METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MATHEMATICALLY CHARACTERIZING EAR CANAL GEOMETRY

• US 20090306517A1
• Filed: 06/04/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Burns, Thomas Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,840,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/463
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/77 Design aspects, e.g. CAD, of hearing aid tips, moulds or housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/656 Non-customized, universal ear tips, i.e. ear tips which are not specifically adapted to the size or shape of the ear or ear canal

Abstract

The present subject matter provides apparatus and methods for physically fitting a hearing assistance device, including mathematically characterizing a person'"'"'s ear canal. The apparatus includes an expandable balloon for positioning in the ear canal, the balloon including a hollow interior channel. A flexible catheter extends through the interior portion of the balloon, and the flexible catheter includes a track. A platform is movably coupled to the track. An ultrasonic transducer and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor are coupled to the platform. The ultrasonic transducer scans the ear canal and the MEMS sensor senses motion and position of the transducer. According to various embodiments, a mathematical representation of the ear canal is adapted to be computed using information from the transducer and sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mathematically characterizing a person'"'"'s ear canal, the apparatus comprising:

an expandable balloon for positioning in the ear canal, the balloon including a hollow interior channel;

a flexible catheter extending through the interior portion of the balloon, the flexible catheter including a track;

a platform movably coupled to the track;

a ultrasonic transducer coupled to the platform; and

a processor adapted to characterize geometry of the ear canal from information from the ultrasonic transducer obtained from scans of the ear canal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor coupled to the platform, the MEMS sensor adapted to sense motion and position of the ultrasonic transducer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further adapted to characterize geometry of the ear canal from information from the ultrasonic transducer and the MEMS sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mechanism adapted to transverse and rotate the ultrasonic transducer within the balloon.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer includes a probe adapted to transmit and receive acoustical energy within the balloon after expanding the balloon to snugly fit the person'"'"'s ear canal.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is adapted to use information from the transducer and MEMS sensor to compute a point cloud mathematical representation of the person'"'"'s ear canal geometry.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing information from the transducer and sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication link for transmitting information from the transducer and sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the track includes a flexible track.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hollow interior channel of the balloon includes a conduit for air-pressure relief to protect the person'"'"'s tympanic membrane.

11. A method for mathematically characterizing a person'"'"'s ear canal, the method comprising:

positioning a pre-formed expandable balloon in the ear canal, the balloon including a hollow central channel;

expanding the balloon to fit the person'"'"'s ear canal snugly;

scanning the ear canal using an ultrasonic transducer probe, the probe fixed to a movable platform along a track contained within the channel;

sensing motion and position of the transducer probe using a sensor, the sensor fixed to the movable platform; and

using information from the ultrasonic transducer probe and sensor to compute a mathematical representation of the ear canal.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising computing a point cloud mathematical representation of the person'"'"'s ear canal geometry using the information from the ultrasonic transducer probe and sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein computing a mathematical representation of the person'"'"'s ear canal geometry includes using signal processing.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein expanding the balloon includes filling the balloon with saline.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein expanding the balloon includes filling the balloon with gel.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein scanning the ear canal using an ultrasonic transducer probe includes operating the probe in pulse/echo mode.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein scanning the ear canal using an ultrasonic transducer probe includes scanning the ear canal as the platform is translated and/or rotated down the track.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein sensing motion and position of the transducer probe includes using a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the information from the ultrasonic transducer probe and sensor.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting the information from the ultrasonic transducer probe and sensor.