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Hearing Device (hearing + device)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences50%

Selected Abstracts

Design of A New Vibration Transducer for Implantable Middle Ear Hearing Devices

IEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2010
Ki Woong Seong Non-member
Abstract A new vibration transducer was developed for implantable middle ear hearing devices (IMEHDs). It comprises two permanent magnets positioned inside three coils. The transducer maximizes the interaction between the magnetic fields of the two magnets and the electrical current flowing through the coils. Further, the transducer is robust to external magnetic fields because the magnetic fields inside it are symmetrical. The frequency response was simulated by finite element analysis (FEA). The vibrational displacement of the proposed transducer is 6 dB greater than those of the differential floating mass transducer (DFMT) and the floating mass transducer (FMT). On the basis of these results, a prototype was fabricated and its frequency response was experimentally investigated and compared with simulation results. Finally, it is shown that the proposed transducer has a higher vibrational displacement than the older ones. © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source]

Early Clinical Results: SOUNDTEC Implantable Hearing Device Phase II Study,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 1 2001
J. V. D. Hough MD
Abstract Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of a new semi-implantable electromagnetic hearing device, the SOUNDTECÔ Direct Drive Hearing System (DDHS), and to compare its performance with that of subjects' previously worn, optimally fit hearing aids. Preliminary results for the first 10 subjects are presented. Study Design The protocol specified in the Investigational Device Exemption is used in this ongoing FDA phase II 100-subject multicenter clinical trial. Methods For baseline, each subject is tested wearing his or her own optimally fit hearing aid in the ear to be implanted. Six-month postoperative outcome measures using the SOUNDTEC DDHS are compared with the baseline. Multiple objective and subjective outcomes (as listed under Results) were measured. Results When compared with the subjects' optimally fit hearing aids, the SOUNDTEC DDHS provided an average improvement of 52% in functional gain (250,6000 Hz), 22% in aided thresholds, 3.8% for speech discrimination in quiet, 17% for speech in noise, 13.1% in articulation index scores, 28% in aided benefit, 27.3% in sound quality of speech, and a 16.7% increase in overall subject satisfaction. In addition, with the SOUNDTEC DDHS, subjects reported absence of acoustic feedback, little or no occlusive effects, and more natural sound perception. Conclusion Analysis of data on the first 10 subjects using the SOUNDTEC DDHS indicates positive outcomes regarding safety and efficacy, although the small sample size is not sufficient to permit valid statistical inferences to be drawn from our preliminary data. Results also demonstrate improvement in performance compared with the subjects' optimally fit hearing aids and an improvement in quality of life as demonstrated by objective and subjective tests and measures. [source]

Audiometric evaluation of an attempt to optimize the fixation of the transducer of a middle-ear implant to the ossicular chain with bone cement

CLINICAL OTOLARYNGOLOGY, Issue 1 2004
A. Snik
Audiometric evaluation of an attempt to optimize the fixation of the transducer of a middle-ear implant to the ossicular chain with bone cement Typically, an implantable hearing device consists of a transducer that is coupled to the ossicular chain and electronics. The coupling is of major importance. The Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) is such an implantable device; normally, the VSB transducer is fixed to the ossicular chain by means of a special clip that is crimped around the long process of the incus. In addition to crimping, bone cement was used to optimize the fixation in six patients. Long-term results were compared to those of five controls with crimp fixation alone. To assess the effect of bone cement (SerenoCem®, Corinthian Medical Ltd, Nottingham, UK) on hearing thresholds, long-term post-surgery thresholds were compared to pre-surgery thresholds. Bone cement did not have any negative effect. Next, to test the hypothesis that aided thresholds might be better with the use of bone cement, aided thresholds were studied. After correction for the severity of hearing loss, only a small difference was found between the two groups at one frequency, viz. 2 kHz. It was concluded that there was no negative effect of using bone cement; however, there is also no reason to use bone cement in VSB users on a regular basis. [source]

Design of A New Vibration Transducer for Implantable Middle Ear Hearing Devices

IEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2010
Ki Woong Seong Non-member
Abstract A new vibration transducer was developed for implantable middle ear hearing devices (IMEHDs). It comprises two permanent magnets positioned inside three coils. The transducer maximizes the interaction between the magnetic fields of the two magnets and the electrical current flowing through the coils. Further, the transducer is robust to external magnetic fields because the magnetic fields inside it are symmetrical. The frequency response was simulated by finite element analysis (FEA). The vibrational displacement of the proposed transducer is 6 dB greater than those of the differential floating mass transducer (DFMT) and the floating mass transducer (FMT). On the basis of these results, a prototype was fabricated and its frequency response was experimentally investigated and compared with simulation results. Finally, it is shown that the proposed transducer has a higher vibrational displacement than the older ones. © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source]