Tympanic-ossicular prostheses and MEMS technology: whats and whys

Urquiza, Rafael Vera; López, Javier Bayod; González-Herrera, Antonio; Povedano, Valerio; Ciges, M

doi:10.1080/00016480802579033

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Additionally, low power consumption for increased battery life, geometry and size control, integration to on-chip circuits, and potentially low cost using batch fabrication are a must for specifying the device [28]. Piezoelectric actuators need high voltages during operation to reach high deflection rates, while high output sound pressure levels (SPLs) are needed in typical loudspeakers.…”

Section: A Transduction Principle and Device Specifications Toward Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hearing aids, for example, are evolving from traditional loudspeakers located at the external ear to implantable prostheses at the cost of stringent requirements in biocompatibility, miniaturization, and power handling. Different technologies have been investigated to build implantable middle-ear hearing aids, like electromagnetic [25]- [27] and piezoelectric transducers [28]. Such implantable devices aim to reconstruct the sound transmission mechanism in diseases related to ossicular problems, like elasticity loss of bone chain or breaking out of some of its components.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thin-Film Piezoelectric MEMS Transducer Suitable for Middle-Ear Audio Prostheses

Campanella

Camargo

Garcia

et al. 2012

J. Microelectromech. Syst.

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We report a thin-film piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) transducer suitable for in vivo implantation as audio prosthesis and a method for fabricating it. The transducer consists of a layered stack of thin films comprising a MEMS membrane made of an isolating oxide interface; two platinum (Pt) layers acting as electrodes, electrical paths, and contacting pads; a thin-film sputtered aluminum nitride (AlN) layer acting as acoustic active material of the transducer; a passivation layer for device protection; and a 3-D micromachined acoustic cavity fabricated on the bulk of a silicon-on-insulator supporting substrate. The transducer has a reduced size and a low cost associated with CMOS-like mass production. Finite-element modeling and experimental tests conducted at the audio and ultrasonic bands show that the device has the performance required in audio prosthesis applications. The technology offers possibilities for biocompatibility or biocompatible packaging and is integrable to microelectronic circuit technologies.[ 2012-0004]Index Terms-Aluminum nitride (AlN) devices and transducers, implantable audio prostheses, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) transducer, piezoelectric transducers.

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Section: A Transduction Principle and Device Specifications Toward Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thin-Film Piezoelectric MEMS Transducer Suitable for Middle-Ear Audio Prostheses

Campanella

Camargo

Garcia

et al. 2012

J. Microelectromech. Syst.

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show abstract

“…Electromagnetics-based middle ear implants [4,5] and Piezoelectric [6,7] have been developed for hearing loss gain. Such techniques, however, do not offer protection from damage to cochlear hair cells in hearing loss.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation of Sensitivity of a MEMS Capacitive Accelerometer Based Microphone with Suspension System Topology

Dwivedi¹,

Asthana²,

Khanna³

et al. 2021

Hearing Loss - From Multidisciplinary Teamwork to Public Health

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The present research seeks to improve a highly sensitive MEMS capacitive accelerometer as a probable completely implantable hearing aid microphone. The research analyses the effect of different suspension system topologies on accelerometer efficiency. The topology of folded beam suspension is considered to be the most suitable for the proposed system. The design factors such as weight, height and resonant frequency are considered to make the accelerometer an effective biomedical system which can be completely implanted with COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS 4.2 the optimized system is simulated and validated. The accelerometer occupies 1mm2 of sensing area and achieves a nominal capacitance of 5.30 pF and an optimized capacitive sensitivity of 6.89fF.

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“…2b that selecting a device with an h pl (plate thickness) between 1 and 2 mm would be within our requirements. Fabrication process: The middle ear audio prosthesis is conceived as an implantable MEMS device [4]. Figs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Piezo-actuator MEMS to substitute tympanic-ossicular system

López-García

Daza

Campanella

et al. 2011

Electronics Letters

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A micro-machined transducer and sensor for a new implantable audioprosthesis to substitute the human tympanic-ossicular system has been developed. The device is intended to restore hearing by implanting it in patients with a damaged or surgically removed ossicular chain. Different configurations of devices have been analysed. The proposed piezo-actuator has a diameter of 1.0 mm with a total thickness of 3.5 mm, which reaches deformations of up 16.8 nm with a typical excitation of 3 V.Introduction: Between the tympanic membrane and the cochlea is a three-bone mechanical linkage called the ossicular chain, which mechanically couples the tympanic membrane to the fluid-filled cochlea. One of these bones is the stapes, which contacts with the oval window in the cochlea. The stapes is moved practically like a piston over the cochlear fluid stimulating the nerves and driving the sound information to the brain. Many diseases affect the sound transmission process by damaging the tympanic-ossicular chain. Moreover, during their surgical treatment it could be necessary to completely or partially resect it. Many researches have tried to reconstruct the sound transmission mechanism by means of ear hearing aids; the more common types have been electromagnetic and piezoelectric systems [1,2].In this Letter a piezoelectric actuator is described, which could be directly connected to the oval or round window using a titanium screw similar to that used by dentists. This piezo-actuator will substitute the ossicular chain as it translates the electrical energy into vibrational energy. Normally, piezoelectric actuators in the audio field require high-voltage operation to reach high deflection rates, but the requirements in our actuator are not so high. For example, sound pressure levels of normal conversation occur at 60 dB SPL, while the discomfort threshold for most humans is between 105 and 120 dB SPL, but the stapes displacement for 80 dB is around 10 -20 nm [3].

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Tympanic-ossicular prostheses and MEMS technology: whats and whys

Cited by 7 publications

References 6 publications

Thin-Film Piezoelectric MEMS Transducer Suitable for Middle-Ear Audio Prostheses

Thin-Film Piezoelectric MEMS Transducer Suitable for Middle-Ear Audio Prostheses

Variation of Sensitivity of a MEMS Capacitive Accelerometer Based Microphone with Suspension System Topology

Piezo-actuator MEMS to substitute tympanic-ossicular system

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