Systems and methods for simulating a tympanic membrane
AssigneeOtoNexus Medical Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Moehring, George Gates, Charlie Corredor, Chad J. Macdonald
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a device for modeling properties of an ear. The device includes an artificial tympanic membrane and a housing coupled to the artificial tympanic membrane. The housing defines an interior portion coupled to an interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane. The interior portion has an adjustable volume or an adjustable type of fluid and an adjustable gas pressure. Adjustment of the volume or type of fluid and the gas pressure changes a membrane movement to produce selected movement properties according to a mobility scale.
Claims19
A method of testing an otoscope using a model ear, including an artificial tympanic membrane, the method comprising:
- (i) providing an artificial tympanic membrane;
- (ii) adjusting a volume of or a type of liquid proximate an interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane;
- (iii) adjusting a pressure of gas proximate an interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane so as to controllably change a membrane movement of the artificial tympanic membrane to controllably mimic an ultrasound reflectivity of a healthy state of an ear;
- and
- (iv) adjusting the pressure of gas proximate to the interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane so as to controllably change the membrane movement of the artificial tympanic membrane to controllably mimic an ultrasound reflectivity of a disease state of the ear,
- wherein the disease state is a bacterial or a viral ear infection;
- wherein the adjusting of the volume or the type of liquid in (ii) and the adjusting of the pressure of gas in (iii), (iv), or in both (iii) and (iv) changes the membrane movement to produce selected movement properties according to a mobility scale.
A method of testing an otoscope using a model ear, including an artificial tympanic membrane, the method comprising:
- (i) providing an artificial tympanic membrane;
- (ii) adjusting a volume of or a type of liquid proximate an interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane;
- (iii) adjusting a pressure of gas proximate an interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane so as to controllably change a membrane movement of the artificial tympanic membrane to controllably mimic an ultrasound reflectivity of a healthy state of an ear;
- and
- (iv) adjusting the pressure of gas proximate to the interior surface of the artificial tympanic membrane so as to controllably change the membrane movement of the artificial tympanic membrane to controllably mimic an ultrasound reflectivity of a disease state of the ear, wherein the disease state is a bacterial or a viral ear infection;
- wherein the adjusting of two or more of the volume of liquid in (ii), the type of liquid in (ii), or the pressure of gas in (iii), (iv), or in both (iii) and (iv) changes a membrane deflection or the membrane movement to controllably mimic the ultrasound reflectivity of the disease state of the ear.
A system for simulating a tympanic membrane, the system comprising:
- a main chamber;
- a membrane, wherein the membrane is supported within the main chamber, wherein the membrane separates an interior of the main chamber from an exterior of the main chamber, and wherein the membrane is secured by a membrane clamp;
- and
- an elastomeric spring, wherein the elastomeric spring is coupled to the membrane and wherein the elastomeric spring is secured by a spring clamp;
- wherein at least one of a mass of the membrane, a damping of the elastomeric spring, a spring rate, a pressure in the interior of the main chamber, and an amount of liquid in the interior of the main chamber are selectively controlled first to mimic an ultrasound reflectivity of a healthy state of an ear and second to mimic an ultrasound reflectivity of a disease state of the ear, wherein the disease state is a bacterial or a viral ear infection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.