Surgery – Surgically implanted vibratory hearing aid
Patent
1997-02-14
2000-05-30
Gilbert, Samuel
Surgery
Surgically implanted vibratory hearing aid
H04R 2500
Patent
active
060685891
ABSTRACT:
An improved fully implantable hearing aid (10) in a first aspect includes at least two microphones (28) to provide improved noise cancellation, and, with an array (132) of microphones (28), improved directivity. In a second aspect, the hearing aid (10) includes an improved microactuator (32') in which deflections of a pair of piezoelectric plates (68) are coupled by liquid (52') to a flexible diaphragm (44') for stimulating fluid (20a) within an inner ear (17) of a subject (12). In a third aspect, the improved hearing aid (10) includes a directional booster (200) that the subject (12), having an implanted hearing aid (10), may wear on their head (122) for increasing directivity of perceived sound. A fourth aspect of the present invention is an improved implantable microactuator (32", 32'") that generates a mechanical displacement of a diaphragm (82) or a face (96) in response to an applied electrical signal. A liquid coupling between the piezoelectric transducer (54", 54'") and the diaphragm (82) or face (96) provides a mechanical impedance match for the transducer (54", 54'").
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Gilbert Samuel
Schreiber Donald E.
LandOfFree
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