Patent classifications
A61F11/045
ELECTRONIC DEVICE
The present disclosure provides an electronic device. The device includes a plurality of 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 in the case that any one of the 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 that corresponds to a sound signal with a highest intensity by comparing intensities of the sound signals transmitted from the sound sensors, 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.
Providing information to a user through somatosensory feedback
A hearing device may provide hearing-to-touch sensory substitution as a therapeutic approach to deafness. Through use of signal processing on received signals, the hearing device may provide better accuracy with the hearing-to-touch sensory substitution by extending beyond the simple filtering of an incoming audio stream as found in previous tactile hearing aids. The signal processing may include low bitrate audio compression algorithms, such as linear predictive coding, mathematical transforms, such as Fourier transforms, and/or wavelet algorithms. The processed signals may activate tactile interface devices that provide touch sensation to a user. For example, the tactile interface devices may be vibrating devices attached to a vest, which is worn by the user. The vest may also provide other types of information to the user.
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.
Tactile Interface System
A system for indicating a direction to a user is disclosed. The system may include a first unit and a second unit to be worn proximate to a first ear and a second ear of the user respectively. The system may indicate a direction to the user through tactile sensations delivered proximate to the ears of the user by the first and second units. The system may also include microphones to aid in determining the direction of a source of a sound and the system may indicate the determined direction, thereby allowing the user to localize the sound. The system may also function as hearing aids. The system may aid individuals with hearing disabilities by alerting them to the direction of the source of a sound.
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.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ADJUNCT SENSORY INFORMATION TO A USER
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.
PROVIDING INFORMATION TO A USER THROUGH SOMATOSENSORY FEEDBACK
A hearing device may provide hearing-to-touch sensory substitution as a therapeutic approach to deafness. Through use of signal processing on received signals, the hearing device may provide better accuracy with the hearing-to-touch sensory substitution by extending beyond the simple filtering of an incoming audio stream as found in previous tactile hearing aids. The signal processing may include low bitrate audio compression algorithms, such as linear predictive coding, mathematical transforms, such as Fourier transforms, and/or wavelet algorithms. The processed signals may activate tactile interface devices that provide touch sensation to a user. For example, the tactile interface devices may be vibrating devices attached to a vest, which is worn by the user. The vest may also provide other types of information to the user.
Assessing responses to sensory events and performing treatment actions based thereon
Examples disclosed herein are relevant to monitoring and treating sensory conditions affecting an individual. Sensors and intelligence integrated within a sensory prosthesis (e.g., an auditory prosthesis) can automatically obtain objective data regarding the ability of one or more of an individuals senses during day-to-day activities. A treatment action can be taken based on the objective data. Further disclosed herein are techniques relating to reducing the gathering of irrelevant sensory input and automatically transmitting relevant data to a caregiver device.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ALERTING USER TO SOUND OCCURRENCE
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for providing a notification through a sound alerting apparatus comprises determining whether sensitivities of ambient sounds respectively received through sound sensors are a preset vibration reference sensitivity or higher, calculating a gap between the sensitivities when the sensitivities are the preset vibration reference sensitivity or higher, and operate at least one of vibration generators according to the gap to alert a user to a sound occurrence.
Providing information to a user through somatosensory feedback
A hearing device may provide hearing-to-touch sensory substitution as a therapeutic approach to deafness. Through use of signal processing on received signals, the hearing device may provide better accuracy with the hearing-to-touch sensory substitution by extending beyond the simple filtering of an incoming audio stream as found in previous tactile hearing aids. The signal processing may include low bitrate audio compression algorithms, such as linear predictive coding, mathematical transforms, such as Fourier transforms, and/or wavelet algorithms. The processed signals may activate tactile interface devices that provide touch sensation to a user. For example, the tactile interface devices may be vibrating devices attached to a vest, which is worn by the user. The vest may also provide other types of information to the user.