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Design of Piezoelectric Dual-Bandwidth Accelerometers for Completely Implantable Auditory Prostheses
Alison E Hake1, Panagiota Kitsopoulos2, Karl Grosh3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA, and is now with the Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Department at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
IEEE Sensors Journal
|May 20, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed a novel dual-bandwidth microelectromechanical systems piezoelectric accelerometer for implantable auditory prostheses. This tiny sensor meets stringent performance requirements for middle ear implantation, advancing hearing aid technology.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Sensor Technology
Background:
- Accelerometers are explored as ossicular vibration sensors to miniaturize hearing aids and cochlear implants.
- Existing accelerometers lack the stringent performance for middle ear implantation.
- Completely implantable auditory prostheses require advanced sensor technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel accelerometer design for implantable auditory prostheses.
- To meet stringent performance requirements for middle ear implantation.
- To enable a new generation of completely implantable hearing devices.
Main Methods:
- Designed a dual-bandwidth microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) piezoelectric accelerometer.
- Utilized an area-minimization process based on an experimentally-validated analytical model.
- Integrated two sensing elements with distinct frequency bandwidths (0.1-1.25 kHz and 1.25-8 kHz).
Main Results:
- Achieved an equivalent noise floor below 20 phon equal-loudness-level over a 0.1-8 kHz bandwidth.
- Developed a sensor package size of 795 μm × 778 μm, suitable for middle ear implantation.
- Estimated total packaged system mass of approximately 14 mg.
Conclusions:
- The developed MEMS accelerometer meets critical physical and performance specifications for middle ear use.
- This sensor technology addresses a significant gap in completely implantable auditory prosthesis research.
- Enables the development of advanced, miniaturized auditory prostheses.
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