SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project, Diaphonic Valve on a Chip, Harvesting Energy from Audio to Couple Communications into the Ear, studies production of chip-like substrates containing Diaphonic Valves. These components harvest energy from audio communications for the purpose of inflating a coupling device in a user's ear. The inflatable coupling is being developed for communications systems (Multimedia Players, Bluetooth headsets, hearing aids, and communications headsets), but the key to making it all work is the Diaphonic Valve. Present embodiments of diaphonic valves are small but macroscopic devices that work in conjunction with an electrically-actuated acoustic sound source. This project will improve understanding of the mechanics of the Diaphonic Valve, miniaturize its mechanism, and organizing Diaphonic Valves on chips for efficient manufacturing and utilization. The inflatable coupling of a communications device to the ear, which is enabled by the Diaphonic Valve, addresses longstanding problems with in-ear devices. This ear-coupling technology is more comfortable than any currently on the market, produces extremely high fidelity audio, reduces listener fatigue and protects from hearing damage, and is less expensive than alternative ear couplings of similar quality like custom ear molds used in hearing aids. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is revolutionary new person-to-audio couplings in consumer audio, Bluetooth headsets, hearing aids, and headsets for professional communications (such as pilots, law enforcement, and military applications). This technology has the ability to reduce listener fatigue and hearing damage in the population using in-ear devices, as well as making hearing aids more comfortable for people who already have hearing loss. The strategy to bring this technology to these various markets is to partner with established companies, thereby capitalizing on established sales channels and customer name recognition. The unique system components of the technology (the inflatable ear coupling bubbles and the Diaphonic Valves) will be manufactured and supplied to companies that have licensed the technology. The market for this technology in the hearing aid sector alone could be $5M to $20M in five years. Consumer audio represents a significantly larger market. The first such business arrangement is being finalized with a well known maker of consumer and professional audio headphones. The success of this project will create engineering and business sector jobs as well as manufacturing jobs. Near term, the Phase I project includes funding for a high school student or college undergraduate to participate in the research

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on coupling sound to the human ear for communications devices (MP3, Bluetooth, hearing aids, headsets, earbuds) with unprecedented comfort, safety and audio quality. A chip-like device, the diaphonic valve, for harvesting energy from audio communications for the purpose of inflating a coupling device (balloon) in the user's ear has been demonstrated. This inflatable ear coupling mitigates excessive sound pressure levels that often occur within-ear listening devices, such as ear-buds and hearing aids, and which are a cause of audio fatigue and potential hearing damage. Diaphonic valve design has been dramatically improved making it smaller and more effective at pumping air. In this project, production of the critical diaphonic valve-chip component will be increased to a small scale manufacturing level. Additionally, the pressure and power utilization management hardware and algorithms to integrate the diaphonic valve and inflatable ear coupling (bubble) into commercial headsets, and hearing aids will be developed. Finally, work will be done on a non-inflatable ear couple technology, discovered during Phase I of this project, which also improves audio quality and hearing safety. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project centers on revolutionary new person-to-audio couplings, based on an inflatable ear-piece, with applications in consumer audio, Bluetooth headsets, hearing aids, ear-buds, and headsets for professional communications (pilots, law enforcement, military, etc.). This technology has the potential to improve peoples lives by reducing listener fatigue and hearing damage in the population using in-ear devices, as well as making hearing aids more comfortable and better sounding for people who already have hearing loss. Published results from Phase I have shown how existing ear coupling approaches can produce dangerous sound pressures in the ear canal and how the technologies of this project allow ear couplings that alleviate this problem. The first embodiment of this new technology to the market will be a basic version applied to consumer headsets (ear-buds). From there, more complex applications, such as hearing aids, will be addressed. The success of this project will create engineering and business sector jobs as well as manufacturing jobs. The project also includes funding for a high school student or college undergraduate to participate in the research and development activities.