Hearing device with external electrode

摘要

Devices intended for placement at the ear, in the ear or in the ear canal of an individual, i.e. a user, generally have a relatively small surface area, which limits the number, the size and the freedom for placement of thermally conductive areas, electrodes and/or charging pads such a device may have. This makes it difficult to combine functions requiring such thermally conductive areas, electrodes and/or charging pads in one and the same device. The hearing device (1) according to the invention has a housing (8) and a first electrode (9) arranged to abut the skin of the individual. The hearing device (1) further comprises at least two different elements selected from the group comprising: a brain-wave measurement circuit (12) receiving measurement signals from the first electrode (9) and from a second electrode (10) arranged to abut the skin of the individual; a communication circuit (15) receiving communication signals from and/or transmitting communication signals to the first electrode (9); a touch-sensing circuit (16) transmitting sensing signals to the first electrode (9); a thermoelectric generator (17) thermally connected to the outer surface of the housing (8) mainly through the first electrode (9); and a charge control circuit (20) sinking a charging current in dependence on a voltage across the first electrode (9) and a third electrode (10). By sharing electrically and/or thermally conductive surface portions (9, 10, 11) between different functional elements (12, 15, 16, 17, 20) in the hearing device (1), the required surface area may be reduced and/or the surface portions may be placed with increased freedom.