Direct drive movement of body constituent
First Claim
1. In a hearing assist system for a human ear, the improvement comprising a plurality of microbeads connected to at least one ossicle in an ear of a human.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bio-magnetic system for moving a constituent of a human body includes at least one magnetically responsive member having an attachment mechanism including collagen which is bound with an epithelium of a moveable constituent in the human body. A bio-magnetic drive system for moving a constituent of a human body includes a plurality of magnetic microbeads connected in vivo to a moveable constituent of a human body, and it also includes a magnetic field source disposed in operative association with the microbeads but remote from the microbeads and the moveable constituent to provide a magnetic field to move the microbeads. A method for moving a constituent in a human body includes transmitting a signal to interact with a plurality of microbeads connected to a constituent in a human body such that the connected microbeads and constituent in the human body move in response. A more particular method includes providing a plurality of microbeads in vivo to attach to at least one ossicle in an ear of a human; and processing a sound to drive the microbeads, including transmitting a signal to interact with the microbeads such that the microbeads and the at least one ossicle vibrate in response. Also disclosed are a kit for use in causing a constituent of a human body to move and in vivo methods of connecting microbeads to a constituent in a human body.
103 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. In a hearing assist system for a human ear, the improvement comprising a plurality of microbeads connected to at least one ossicle in an ear of a human.
-
2. In a hearing assist system for a human ear, the improvement comprising at least one magnetically responsive member having an attachment mechanism including collagen, the collagen naturally bonded with an epithelium of a vibratory constituent of the human ear.
-
3. In a system for inducing the perception of sound in a human, the improvement comprising a plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads connected to a constituent of the human hearing mechanism, the constituent selected from the group consisting of a tympanic membrane, a middle ear ossicle, a round window, and an oval window of a human ear.
-
4. A middle-ear drive system for a human ear, comprising:
-
a plurality of microbeads connected to a vibratory constituent in an ear of a human; and
a transmitter to transmit a microbead-operative output signal within effective range of the plurality of microbeads such that the microbeads move in response. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
- 11. A bio-magnetic system for moving a constituent of a human body, comprising at least one magnetically responsive member having an attachment mechanism including collagen, the collagen bound with an epithelium of a moveable constituent in the human body.
-
22. A bio-magnetic drive system for moving a constituent of a human body, comprising:
-
a plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads connected in vivo to a moveable constituent of a human body; and
a magnetic field source disposed in operative association with the microbeads but remote from the microbeads and the moveable constituent to provide a magnetic field to move the microbeads. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A kit for use in causing a constituent of a human body to move, comprising:
-
a plurality of biologically compatible, magnetically responsive microbeads coated with a composition that connects the microbeads to a selected constituent of a human body;
a signal processor including a receiver to receive an input signal and further including a transmitter responsive to the receiver to transmit a magnetic output signal within effective range of the plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads; and
a package containing the plurality of microbeads and the signal processor. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
- 36. A method for moving a constituent in a human body, comprising displacing with a magnetic field a plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads connected to a constituent in a human body such that the connected microbeads and constituent move in the human body.
- 43. A method for moving a constituent in a human body, comprising transmitting a signal to interact with a plurality of microbeads connected to a constituent in a human body such that the connected microbeads and constituent in the human body move in response.
-
45. A method of aiding a human to hear, comprising vibrating with magnetic signal transmission a plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads connected to at least one human ear constituent.
-
47. A method of aiding a human to hear, comprising:
-
providing a plurality of microbeads in vivo to attach to at least one ossicle in an ear of a human; and
processing a sound to drive the microbeads, including transmitting a signal to interact with the microbeads such that the microbeads and the at least one ossicle vibrate in response.
-
-
50. An in vivo method of connecting microbeads to a constituent in a human body, comprising:
-
aspirating a plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads and accompanying physiologic solution into a syringe from an admixture of magnetically responsive microbeads and physiologic solution;
inserting a needle of the syringe into the human body toward the constituent; and
ejecting at least a portion of the microbeads and physiologic solution from the syringe onto or into the constituent.
-
-
51. An in vivo method of connecting microbeads to a constituent in a human body, comprising:
-
moving a brush into an admixture of magnetically responsive microbeads and physiologic solution such that a plurality of magnetically responsive microbeads and accompanying physiologic solution adhere to the brush;
inserting the brush into the human body toward the constituent; and
transferring at least a portion of the microbeads and physiologic solution from the brush onto the constituent.
-
Specification