Your Own Little Lab
Ear real estate continues to attract health technology innovations in search of a place to tuck in and work efficiently, uninterrupted. EarLens patents #10284964 & 10292601 are riding that trend with a customized ear canal hearable/wearable system that has a quiet little laboratory churning away in the background 24/7.
Equipped with biometric sensors and drug delivery elements located by, on or in the ear canal (feature image), the EarLens wearable elements “…may be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user and left there overnight, for multiple days, months, or years.” Location and longevity afford the device considerable advantages over prior art, according to the patents. It’s wondrous to imagine waking and sleeping with extended-wear, concealed-carry health labs in our ears, while hearing better too.
Your Own Not so Little Gym
Figure 1. A wearable gym.
Multifunctionality for fitness is front and center in patent #10286250, where ear devices are just one more accessory in a cast of seemingly thousands (Fig 1). This wearable gym includes an energy measurement module to track calories burned, time spent and reps performed using various devices on the wearable, such as straps of varying elasticity for resistance training.
For those not on the go, the gym can continue your workout via vibrating devices which emit muscle-targeted energy pulses to stimulate body areas:
“For example, if a vibrating device is located proximate to the abdomen of a user when the user is wearing the wearable gym ..[it] can stimulate tightening of the abdominal muscles [to] replicate an exercise, such as sit ups or planking.” (paraphrased from the patent)
Your Bright Wearable Future
The gym and the drug delivery patents couldn’t look more different from one another. But both envision wearable health and wellness systems which function under user control as well as in the background when you’re busy, don’t want to be bothered or forget to take your meds or do your planks. Everybody needs such systems, probably most people want them, but only if they’re not too burdensome or expensive.
Who knows whether anyone wants to wear that vest? How heavy is it? Can it work while you’re sleeping? Who knows what happens to the EarLens system when water or wax get involved? Do you know when drug delivery fails?
Eventually, probably soon, these and other wearable questions will be “solved” as more multifunction, continuous-wear, background support systems gain feasibility to aid our everyday lives. With all the voice platform chips out there, it likely that the Hearables components will be recruited to provide wearers with feedback and updates on drugs delivered, calories burned, encroaching wax, and gluts at work.
The May 2019 List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Method and device for intracochlea impedance measurement |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
External ear canal pressure regulation system |
Nocira LLC (Tempe, AZ) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Integrated device for ear temperature measurement and non-contact temperature measurement |
Applicant: Liang, Cao (Guangdong, CN) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Audio control using auditory event detection |
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (San Francisco, CA) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Anatomically customized ear canal hearing apparatus |
EarLens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Method for the automated ascertainment of parameter values for a hearing aid |
Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Hearing device, particularly hearing aid |
Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Advanced management of an implantable sound management system |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Hearing device incorporating dynamic microphone attenuation during streaming |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Kalman filtering based speech enhancement using a codebook based approach |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Hearing assistance method |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Binaural hearing assistance operation |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Wearable band for facilitating hearing |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Acoustically transparent barrier layer to seal audio transducers |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Self-fitting in-canal component and hearing assistance device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Hearing aid |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Equipment for programming a hearing aid and a hearing aid |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Adjustable securing mechanism |
Eargo Inc. (San Jose, CA) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Hearing augmentation systems and methods |
K/S HIMPP (Lynge, DK) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Audio listening system |
Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Ear cleaner |
Quest Products LLC (Pleasant Prairie, WI) |
5/07/2019 |
|
|
Personal EEG monitoring device with electrode validation |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for treating ear infections |
Try This First Inc. (Walnut Creek, CA) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Wearable gym |
Cordero, John (Arlington, TX) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Behind the ear gesture control for a head mountable device |
Google LLC (Mountain View, CA) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Wireless ear buds |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Method of mounting a hearing device component inside a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Speech processor cases |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Sub tragus ear unit |
Freebit AS (Oslo, NO) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Hearing protection headset |
Honeywell International Inc (Morris Plains, NJ) |
5/14/2019 |
|
|
Wearable customized ear canal apparatus |
EarLens Corporations (Menlo Park, CA) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Automated inner ear diagnoses |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Ear sensor |
Masimo Corporation (Irvine, CA) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Ear insert for relief TMJ discomfort and headaches |
Renew Group Private Limited (Singapore, SG) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Controlling ear stimulation in response to a status of a subject |
Elwha LLC (Bellevue, WA) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Methods and systems for neural stimulation via auditory stimulation |
Cognito Therapeutics Inc. (Newton, MA) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Hearing device with bowtie antenna optimized for specific band |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Antenna for use in a wearable device |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Communication device and methods for use by hearing impaired |
Ultratec Inc. (Madison, WI) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Transparent hearing aid and method for fitting same |
Meyer Sound Laboratories Inc. (Berkeley, CA) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Hearing device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Bone conduction hearing aid system |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Hearing aid |
Applicant: de Neufville, David (Califon, NJ) |
5/21/2019 |
|
|
Electrophysiological method for assessing the effectiveness of a hearing aid |
Hospices Civils de Lyon (Lyons, FR) and Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (Villeurbanne, FR) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Apparatus and method for natural cure of middle ear infections without antibiotics |
Applicant: Singhal, Tara Chand |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Dynamic stimulation channel selection |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Magnet installation systems and methods for use with cochlear implants |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Cochlear implants having MRI-compatible magnet apparatus and associated methods |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Multi-electrode channel configurations |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Listening device and a method of monitoring the fitting of an ear mould of a listening device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Binaural cochlear implant processing |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Feedback path evaluation based on an adaptive system |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Method for operating a hearing device |
Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Hearing device and method of updating a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Hearing assistance system and method |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Charging protocol for rechargable hearing systems |
EarLens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
RF antenna and hearing device with RF antenna |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Magnetic user interface controls |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Hearing device with detachable speaker unit |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Passive vibration cancellation system for microphone assembly |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Head wearable acoustic system with noise canceling microphone geometry apparatuses and methods |
Kopin Corporation (Westborough, MA) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Secure authorization in an implantable medical device system |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Cassette with magnet |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
|
|
Bracket for a sound processor and a coil |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/28/2019 |
Holly Hosford-Dunn, PhD, owned and operated a dispensing audiology practice in Tucson and was active in management of HearingHealthMatters.org through 2017. She holds BA degrees in Communication Sciences, Psychology and Economics; MA in Communication Disorders; PhD in Hearing Sciences. Following post-doctoral work at Max Planck Institute (Munich, DE) and Eaton-Peabody Auditory Physiology Lab (Boston), she joined the Stanford medical school faculty as director of audiology. She has authored/edited numerous text books, chapters, journals, and articles and taught Marketing and Practice Management in a variety of academic settings. She continues to consult and write on topics related to hearing health care vis-à-vis consumer demands, professional training, technological advancement, capital investment, industry consolidation, regulatory control, product and service distribution, and strategic pricing.
