Head mounted microphone array for tinnitus diagnosis
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorBurke S. Richmond
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three-dimensional, head mounted microphone array is employed to isolate and analyze intracranial sound sources such as may provide for objective tinnitus. The microphone array allows a region of interest within the patient's head to be isolated for the detection of sounds and allows episodic sounds to be automatically identified as to location. An interactive display allows a better understanding of sound locations and the extracted sounds can be analyzed with respect to a library of sounds linked to particular locations and diagnoses.
Claims21
A clinical apparatus for measurements of sounds generated within a patient's head or transmitted from a neck or body comprising:
- a set of microphones for receiving audio vibrations to generate corresponding electrical signals;
- a head fixture for supporting the set of microphones in contact with the patient's head at a set of predetermined locations dispersed in three dimensions;
- a signal processing circuit receiving the electrical signals from the set of microphones when the set of microphones are applied to the patient's head using the head fixture to combine the electrical signals for isolating sound generated in a selected region of interest of multiple selectable regions within the patient's head less than an entire volume of the patient's head, the isolated sound being sound isolated from sounds emanating outside of the selected region of interest through a phase cancellation process;
- a display providing an output to an operator identifying a location of the selected region of interest;
- and
- an audio transducer receiving the isolated sound and outputting the isolated sound from the selected region of interest to be perceptible as sound by a human.
A method of clinical measurements of sounds generated within a patient's head employing:
- a set of microphones for receiving audio vibrations to generate corresponding electrical signals;
- a head fixture for supporting the set of microphones in contact with the patient's head at a set of predetermined locations dispersed in three dimensions;
- and
- a signal processing circuit receiving the electrical signals from the set of microphones when applied to the patient's head using the head fixture to combine the electrical signals for isolating sound generated in a selected region of interest of multiple selectable regions within the patient's head less than an entire volume of the patient's head, the isolated sound being sound isolated from sounds emanating outside of the selected region of interest through a phase cancellation process, outputting to an operator a location of the selected region of interest, and outputting an audio representation of the isolated sound from the selected region of interest to be perceptible as sound by human, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning the head fixture and the set of microphones on the patient's head;
- (b) acquiring electrical signals from the set of microphones during a predetermined activity by the patient;
- (c) processing the electrical signals on the signal processing circuit to isolate sounds from the selected region of interest less than an entire volume of the patient's head within the patient's head, the isolated sound being sound isolated from sounds emanating outside of the selected region of interest through the phase cancellation process;
- (d) displaying an output to the operator identifying the location of the selected region of interest;
- and
- (e) outputting the isolated sounds from the selected region of interest from the predetermined region using an audio transducer presenting the isolated sound in a form perceptible as sound by a human for clinical diagnosis of patient perceived intracranial sounds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.