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 the neck or body comprising:
- a set of microphones for receiving audio vibrations to generate corresponding electrical signals;
- a head fixture for supporting the 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 microphones when the microphones arc applied to a patient's head using the head fixture to combine the electrical signals tor isolating sound generated in a predetermined region of interest within a patient's head and outputting an audio representation of the isolated sound.
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 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 microphones when applied to a patient's head using the head fixture to combine the electrical signals for isolating sound generated in a predetermined region of interest within a patient's head and outputting an audio representation of the isolated sound, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning the head fixture and microphones on a patient's head:
- (b) acquiring electrical signals from the microphone during a predetermined activity by the patient;:
- (c) processing the electrical signals on the signal processing circuit to isolate sounds from a predetermined region of interest within the patient's head;
- and
- (d) reviewing the output sounds from the predetermined region for clinical diagnosis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.