Abstract: A hearing aid device for placement in an ear of a user includes an elongate support and a transducer. The elongate support has a proximal portion and a distal end, and the transducer is attached to the elongate support near the distal end. The support is adapted to position the transducer near an eardrum while the proximal portion is placed at the location near an ear canal opening. The elongate support is sized to minimize contact with the ear between the proximal portion and distal end. The elongate support permits sound waves to travel along the ear canal. In some embodiments, a microphone is positioned in the ear canal along the support, for example inside the support, to provide directionally dependent sound localization cues, and the transducer on the distal end of the elongate support comprises a coil assembly coupled to a magnet positioned on the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: Apparatus for directly stimulating a tympanic membrane or other acoustic member comprising a support with a plurality of activatable elements. The support can be mounted on the tympanic membrane and the activatable elements are distributed on the support to provide a distributed vibration to the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: A hearing aid device for placement in an ear of a user includes an elongate support and a transducer. The elongate support has a proximal portion and a distal end, and the transducer is attached to the elongate support near the distal end. The support is adapted to position the transducer near an eardrum while the proximal portion is placed at the location near an ear canal opening. The elongate support is sized to minimize contact with the ear between the proximal portion and distal end. The elongate support permits sound waves to travel along the ear canal. In some embodiments, a microphone is positioned in the ear canal along the support, for example inside the support, to provide directionally dependent sound localization cues, and the transducer on the distal end of the elongate support comprises a coil assembly coupled to a magnet positioned on the tympanic membrane.

Abstract: A technique allows a web site visitor, or other user of a consumer electronic device that is remote from a hearing test server, to calibrate the device in a self-administered fashion, and to apply the calibration in measuring their hearing loss. The measurements can be applied as a hearing profile having a level of quality which can be used for customizing audio products. Audio resources on consumer electronic device such as a home computer, a hand-held computing platform, a mobile phone, or other device that includes audio resources sufficient to support self-administered hearing tests are calibrated. The method includes prompting a user of the device to make a calibration sound using an item likely to be available to the user, other than audio resources on the device. Next, a calibration test using the audio resources on the device to calibrate the device with reference to the calibration sound is run.