Wearable Programmable Tactile Speech Aid for Deaf People

聋人可穿戴可编程触觉语音辅助器

• 批准号: 6795524
• 负责人: FRANK GENTGES
• 金额: $ 12.49万
• 依托单位: COULTER ASSOCIATES, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1996
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1996-08-15 至 2006-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6795524
• 关键词: audiometry; awareness; biomedical equipment development; computer program /software; deaf aid; electrotactile communication; infant human (0-1 year); miniature biomedical equipment; newborn human (0-6 weeks); sound

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Phase II program has two key aspects: Coulter Associates will build on its successful SBIR Phase I wristwatch device to develop an innovative and even more highly miniaturized tactile device specifically for infants. This device will provide vibrotactile stimulation on the infant's forearm to create an awareness of their acoustic and speech environment. This device will be self contained, non-invasive and will fundamentally do no harm whether the infant is deaf or normal hearing. The second aspect is to use subjects referred from Virginia's Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program and whose parents volunteer for a pilot study from birth to 7 months. The subjects that screen for the program will be fitted with a continuously worn infant vibrotactile aid at the first week after birth. The program will conduct Visual Reinforcement Audiometry and Heart Rate Audiometry tests to assure the infant's response to the acoustic environment at 3, 6 and 7 months after birth. If successful, this SBIR program will make available means to improve the early pre-language neural development of deaf infants which should result in improved language development that more closely approximate that for normal hearing infants. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The proposed Pilot Test will provide a basis on which to evaluate the value of fitting all hearing impaired newborn infants with an infant vibrotactile aid. The aid does no harm in cases of false positives and does not preclude any later intervention options. The infant device will be suitable for mass production as a low cost consumer electronic device for dispensing by audiological professionals.

描述（由申请人提供）：第二阶段计划有两个关键方面：Coulter Associates将在其成功的SBIR I期手表设备上建立，以开发专门针对婴儿的创新且更高级的触觉设备。该设备将对婴儿的前臂提供纤维状刺激，以使其对声音和语音环境有所了解。该设备将是自由的，无创的，并且从根本上讲不会造成婴儿聋人或正常听力的伤害。 第二个方面是使用弗吉尼亚州通用新生儿听力筛查计划中提到的主题，其父母自愿从出生到7个月进行试点研究。该程序屏幕的受试者将在出生后的第一周配备连续穿着的婴儿颤振援助。该程序将进行视觉增强的听力计和心率听力测试测试，以确保婴儿出生后3、6和7个月对婴儿对声学环境的反应。 如果成功的话，该SBIR计划将提供可用的手段来改善聋哑婴儿的早期语言神经发育，这应该改善语言发展，这对正常的听力婴儿更接近近似。 拟议的商业应用：拟议的试点测试将提供一个基础，以评估适合所有听力障碍婴儿使用婴儿颤振援助的新生婴儿的价值。 在误报情况下，援助不会造成伤害，也不排除任何以后的干预选择。 婴儿装置将适合大规模生产，作为低成本的消费电子设备，可通过听力学专业人员发放。