledge in the central cavity when the magnet is inserted into the central cavity and biases the magnet against removal from the central cavity. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150094522 | Sub-Cranial Vibratory Stimulator - A sub-cranial vibratory stimulator that at least partially bypasses a recipient's skull bone and delivers vibration to fluid within a recipient's skull bone. The sub-cranial vibratory stimulator comprises an actuator that is configured to be implanted beneath a recipient's skull bone. The actuator transfers vibration to the fluid within the recipient's skull without first passing through the skull bone. The actuator is also substantially mechanically decoupled (isolated) from the recipient's skull bone. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150094523 | DIRECT-DRIVE ACOUSTIC AMPLIFICATION USING A TYMPANOSTOMY TUBE - A hearing aid apparatus is provided. In one embodiment, a system and method are provided for using a tympanostomy tube as a platform for driving the middle ear. The system and method may employ a mechanical interface for driving the middle ear. In another embodiment, a hearing aid apparatus includes a direct-drive hearing device (DHD) having a silicone mold on one end, where the silicone mold has an attached magnet; and a tympanostomy tube with a ferromagnetic cap, where the tympanostomy tube is insertable into a tympanic membrane. The DHD is configured for insertion in an ear canal such that the magnet attached to the silicone mold is in contact with the ferromagnetic cap of the tympanostomy tube. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150119635 | ALTERNATE STIMULATION STRATEGIES FOR PERCEPTION OF SPEECH - A system, including a first prosthetic device configured to evoke a hearing percept based on a first ambient sound and a second non-invasive device configured to stimulate skin based on a second ambient sound generated by a voice. | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150126805 | HYDRAULIC MICROPHONE - A device, including an implantable microphone, including a chamber in which media corresponding to at least one of a liquid or a fluid resistant to compression is located such that vibrations originating external to the microphone are effectively transmitted through the media. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150141740 | DISTRIBUTED RESONATOR - A device, including a vibratory apparatus having an actuator configured to generate vibrations upon actuation of the actuator, including plurality of lever arms, wherein the vibratory apparatus is configured such that at least a respective portion of respective lever arms of the plurality of lever arms move about at least one of a single or a respective hinge when the vibratory apparatus is generating vibrations. | 05-21-2015 |
| 20150312686 | SIGNAL CONDUCTING COUPLING - A device including a prosthesis including an external component configured to output a signal in response to an external stimulus and a skin penetrating component configured to communicatively transfer the signal at least partially beneath skin of the recipient, wherein the device is configured such that the skin penetrating component can move in a plurality of degrees of freedom relative to the external component while retained to the external component. | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150312687 | PERCUTANEOUS VIBRATION CONDUCTOR - A device, comprising a prosthesis including an external component configured to output a signal in response to an external stimulus and a skin penetrating component configured to communicatively transfer the signal at least partially beneath skin of the recipient, wherein the skin penetrating component is configured to extend into skin of the recipient and substantially lay above a surface of bone of a recipient in abutting contact thereto. | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150341731 | Fitting Unilateral Electric Acoustic Stimulation for Binaural Hearing - A system and method of fitting an Electric Acoustic Stimulation (EAS) system of a patient that has binaural hearing is provided. The patient has an ipsilateral ear and a contralateral ear opposite the ipsilateral ear, with the EAS system associated with the ipsilateral ear of the patient. Stimulation parameters of the EAS system are developed unilaterally while taking into account hearing abilities of the contralateral ear. The EAS system is configured based on the developed stimulation parameters. | 11-26-2015 |
| 20150343225 | Distributed Implantable Hearing Systems - Presented herein are distributed implantable hearing systems that have at least a main implant module that is physically separated from a distally positioned inner radio-frequency (RF) coil. Embodiments presented herein may include a main implant module positioned within a recipient's mastoid and an implantable coil positioned within a recipient's middle ear cavity | 12-03-2015 |
| 20150350796 | Sound Awareness Hearing Prosthesis - The present application discloses a hearing prosthesis configured to alert a user of the presence of sound while operating in a sound awareness mode of operation. When a user of the hearing aid removes the external sound processor and microphone, traditionally, a hearing prosthesis does not produce any audio stimulus. Here, the systems and methods will alert a user to sounds in his or her environment when the external sound processor and microphone are decoupled from the internal components of the hearing prosthesis. In some embodiments, the hearing prosthesis may have an acoustic receiver that is implanted in the recipient. The implanted acoustic detector may be used to detect an aspect of a sound above a threshold level. The threshold may be chosen so the detected sound is a loud sound such as a fire alarm. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20150373461 | ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCER WITH EXPANDED MAGNETIC FLUX FUNCTIONALITY - An apparatus, including an external component of a medical device including an electromagnetic actuator configured such that static magnetic flux of the electromagnetic actuator removably retains the external component to a recipient thereof. | 12-24-2015 |
| 20150382114 | SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING MAGNETIC RETENTION FORCE IN AUDITORY PROSTHESES - An external portion of an auditory prosthesis includes an external magnet that interacts with an implanted magnet to hold the external portion against the skin of a recipient. A magnetic component can be disposed proximate either or both of the external magnet or implanted magnet to channel the magnetic field associated therewith. The magnetic component can be moved relative to its associated magnet so as to adjust the magnetic field, and thus, the retention force between the magnets. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20150382116 | IMPLANTABLE MICROPHONE DEVICE - An implantable microphone device is provided. The device comprises a hermetically sealed housing ( | 12-31-2015 |
| 20150382117 | HEARING PROSTHESIS HAVING AN IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR SYSTEM - An implantable actuator system is disclosed. The system comprises a hermetically sealed housing; an actuator positioned in the housing, the actuator having at least one element displaceable relative to the housing; a coupling element connecting the actuator to the recipient's ear; and a diaphragm positioned at an end of the housing to provide a hermetic seal between the coupling element and the housing, wherein the diaphragm has sufficient flexibility to permit the coupling element to transmit vibrations to or from the actuator, wherein a liquid is positioned around the displaceable element of actuator to dampen the frequency response of the actuator, and in certain aspects, to make the system insensitive to differences in pressure between inside and outside of the housing. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160015567 | OPTICAL MICROPHONE FOR IMPLANTABLE HEARING INSTRUMENT - An implanted microphone is provided that allows for isolating an acoustic response of the microphone from vibration induced acceleration responses of the microphone. The present invention measures the relative motion between a microphone diaphragm, which is responsive to pressure variations in overlying media caused by acoustic forces and acceleration forces, and a cancellation element that is compliantly mounted within a housing of the microphone, which moves primarily in response to acceleration forces. When the microphone and cancellation element move substantially in unison to acceleration forces, relative movement between these elements corresponds to the acoustic response of the microphone diaphragm. This relative movement may be directly measured using various optical measuring systems. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160037273 | BONE CONDUCTION MAGNETIC RETENTION SYSTEM - An external component of a medical device, including an actuator including a static magnetic flux path that reacts with a dynamic magnetic flux path to actuate the actuator, and a magnetic retention system configured to retain the external component to a recipient via interaction with a ferromagnetic component attached to a recipient, the magnetic retention system including a magnetic flux path that encircles the static magnetic flux path of the actuator. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160037274 | HEARING PROSTHESIS WITH A PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR - A hearing prosthesis including an actuator. The actuator includes a material that deforms in response to an electrical signal and that is adapted to, upon implantation in a recipient, transmit vibrations representative of a sound signal to an organ of the recipient, wherein the material is at least partially exposed to at least one of body tissue and fluid of the recipient. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160058454 | Bone Fixture for a Medical Prosthesis - Presented herein is a bone fixture for a medical prosthesis. The bone fixture includes a self-drilling threaded body that is configured to be inserted into a recipient's bone. The threaded body includes a bone removal mechanism configured to cut away parts of the bone that are in the path of the threaded body and to remove portions of the cut parts of the bone, sometimes referred to herein as bone fragments, from the hole. The bone fixture also comprises a coupling section that is attached to a proximal end of the threaded body. The coupling section is configured to be positioned external to the recipient's bone and includes a connector interface that is entirely/completely proximal to the threaded body. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160066109 | IMPLANTABLE HEARING AID - A hearing aid including a permanent magnet to be fixed at a patient's incus ( | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160094922 | POSITIONED HEARING SYSTEM - The present disclosure regards a hearing system comprising a bony portion fastening unit and a hearing device. The present disclosure further regards a method for arranging a hearing device of a hearing system. The bony portion fastening unit is configured to be arranged in an ear canal of a user, to be permanently connected with a bone of a bony portion of the ear canal, and to penetrate a skin of the bony portion of the ear canal in order to extend in its implanted state from the bone of the bony portion of the ear canal through the skin into a cavity formed by the ear canal. The bony portion fastening unit is configured to fastening and positioning the hearing device in the ear canal. | 03-31-2016 |
| 20160096020 | FITTING BILATERAL HEARING PROSTHESES - Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160100263 | Active hearing aid implant having adjustable fixation of the actuator end piece in the middle ear - An active hearing aid implant is formed in an arrangement for the adjustment and fixation of the relative position between an axially extended actuator end piece of the hearing aid implant and the surrounding middle-ear bone. Arrangement coupling elements anchor the actuator end piece on the surrounding bone and a sliding ring designed to slide over the cylindrical actuator end piece holds this actuator end piece in a radial direction while the sliding ring remains linearly displaceable in the axial direction of the actuator end piece. Radially protruding coupling elements are fastened radially outwardly on the sliding ring for anchoring the sliding ring on surrounding bone after the arrangement has been surgically inserted into the middle ear. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160100264 | HEARING AID INTERCONNECTION SYSTEM - According to an embodiment, a hearing aid system is disclosed. The system includes an abutment, an extension member and a hearing aid device. The abutment is configured to mechanically attach into a skull bone of a hearing aid user. The extension member is configured to attach to the abutment and further comprising a hearing aid coupling surface adapted to attach with a hearing aid device. The hearing aid device includes a coupling adapted to mechanically attach to the hearing aid coupling surface. The extension member is configured to attach between the abutment and the coupling and to extend length between the abutment and the hearing aid coupling. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160112812 | IMPLANTABLE AUDITORY PROSTHESIS WITH FLOATING MASS TRANSDUCER - Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an implantable auditory prosthesis that comprises a transducer configured to be implanted in a recipient. The transducer comprises at least one bender element (e.g., piezoelectric element, magnetorestrictive element, etc.) that is configured to deform in response to application of an electrical signal thereto so as to generate vibration for delivery to the recipient. One or more components are mechanically and electrically connected to the bender element and are configured to generate additional vibration for delivery to the recipient. In certain embodiments, the one or more components mechanically coupled to the bender element comprise an inductor coil operating as a counter-mass. The inductor coil may be configured to drive another mass (e.g., a magnet) so as to operate as an active vibration generation system. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160119726 | HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE WITH BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE - The present disclosure relates to communication devices. Such devices may comprise input for receiving sound signal to be processed and presented to a user, and output for outputting the processed signal to a user perceivable as sound. Such processing may be performed by use of a processor for processing the sound signal in dependence of a setting or a set of setting to compensate a hearing loss profile. Further, the communication device may comprise a bio-signal acquisition and amplifier component in communication with a user interface for providing the bio-signals as input to the user interface, the user interface controlling the setting or set of setting for operation of the communication device. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160134976 | OPTICAL ELECTRO-MECHANICAL HEARING DEVICES WITH SEPARATE POWER AND SIGNAL COMPONENTS - A device to transmit an audio signal comprises at least one light source configured to transmit the audio signal with at least one wavelength of light. At least one detector is configured to detect the audio signal and generate at least one electrical signal in response to the at least one wavelength of light. A transducer is supported with and configured to vibrate at least one of an eardrum, an ossicle or a cochlea. Active circuitry is coupled to the transducer to drive the transducer in response to the at least one electrical signal, so as to provide the user with high quality sound. | 05-12-2016 |
| 20160142837 | Middle Ear Transducer with Biocompatible Implantable Adhesive Pad - An implantable transducer converts an electrical stimulation signal into a corresponding mechanical stimulation signal. The transducer has an elongated shape with a transducer end face having a transducer drive surface adapted to produce the mechanical stimulation signal, and a transducer adhesive feature adapted to intra-operatively receive adhesive material. A separate coupling cap has a coupling end face with a coupling adhesive feature adapted to engage the transducer adhesive feature with the adhesive material and a coupling drive surface adapted for distortion-free coupling of the mechanical stimulation signal from the transducer drive surface to the coupling cap. A signal delivery surface of the coupling cap delivers the mechanical stimulation signal to an adjacent cochlear surface for sensation as sound. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160175593 | CONFIGURING A STIMULATION UNIT OF A HEARING DEVICE | 06-23-2016 |
| 20160184587 | FLEXIBLE PROTOCOL FOR AN IMPLANTED PROSTHESIS - The present application discloses systems and methods for transmitting configuration between a command module and a stimulation module of a hearing prosthesis. In accordance with at least some embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods, a hearing prosthesis determines that a block of configuration data is queued for transmission. In response to this determination, the hearing prosthesis divides the amount of queued configuration data into a plurality of configuration data fragments and transmits the data fragments separately. In some embodiments, the command module appends each configuration data fragment to a different packet of stimulation commands and transmits to the stimulation module appended stimulation packets. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160192092 | Implantable Hearing Aid System - An implantable hearing aid system is disclosed. The system has an external transmitter device and an implantable receiver device, and includes a skin interface to connect the external transmitter device to the head of a user. There is a transmitter connector on the external transmitter device and an interface connector on the skin interface to form a coupling between the skin interface and the external transmitter device to enable connection and disconnection of the external transmitter device to and from the skin interface. The skin interface has an adhesive surface facing the skin so that it can be adhered to the skin on the head of the user. The implantable receiver device has an implant stimulator to stimulate a hearing organ. Sound information is transmitted from the external transmitter device to the implantable receiver device that stimulates the hearing organ of the user. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160198270 | MAGNET ARRANGEMENT FOR BONE CONDUCTION HEARING IMPLANT | 07-07-2016 |
| 20160198273 | DACS ACTUATOR | 07-07-2016 |
| 20160198274 | PROSTHESIS ADAPTER | 07-07-2016 |
| 20160199641 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR NEURAL COCHLEA STIMULATION | 07-14-2016 |
| 20160205484 | Magnet Arrangement for Bone Conduction Hearing Implant | 07-14-2016 |
| 20160249835 | INTERACTIVE HEARING DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT SYSTEM BASED ON WIRELESS MOBILE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM | 09-01-2016 |
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