Optimization design of floating mass type piezoelectric actuator for implantable middle ear hearing devices

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Journal of Vibration and Shock ›› 2015, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (5) : 135-140.

To optimize the implantable performance of the floating mass type piezoelectric actuator for implantable hearing devices, a displacement amplifier was designed to improve the out characteristics of the actuator. Firstly, a finite element model of the human ear consisting of the external ear canal, middle ear and simplified cochlea was constructed via micro-computer tomography imaging and reverse engineering. The validity of the model was completed through comparing the model-derived results with experimental data. Then an ear-actuator coupled mechanical model was developed, and the multi-field coupling was used to study the implantable performance of the actuator before and after the displacement amplifier was considered. The results showed that the adoption of the displacement amplifier could increase the equivalent sound pressure level of the actuator in the middle and high frequency range, and the power consumption could effectively be reduced at the same time.

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Abstract

To optimize the implantable performance of the floating mass type piezoelectric actuator for implantable hearing devices, a displacement amplifier was designed to improve the out characteristics of the actuator. Firstly, a finite element model of the human ear consisting of the external ear canal, middle ear and simplified cochlea was constructed via micro-computer tomography imaging and reverse engineering. The validity of the model was completed through comparing the model-derived results with experimental data. Then an ear-actuator coupled mechanical model was developed, and the multi-field coupling was used to study the implantable performance of the actuator before and after the displacement amplifier was considered. The results showed that the adoption of the displacement amplifier could increase the equivalent sound pressure level of the actuator in the middle and high frequency range, and the power consumption could effectively be reduced at the same time.

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implantable hearing devices / piezoelectric actuator / finite element modeling / displacement amplifier

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Jiabin Tian1, Zhushi Rao1, Na Ta1, Lifu Xu1 . Optimization design of floating mass type piezoelectric actuator for implantable middle ear hearing devices[J]. Journal of Vibration and Shock, 2015, 34(5): 135-140

References

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