TinnitusMasker Project

Project Description

Development of a smart and adaptable Tinnitus masker and set up a training center for sales and distribution.

Tinnitus is the perception of unpleasant noise in the ear when no actual sound is present. It is an acoustic perception or a symptom which acts on the ear of the affected person and  can be perceived one or both ears. The sound arise in the mind of those affected and only be perceived by those affected . These sounds can take the form of a ringing, buzzing , roaring, clicking and whistling , i.e. be perceived as tonal or noise signal. The intensity can be constant or pulsating.

Tinnitus maskers are a range of devices based on simple white noise machines which are used to add natural or artificial sound into a tinnitus sufferer’s environment in order to suppress or mask the ringing. Tinnitus maskers increase the level of sound in the listener’s environment and therefore mask the ringing in the sufferer’s head with a calming, less intrusive sound.

In order to achieve substantial improvements in tinnitus therapy , for us it was an opportunity to develop a new treatment model for tinnitus and according to evidence- based criteria to review its implementation . The folded- in this way the context of the mathematical calculation for the diagnosis and the music therapy harmonization process requires a suitable user interface that exceeds mobile systems in terms of performance . For this reason, a software based on a PC ( desktop environment ) is implemented , which provides diagnostic and therapeutic procedures efficient and user-friendly.

A group of scientists and companies from Saxony and Brandenburg , therefore, has long been working on a simplification of the tinnitus diagnosis and improving the effect of maskers against the tonal tinnitus. Besides working on the essential simplification of the application , the reduction of the effort for doctor and patient and reduce the cost of diagnosis and therapy. It was developed on the basis of medical knowledge an individually adjustable , semi- intelligent Masker for acoustic compensation or harmonization of tonal tinnitus. Considering all the requirements a small, portable and easy -to-use for both the physician and the patient , cost-effective device with which the patient can treat at home, according to medical advice itself originated.

In the course of the work carried out lots of information and knowledge has been gained , what prompted us to continue this work and especially to include the noise tinnitus. It is both to further improve the technical equipment and the technical program ( software-based ) equipment, and a beyond pure tinnitus application found or more solutions to be developed . To this end, a wider knowledge of the medical , social, political and economic foundations is required. Therefore we will start this year, a network that primarily these questions will devote its scientific and business skills should be significantly enhanced by expanding the circle of participants .

So far the following partners participate actively in our network :
• Scientists at the Technical University of Dresden from the
– Institute for Communications Technology
– Institute for Applied computer science ( human computer interaction)
– Institute for Algebra ( methods of Applied Algebra : Mathematics in Music )
– Institute for Medical Biometry and computer science
• otolaryngologists
– Head physicians of the Hospital Dresden Friedrichstadt and the Elbe clinics Radebeul
– Low freedman doctor an ENT practice
• Companies
– Prignitz Microsystems GmbH
– InnoTech21 GmbH
– Biosaxony eV (including the Med – Tech. Company of biosaxony network )
• Experts in regulatory matters (eg for medical devices)