Efficient Bone Conduction Hearing Device With a Novel Piezoelectric Transducer Using Skin as an Electrode

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Audiology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Conductive hearing loss treatment often involves surgical implants or non-surgical hearing aids.
• Conventional bone conduction hearing aids can cause skin erosion and discomfort due to transducer pressure.
• Existing surgical implants, while effective, carry surgical risks and potential skin complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel bone conduction hearing device that eliminates skin pressure and the need for surgery.
• To create a non-invasive device for conductive hearing loss that improves upon current bone conduction technologies.

Main Methods:

• A piezoelectric element was modified, utilizing ear skin as an electrode.
• Sound transmission was evaluated in Guinea pig cochleae under normal and conductive hearing loss conditions.
• The novel device's performance was compared against a speaker and a conventional piezoelectric device.

Main Results:

• The novel device successfully transmitted sound to the cochlea, even in the presence of air-conductive hearing loss.
• Bone conduction efficiency of the new device surpassed that of both the speaker and the conventional piezoelectric device.
• The device demonstrated effective sound conduction without direct pressure on the skin.

Conclusions:

• A new type of bone conduction device was developed, efficiently transmitting sound by bypassing the external auditory canal and middle ear structures.
• This innovative device avoids skin pressure and potential damage, offering a significant advantage over conventional bone conduction hearing aids.
• The novel hearing device presents a viable, non-surgical alternative to current bone-conduction hearing devices.