A method for providing information to a user, the method including: receiving an input signal from a sensing device associated with a sensory modality of the user; generating a preprocessed signal upon preprocessing the input signal with a set of preprocessing operations; extracting a set of features from the preprocessed signal; processing the set of features with a neural network system; mapping outputs of the neural network system to a device domain associated with a device including a distribution of haptic actuators in proximity to the user; and at the distribution of haptic actuators, cooperatively producing a haptic output representative of at least a portion of the input signal, thereby providing information to the user.

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 cancelation 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.

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.

An electronic device for a deaf person is provided. The device includes sound sensors arranged at different positions of the electronic device, and configured for sensing an external sound and converting the sensed external sound into sound signals; a processor connected to the sound sensors, and configured for generating a prompt signal when any sound parameters of the sound signals transmitted by the sound sensors meets a prompt condition; a vibrator connected to the processor, and configured for vibrating upon receiving the prompt signals; a first comparator connected to the processor, and configured for, in response of receiving the prompt signal, determining a sound sensor corresponding to a sound signal with a highest intensity, and generating orientation information corresponding to the sound sensor that corresponds to the sound signal with the highest intensity; and an indicator connected to the first comparator, and configured for indicating the orientation information.

The hearing device 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.

A notification service provision method for a hearing-impaired person executed on a notification service provision device for a hearing-impaired person, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: checking whether the sensitivity of a sound received from a surrounding area through each of sound detection modules is equivalent to or greater than a preset vibration generation reference sensitivity; if, as a result of the checking, the sensitivity of the sound received through each of the sound detection modules is equivalent to or greater than the preset vibration generation reference sensitivity, calculating the sensitivity gap of the sound received through each of the sound detection modules; and according to the sound sensitivity gap, notifying a hearing-impaired person of the fact that a sound has occurred by operating at least one of vibration generation modules. Thus, the present invention has a merit of providing help to a hearing-impaired person by notifying the hearing-impaired person about a direction by means of vibration if the sensitivity of a sound collected from a surrounding area is greater than a sound sensitivity preset by the hearing-impaired person.

A Sound translating system configured to touch human skin comprising: a sound converter configured to process sound waves to a plurality of sound bands, wherein each sound band of the plurality of sound bands is represented by at least one electrical signal having specific electrical characteristics, wherein the sound converter is further configured to transmit the at least one electrical signal; at least one device comprising a plurality of actuators, wherein at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to convert the at least one electrical signal to mechanical vibration, wherein the mechanical vibration of each actuator stimulate tactile of one of a plurality of zones on the human skin, wherein the at least one actuator is dedicated to at least one predefined zone of the plurality of zones; and wherein, the predefined zone complies with a map used to allocate sound bands to zones on the human skin.

A device is described for delivering a therapeutic vibration to a body. The device may include at least two motors in a housing with unbalanced masses coupled to their axles, such that vibration of the masses causes the two motors and housing to vibrate at a beat frequency 80. The motors and housing may be coupled to the body via a platform which places the motors and housings at or near a resonant structure in the body, creating a coupled oscillation between the platform and the body. The vibration may be based on the input signal, such that the system applies the vibration based on the input signal to the user, wherein the signal may be an audio or video signal. The system may be configured to measure and manipulate the flow of cerebral spinal fluid.

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.

Embodiments are generally directed to a securable inner drug delivery plug or stopper that is configured to be inserted into, and secured (retained) within, an opening of the inner ear of a recipient. The securable inner drug delivery plug is configured to deliver drugs directly into the inner ear.