Wave propagation across the skull under bone conduction: Dependence on coupling methods

Abstract

This study is aimed at the quantitative investigation of wave propagation through the skull bone and its dependence on different coupling methods of the bone conduction hearing aid (BCHA). Experiments were conducted on five Thiel embalmed whole head cadaver specimens. An electromagnetic actuator from a commercial BCHA was mounted on a 5-Newton steel headband, at the mastoid, on a percutaneously implanted screw (Baha® Connect), and transcutaneously with a Baha® Attract (Cochlear Limited, Sydney, Australia), at the clinical bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) location. Surface motion was quantified by sequentially measuring ∼200 points on the skull surface via a three-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometer (3D LDV) system. The experimental procedure was repeated virtually, using a modified LiUHead finite element model (FEM). Both experiential and FEM methods showed an onset of deformations; first near the stimulation area, at 250–500 Hz, which then extended to the inferior ipsilateral skull surface, at 0.5–2 kHz, and spread across the whole skull above 3–4 kHz. Overall, stiffer coupling (Connect versus Headband), applied at a location with lower mechanical stiffness (the BAHA location versus mastoid), led to a faster transition and lower transition frequency to local deformations and wave motion. This behaviour was more evident at the BAHA location, as the mastoid was more agnostic to coupling condition.