LIGHT ACTIVATED HEARING AID DEVICE

• US 20100197995A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
• Original Assignee: Laser Zentrum Hannover E. V., Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
• Inventors: Lubatschowski, Holger, Lenarz, Thomas, Wenzel, Gentiana I., Lim, Hubert H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention relates to a hearing aid device for humans with impaired hearing, who have an at least partially functional cochlea and a functional nervous signalling pathway from the cochlea via the auditory nerve to the brain. The hearing aid device contains a receiver, a transducer of the sound or other acoustic signals into electrical current serving as a signal representing a sound, a pulsed irradiation source connected to the transducer for receiving the electrical current and for generating modulated pulsed irradiation in dependence from the electrical current, and preferably one or more optical fibres optically coupled to the exit of the pulsed irradiation source, wherein the optical path for conduction of irradiation within the device ends directly opposite a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway, e.g. adjacent the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, or the oval window membrane.

Claims

1. A hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the device comprising

a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation,

a control unit coupled to the pulsed light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of pulsed irradiation, and

at least one optical fibre optically coupled to the pulsed light source for reception of pulsed irradiation produced by the pulsed light source,

wherein the pulsed light source and the optical fibre form an optical path terminating in an output surface emitting pulsed irradiation from the end section of the optical fibre opposite the pulsed light source,

and wherein the optical fibre is dimensioned for termination in the output surface adjacent to and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway

for transmission of irradiation from the output surface to the functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

2. The hearing aid device according to claim 1, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

3. The hearing aid device according to claim 1, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

4. The hearing aid device according to claim 1 wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

5. The hearing aid device according to claim 1, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal fibre axis.

6. A hearing aid device according to claim 1, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

7. A hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the device comprising

a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation,

a control unit coupled to the light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of pulsed irradiation,

at least one optical fibre optically coupled to the light source for reception of pulsed irradiation produced by the pulsed light source,

an optical path formed by the light source and the optical fibre terminating in an output surface for emitting pulsed irradiation,

wherein the optical fibres at their end section opposite the light source contain an output surface terminating the optical path, and wherein the optical fibres are dimensioned for positioning the output surface directly opposite and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway which is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea, wherein the functional element is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

8. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

9. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

10. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

11. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal fibre axis.

12. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

13. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

14. The hearing aid device according to claim 7, wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

15. A hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the device comprising

a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation,

a control unit coupled to the pulsed light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of pulsed irradiation,

wherein the light source forms an optical path terminating in an output surface emitting pulsed irradiation,

and wherein the pulsed light source is dimensioned for termination in the output surface adjacent to and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway

for transmission of pulsed irradiation from the output surface to the functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

16. The hearing aid device according to claim 15, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

17. The hearing aid device according to claim 15, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal axis of the pulsed light source.

18. The hearing aid device according to claim 15, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

19. A hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the device comprising

a microphone, a signal transducer, a first coil coupled to the signal transducer for emitting radiation, a second coil spaced from the first coil for receiving radiation from the first coil, a receiver connected to the second coil,

a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation,

a control unit coupled to the light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of pulsed irradiation, and

at least one optical fibre optically coupled to the laser for reception of pulsed irradiation produced by the pulsed light source,

wherein the pulsed light source and the optical fibre form an optical path terminating in an output surface emitting pulsed irradiation from the end section of the optical fibre opposite the light source,

and wherein the optical fibre is dimensioned for termination in the output surface adjacent to and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway

for transmission of pulsed irradiation from the output surface to the functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

20. The hearing aid device according to claim 19, wherein the pulsed light source is a laser.

21. The hearing aid device according to claim 19, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

22. The hearing aid device according to claim 19, wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

23. The hearing aid device according to claim 19, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal fibre axis.

24. The hearing aid device according to claim 19, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

25. The hearing aid device according to claim 19, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

31. The process according to claim 25, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

32. The process according to claim 25, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

33. The process according to claim 25, wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

34. The process according to claim 25, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal fibre axis.

35. The process according to claim 25, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

36. The process according to claim 25, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

38. The process according to claim 31, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

39. The process according to claim 31, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal axis of the pulsed light source.

40. The process according to claim 31, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

26. A hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the device comprising

a microphone, a signal transducer, a first coil coupled to the signal transducer for emitting radiation, a second coil spaced from the first coil for receiving radiation from the first coil, a receiver connected to the second coil,

a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation.

a control unit coupled to the pulsed light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of irradiation,

wherein the pulsed light source forms an optical path terminating in an output surface emitting irradiation,

and wherein the pulsed light source is dimensioned for termination in the output surface adjacent to and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway

for transmission of irradiation from the output surface to the functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

27. The hearing aid device according to claim 26, wherein the pulsed light source is a laser.

28. The hearing aid device according to claim 26, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal axis of the light source.

29. The hearing aid device according to claim 26, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

30. A process for improving hearing perception in a human with an at least partially functional cochlea comprising the steps of

producing pulsed irradiation in a pulsed light source,

receiving an acoustic signal and generating a signal representing an acoustic signal, controlling and modulating the intensity and frequency of the pulsed irradiation in response to the signal representing an acoustic signal,

conducting the pulsed irradiation by at least one optical fibre optically coupled to the pulsed light source to an output surface of the optical fibre opposite the pulsed light source and emitting the irradiation from the output surface onto and directly in front of a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

37. A process for improving hearing perception in a human with an at least partially functional cochlea comprising the steps of

receiving an acoustic signal and generating a signal representing an acoustic signal, producing pulsed irradiation in a pulsed light source having an output surface for emitting irradiation,

controlling and modulating the intensity and frequency of the pulsed irradiation, emitting the irradiation from the output surface onto and directly in front of a functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

41. A process for producing a hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the process comprising the steps of

providing a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation,

coupling a control unit to the pulsed light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of pulsed irradiation, and

optically coupling at least one optical fibre to the pulsed light source for reception of pulsed irradiation produced by the pulsed light source,

arranging the pulsed light source and the optical fibre to form an optical path terminating in an output surface emitting pulsed irradiation from the end section of the optical fibre opposite the pulsed light source,

and dimensioning the optical fibre for termination in the output surface adjacent to and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway of the human

for transmission of irradiation from the output surface to the functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

42. The process according to claim 41, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

43. The process according to claim 41, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

44. The process according to claim 41, wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

45. The process according to claim 41, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal fibre axis.

46. The process according to claim 41, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.

47. A process for producing a hearing aid device for a hearing impaired human having an at least partially functional cochlea, the process comprising the steps of

providing a pulsed light source capable of producing pulsed irradiation,

coupling a control unit to the pulsed light source for controlling and modulating the frequency of pulsed irradiation,

arranging the light source to form an optical path terminating in an output surface emitting pulsed irradiation,

dimensioning the pulsed light source for termination in the output surface adjacent to and spaced from an at least partially functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway

for transmission of pulsed irradiation from the output surface to the functional element of the natural vibration transduction pathway,

which functional element is functionally coupled for transduction of vibration to the cochlea and is selected from the group comprising the skull, the tympanic membrane, the hammer, the incus, the stapes, the outside of the cochlea, the otic capsule, the round window membrane, and the oval window membrane.

48. The process according to claim 47, wherein the pulsed light source is a pulsed laser.

49. The process according to claim 47, wherein the output surface is the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

50. The process according to claim 47, wherein the output surface is a surface of a lens arranged at the cross-sectional surface of an optical fibre.

51. The process according to claim 47, wherein the output surface is arranged in an angle of 0 to 90°

from the longitudinal fibre axis.

52. The process according to claim 47, wherein the output surface is spaced by a distance of 0.1 μ

m-5 cm.