Abstract: A pull string for a hearing instrument may be attached to an anchor positioned on the inside wall of the hearing instrument shell. Collision detection may be utilized to determine a location for the anchor and the pull string.

Abstract: A hearing aid with a microphone for receiving acoustic signals and converting them to electrical signals, electronic circuitry for processing the electrical signals, and a speaker for converting the processed electrical signals into acoustic signals, has a shell that encases at least portions of the microphone, the electronic circuitry, and the speaker, the shell further encasing an inside volume. The hearing aid further has a vent that provides an opening between the inside volume and a region external to the hearing aid. A flexible membrane is provided that covers an opening of the vent and an acoustic resistor that contacts the flexible membrane. The membrane helps prevent wax fumes from entering the inside volume, and the acoustic resistor helps to reduce distortion in the frequency response of the hearing aid.

Abstract: A CIC hearing instrument and appertaining method are provided that improve feedback stability. Accordingly, the microphone inlet is located on the faceplate of the instrument at a position of least vibration. Furthermore, the receiver is located in the device such that its vibrating membrane is parallel to a plane calculated to include a line of minimal vibration on the faceplate and a center of gravity for the instrument.

Abstract: Detected lung nodules are presented in a chest radiographic sub-image. A curve is matched to pixels in the sub-image and confidence values for individual pixels is determined. A confidence image is generated consisting of the confidence values at the position of the respective pixel. Separated regions of pixels within the confidence image are identified which have a confidence value greater than a threshold confidence value. A filtered confidence image is generated consisting of the separated regions of the confidence image which are larger than a threshold area. A histogram of values characteristic for the matching of the curve is determined, wherein the filtered confidence image is used as a mask, such that only values are considered for the histogram which correspond to the separated regions of the filtered confidence image. A statistical measure of the histogram is determined and the lung nodules are verified based on the statistical measure.

Abstract: A small hearing aid is provided which fits completely in an ear canal of a user wherein a shell as an outer housing of the hearing aid is shaped to closely surround components of the hearing aid to provide a gap between the hearing canal inner walls and the shell to allow flow of air when the hearing aid is mounted in the ear by a mounting element connected to the shell. The mounting element is provided with at least one aperture to allow the air flow. In a fabricating method, an image of the shell is shrunk to closely surround the hearing aid components while maintaining a shape of the ear canal to assure a custom fit.

Abstract: In a system and method for open fitting hearing aid frequency response sound measurements, a test space is provided having located therein a sound source, a hearing aid with a microphone, and an open fit receiver. An acoustic shield is provided and within the acoustic shield an ear simulator coupler is provided having an ear extension attached thereto, the ear extension having mounted thereto at least a portion of the open fit receiver. A measurement unit receives sound signals from the ear simulator coupler.

Abstract: A method and appertaining assembly are provided for CIC hearing aid manufacture for the placement of floating components. A hearing aid shell fixture is formed that comprises an interior region identical in shape and size to an interior region of an actual hearing aid shell, and a replica of one or more shell components that is positioned so as to replicate a position and size of one or more real shell components in the actual hearing aid shell. The hearing aid shell fixture is placed onto a faceplate assembly that comprises a floating component, and a position of the floating component is adjusted to avoid contact with the replica of one or more shell components. The hearing aid shell fixture on the faceplate is subsequently replaced with the actual hearing aid shell.

Abstract: In order to reduce feedback in a hearing aid, a hearing aid receiver is provided that comprises a housing having an inside surface and an outside surface, a motor, an active armature that is attached to the motor and attached to the inside surface of the housing, the active armature being driven in a vibrational manner by the motor, and an external passive component that is attached to the outside surface of the housing, the external passive component designed to vibrate in a direction opposed to vibrations of the active armature. A corresponding method for operating such a hearing aid receives is also provided.

Abstract: The compliance of a receiver tube for a hearing instrument may be enhanced by fabricating it as a composite assembly of a tube and a compliant insulator positioned between the tube and the receiver. The material of the insulator is selected such that it has a greater compliance than that of the tube.

Abstract: A method and appertaining system provide for automatically adding a wax guard to a hearing aid shell impression. The location of a canal, tip of the canal, and central line of the impression are automatically identified in a digital 3D representation of a hearing aid shell impression. A first wax guard plane is determined at a predefined flip distance from the canal tip along the central line, and a second wax guard plane is determined at a predefined canal tip offset distance from the canal tip along the central line. A size and position for a feature of the wax guard is calculated based on predefined parameters, and the wax guard is constructed utilizing the calculated side and position. The type of wax guard can be a bell bore design, an open design, a Philip design, or a flip design.

Abstract: The capabilities of a helix hearing instrument may expanded with a behind-the-ear accessory module. The module accommodates additional batteries and a variety of accessory functions including an external volume control.

Abstract: A receiver tube for a hearing instrument may be securely affixed to the instruments receiver with a retaining clamp. Such an arrangement facilitates assembly and repair, and provides a positive means for the securing the receiver tube.

Abstract: A vent having a reduced cross-section or taper permits the fabrication of very small hearing instruments while providing the necessary openings for the receiver tube and the vent in the tip of the instrument. The reduced cross-section provides sufficient clearance for the full cross-section of the receiver tube, without sacrificing the performance of the vent. The modified vent may be created in a CAD environment using Boolean modeling operations.

Abstract: To prevent stereo lithography (SLA) support structures for parts fabricated in an SLA apparatus from interfering with features in the parts, a structural shield such as a dome may be place around the feature and then discarded at the conclusion of the SLA process.

Abstract: A construction of a CIC instrument is provided, along with a corresponding method of manufacturing such a CIC instrument, that prevents floating components from contacting with an isolated receiver and, therefore, assures feedback-free operation. This is achieved through the presence of a compartment for the receiver in which the receiver resides, and a cover placed on top of the receiver compartment in a mating recess of the receiver compartment.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically determining the position of and placing a faceplate assembly on a hearing instrument shell that takes into account patient anatomical features. These anatomical features of the shell are used as landmarks for ensuring that the final position of the faceplate on the hearing instrument is optimized both in terms of esthetics and increased comfort. The protocols defined herein take advantage of the intrinsic features of the human ear anatomy and the geometry of the electronic components to ensure that design and manufacturing of ITEs are optimized for efficiency and the process can be completely automated to ensure consistence and practice reproducibility.

Abstract: A system and appertaining algorithm provide a cutting and shaping of the hearing aid shell using an Ellipsoidal Line Cut that increases the speed of detailing operations and enables a creation of more cosmetically appealing shells. A contour algorithm determines a projected contour on the bottom cut plane that corresponds in shape to a portion of the line cut plane contour, and a merger algorithm defines a line cut surface between the portion of the line cut plane contour and the projected contour. An elimination algorithm eliminates parts of the new hearing aid shell design that extend beyond boundaries defined by the original hearing aid shell design.

Abstract: A wireless virtual local area network (VLAN) and a device selectively connecting to the wireless VLAN over a second wireless network that may be independent of the wireless VLAN. The device is capable of connecting to at least the wireless VLAN and to the second wireless network. Wireless VLAN access points are each connected to an Ethernet aggregation switch, which is VLAN aware and matches client traffic from connected access points with access VLANs. A wireless VLAN switch maintains an association table between access VLANs and core VLANs. The second wireless network may be remotely connected over the Internet or a private network to a tunnel endpoint. The tunnel endpoint is connected to the VLAN switch, which uses the association table to manage free-form client traffic between connected devices and other mobile stations at access VLANs and appropriate core VLANs.

Abstract: A system and method is presented for establishing a secure conduit for SMS communication between a center and a wireless terminal. The center encrypts an authorization key in response to a wireless terminal's SMS message containing a public key and a request for the authorization key, sends back to the wireless terminal an SMS message containing the encrypted authorization key, decrypts another SMS message received from the wireless terminal which contains an authentication code and a request for a traffic key, authenticates the SMS message, encrypts the traffic key, and sends to the wireless terminal another SMS message containing the traffic key.

Abstract: A service and apparatus for enabling supplementary service functions, such as call parking, to be implemented in a communication network having one or more servers. The call parking service is adapted to enable the called party to park the call anywhere within the network, including outside the local server in a multi-server network. The call parking service includes an invite request unit for invoking the call parking service. A call park request unit is provided to respond to the invite request unit by establishing a connection to a call park destination for enabling the caller to be parked at the call park destination. A retrieval request unit is provided for connecting a call pickup party with the parked caller for completing the connection. An exception handler may also be provided to ensure that network problems in the call parking procedure do not result in a lost call.