Universitá Degli Studi Di Siena

Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese

Marco Mandala'

Domenico Prattichizzo

Simone Rossi

An electromechanical stimulation system for treating tinnitus comprising a proximal unit (), configured to be placed proximate to a user's ear (), and an input interface () configured to be operated by the user. The proximal unit comprises an electromechanical device () configured to transmit mechanical vibrations () with predetermined frequency (f), intensity (A) and waveform, to tissues proximate to the user's ear; a control unit (), configured to actuate the electromechanical device in such a way that the frequency, the intensity and the waveform of the mechanical vibrations can be modified; a transceiver element () adapted to receive control signals () for the control unit. The input interface comprises a transmitter element () configured to transmit control signals () to the transceiver element; a microcontroller () configured to emit the control signals to generate the mechanical vibrations of the electromechanical device at a first frequency between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, and to cause a repetition of the vibrations for all the plurality of frequencies of this range; an input element () configured to receive from the user an instruction to start generating said vibrations at a stationary frequency corresponding to a current frequency, to stand by, to receive from the user an instruction to stop modifying the frequency of said vibrations, such that said user can notify to said microcontroller () a frequency value at which he/she perceives a significant decrease of tinnitus symptoms; to continue generating mechanical vibrations at this stationary frequency.

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Poggibonsi, Italy

Marco Mandala'