Electrolarynx devices and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076950-B2
Application number	US-201816609813-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2018
Priority date	May 1, 2017
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to electrolarynx devices, systems, and their use. In particular, the present disclosure relates to methods and compositions (e.g., devices) that provide electrolarynx (EL) users with improved speech quality.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electrolarynx system, comprising;
a) a sensor configured to be placed in the stoma of a human subject;
b) a control element controlled by said subject's breath or movement of said subject's jaw configured to obtain signal from said sensor and translate said signal into speech, wherein said control element is configured to turn said speaker on when said subject is talking and turn said speaker off when said subject is silent; and
c) a speaker configured to amplify said speech.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said control element comprises one or more of an electrical circuit, a computer processor, and computer memory.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said control element is further configured to perform articulatory pattern recognition of said subject's speech.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said signal is transmitted from said sensor to said control element via an electrical cable.

5. A method of generating artificial speech, comprising:
contacting the system of claim 1 with a subject's stoma under conditions such that said device generates speech and transmit said speech through the speaker of said device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said subject lacks a larynx.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said subject has previously been diagnosed with oral cancer.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein method is performed hands free.

Assignees

• Tufts College

Inventors

• Panetta Karen
• Chima Chiamaka
• Lehrman Paul

Classifications

• H04R1/14

  Throat mountings for microphones · CPC title

• A61F2/20 Primary

  Larynxes; Tracheae combined with larynxes or for use therewith · CPC title

• A61F2002/206

  Speech aids with external actuators, e.g. electrical larynxes · CPC title

• G10L13/00

  Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems · CPC title

• H04R3/00

  Circuits for transducers (arrangements for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title