Audiologists and hearing scientists are familiar with human equal loudness contours (feature image above). Samsung is too, using those contours in its patent #9635459 to control signal input gain to protect against noise induced hearing loss.
Samsung Exits the Ear to Aid Hearing
Figure 1. Samsung Hearable worn elsewhere (USPTO #9621973)
Or, better yet, why not fully protect the ear and hearing by skipping the ear altogether, as proposed in Samsung patent #9621973? That patent, for a “Wearable Audio Device,” lists all sorts of reasons over and above hearing protection for placing the device pretty much anywhere on the body but the ear (Fig 1).
“Personal audio listening … require(s) the user to put something in or on the ear. This is an invasive way to listen. ..may also involve wires…that can be a nuisance and there are challenges to keeping listening device in place. The duration for which personal audio devices can be worn may be limited due to health risks of prolonged sound exposure, discomfort, or the need to hear sound from the outside environment.”
The Samsung Wearable doesn’t mention alleviating stigma, but that’s inherent to their proposed design as well:
“a portion of transducer assembly is in contact with a person’s outer layer of skin…generat(ing) an acoustic signal and mechanically coupl(ing) the acoustic signal …where transducer assembly contacts skin layer. The acoustic signal may then propagate through a portion of a person’s body… and a portion of the acoustic signal may reach the person’s ears where it is perceived or heard by the person as a sound such as …music, a person’s voice, or any other suitable sound.”
The April List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Hearing assistance |
Bose Corp (Framingham, MA) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Hearing system for estimating a feedback path of a hearing device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for tagging patient sessions for fitting hearing aids |
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Sound processor apparatus with dual-mode earhook interface assembly |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Symmetric magnet arrangement for medical implants |
Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Epidermal down-growth barrier |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Mastoid bone start drill bit |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/04/2017 |
|
|
Treatment of the ear |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/11/2017 |
|
|
Electrically evoked brainstem response measurements via implant prosthesis |
Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
4/11/2017 |
|
|
State of charge indication in a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) |
4/11/2017 |
|
|
Method of remotely fitting a hearing aid system, a remote hearing aid fitting system and a hearing aid |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
4/11/2017 |
|
|
Electronic device, audio device, and method for supplying power to the audio device |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (Suwon-si, KR) |
4/11/2017 |
|
|
Wearable audio device |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (Suwon-si, KR) |
4/11/2017 |
|
|
Feedback suppression |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/18/2017 |
|
|
Hearing device with optical receiver |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/18/2017 |
|
|
Method of determining operation mode of hearing device and hearing device |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (Suwon-si, KR) |
4/18/2017 |
|
|
Hearing aid radio power supply |
GN ReSound A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/18/2017 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for improving hearing aid antenna efficiency |
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/18/2017 |
|
|
Wearable alarm system for a prosthetic hearing implant |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Fitting bilateral hearing prostheses |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Implantable auditory stimulation system and method with offset implanted microphones |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Hearing prosthesis fitting incorporating feedback determination |
Cochlear Ltd (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Automatic real-time hearing aid fitting based on auditory evoked potentials |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Remote control |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for monitoring wireless communication in hearing assistance systems |
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device with balanced feed-line for antenna |
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Systems and methods for new battery identification and derived battery capacity |
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising a GSC beamformer |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Method of processing a signal in a hearing instrument, and hearing instrument |
Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Audio reproduction method and apparatus with auto volume control function |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (Suwon-si, KR) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Hearing aid with capacitive switch |
Zounds Hearing, Inc. (Tempe, AZ) |
4/25/2017 |
|
|
Coulomb counter and battery management for hearing aid |
Envoy Medical Corp. (St Paul, MN) |
4/25/2017 |
