IMPLANTABLE ACTUATOR FOR HEARING AID APPLICATIONS

摘要

An electromechanical actuator (100) suitable, for example, in hearing aid
applications is disclosed. Certain embodiments of the actuator comprise a
hermetic titanium housing (1), a mechanical output structure (110) emulating
the long process of incus (8), and means for efficiently generating movement
in the audible frequency range. The electromechanical actuator (100) may be
configured to be coupled to the inner ear fluids via a conventional stapes
prosthesis. The implantable actuator (100), which may be considered to be
operably equivalent to a loudspeaker of a conventional hearing aid, may bypass
the outer and the middle ear in order to directly drive the inner ear fluids.
As such, embodiments of the electromechanical actuator of the present
invention may be used to remedy any source of conductive hearing loss.
Additionally, certain embodiments of the electromechanical actuator may be
configured to provide sufficiently high output levels to treat severe
sensorineural hearing loss while being sufficiently small to completely fit
into a human mastoid.