Bionic cochlea with fluid filled tube
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorEdward F. Downs, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bionic cochlea includes a fluid filled vessel having a window disposed in one of its walls and a flexible fluid filled tube in fluid communication at one end with the vessel through the window. The other end of the tube has a diaphragm in communication with the ossicles of a mammalian ear. The diaphragm flexes when exposed to an acoustic pulse to produce an acoustic pressure pulse in the fluid inside the tube and vessel. A plurality of piezoelectric nanowires is disposed within the fluid filled vessel. The nanowires vibrate in response to at least one predetermined wavelength in the acoustic pressure pulse transmitting through the fluid and produce electrical signals. Electrical wires in communication with the nanowires receive the electrical signals and pass these signals to the mammalian auditory nerve.
Claims22
A bionic cochlea comprising:
- an enclosed fluid filled vessel comprising walls, each of the walls having an interior surface;
- a first window disposed in one of the walls;
- a flexible fluid filled tube in fluid communication with the fluid filled vessel at the first window, the flexible fluid filled tube comprising a first end attached to the first window and a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a thin diaphragm that flexes when exposed to an acoustic pulse to produce an acoustic pressure pulse in the fluid inside the flexible fluid filled tube and the vessel;
- a plurality of piezoelectric nanowires disposed within the fluid filled vessel and extending from the walls of the fluid filled vessel, each of the nanowires having a first end fixed to one of the interior surfaces and an unattached second end extending into the interior of the vessel, the length of each of the plurality of piezoelectric nanowires selected to vibrate in response to at least one predetermined wavelength in the acoustic pressure pulse, thereby producing an electrical signal;
- and
- at least one electrical wire in communication with the plurality of piezoelectric nanowires to receive the produced electrical signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.