Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology (재활복지공학회논문지)

Rehabilitation Engineering And Assistive Technology Society of Korea (한국재활복지공학회)
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Proposition of a Vibration Based Acceleration Sensor for the Fully Implantable Hearing Aid

완전 이식형 보청기를 위한 진동 기반의 가속도 센서 제안

  • 신동호 (경북대학교 의공학연구소 리서치펠로우) ;
  • 문하준 (경북대학교 대학원 전자공학부) ;
  • 성기웅 (경북대학교병원 의공학과) ;
  • 조진호 (경북대학교 IT대학 전자공학부)
  • Received : 2017.03.28
  • Accepted : 2017.04.19
  • Published : 2017.05.31
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Abstract

The hybrid acoustic sensor for implantable hearing aid has the structure in which a sound pressure based acoustic sensor (ECM) and a vibration based acceleration sensor are combined. This sensor combines the low frequency sensitivity of an acoustic sensor with the high frequency sensitivity of an acceleration sensor, allowing the acquisition of a wide range of sound from low to high frequency. In this paper, an acceleration sensor for use in a hybrid acoustic sensor has been proposed. The acceleration sensor captures the vibration of the tympanic membrane generated by the acoustic signal. The size of the proposed acceleration sensor was determined to diameter of 3.2 mm considering the anatomical structure of the tympanic membrane and the standard of ECM. In order to make the hybrid acoustic sensor have high sensitivity and wide bandwidth characteristics, the aim of the resonance frequency of the acceleration sensor is to be generated at about 3.5 kHz. The membrane of the acceleration sensor derives geometric structure through mathematical model and finite element analysis. Based on the analysis results, the membrane was implemented through a chemical etching process. In order to verify the frequency characteristics of the implemented membrane, vibration measurement experiment using external force was performed. The experiment results showed mechanical resonance of the membrane occurred at 3.4 kHz. Therefore, it is considered that the proposed acceleration sensor can be utilized for a hybrid acoustic sensor.

하이브리드 음향센서 (hybrid acoustic sensor)는 음압 기반의 음향센서 (ECM)와 진동 기반의 가속도 센서(acceleration sensor)가 접목된 구조이다. 이는 음향센서의 저주파 대역 감도와 가속도 센서의 고주파 대역 감도를 결합하여 저주파에서 고주파 대역까지 광범위하게 음향을 포집할 수 있다. 본 논문에서는 하이브리드 음향센서에 사용되는 가속도 센서를 제안하였다. 가속도 센서는 음향신호에 의해 발생되는 고막의 진동을 포집한다. 제안된 가속도 센서의 사이즈는 고막의 해부학적 구조와 음향센서인 ECM의 규격을 고려하여 직경 3.2 mm로 결정하였다. 그리고 하이브리드 음향센서가 고감도 광대역 특성을 가지도록 하기 위해서는 가속도 센서의 공진 주파수는 3.5 kHz 부근에서 생성되는 것을 목표로 하였다. 가속도 센서를 구성하는 진동막은 수학적 모델과 유한요소 해석을 통하여 기하학적 구조를 도출하였다. 이를 바탕으로 화학적 식각공정을 이용하여 진동막을 제작하였다. 그리고 제작된 진동막의 주파수 특성을 확인하기 위하여 외력에 의한 진동 측정 실험을 수행하였고, 실험 결과 진동막의 기계적 공진은 3.4 kHz에서 발생되었다. 그러므로 제안한 가속도 센서는 하이브리드 음향센서에 유용하게 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

Keywords

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