62 results about "Stuttering" patented technology

Stuttering treatment methods and apparatus which utilize removable oral-based appliances having actuators which are attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a dental or oral appliance are described. Such oral appliances may receive the user's voice and process the voice to introduce a time delay and / or a frequency shift. The altered audio feedback signal is then transmitted back to the user through a tooth, teeth, or other bone via a vibrating actuator element. The actuator element may utilize electromagnetic or piezoelectric actuator mechanisms and may be positioned directly along the dentition or along an oral appliance housing in various configurations.

Stuttering-treatment techniques using neural stimulation and / or drug delivery. One or more electrodes and / or a catheter are implanted adjacent to sites in the brain. A signal generator and the electrode deliver stimulation to a first site. A pump and the catheter deliver one or more therapeutic drugs to a second site. The first and second sites could be: the supplementary motor area, the centromedian circuit, the dorsomedial nuclei, the lateral prefrontal circuit, or other paramedian thalamic and midbrain nuclei. The stuttering treatment could be performed via periodic transcranial magnetic stimulation. A sensor, located near the patient's vocal folds, can be used for generating a signal responsive to activity of the patient's speech-producing muscles. A controller adjusts one or more stimulation parameters in response to the signal from the sensor.

Portable devices for treating stuttering or communication disorders include a circuit configured to automatically electronically select sua sponte different signal parameters and / or sound effect algorithms used to generate varied altered auditory feedback signals to a user over time.

A user-friendly system for real time performance and user modification of one or more previously recorded musical compositions facilitates user involvement in the creative process of a new composition that reflects the user's personal style and musical tastes. Such a system may be implemented in a small portable electronic device such as a handheld smartphone that includes a stored library of musical material including original and alternative versions of each of several different components of a common original musical composition, and a graphic user interface that allows the user to select at different times while that original composition is being performed, which versions of which components are to be incorporated to thereby create in real time a new performance that includes elements of the original performance, preferably enhanced at various times with user selected digital sound effects including stuttering and filtering. The system may also optionally comprise a visualizer module that renders a visual animation that is responsive to at least the rhythm and amplitude of the system's audio output, not only for entertainment value but also to provide visual feedback for the user.

The present invention is directed to a wearable stutter reducing device incorporating novel methods that make extensive use of digital signal processing (DSP) technology. The wearable stutter reducing device of the present invention has an audio signal receiver for receiving speech signals corresponding to a wearer's voice. An input conversion means for converting the speech signals and noise mixed with the speech signals into frequency domain components is in communication with the audio signal receiver. A channelization means in communication with the conversion means separates the frequency domain components into a plurality of channels. An identifying means in communication with the plurality of channels identifies which channels of the plurality of channels contain substantially more speech corresponding frequency domain components than noise corresponding frequency components. An amplification means for amplifying signals identified as speech is in communication with the identifying means. The present invention also includes a frequency altering means for altering the frequency of a predetermined number of channels and an output conversion means in communication with the amplification means for converting the frequency components into time domain signals containing amplified speech.

The invention relates to a portable listening system comprising a microphone device for picking up a person's voice and a listening device comprising a receiver. The invention further relates to the use of such system. The object of the present invention is to provide a portable device for treatment of stuttering. The problem is solved in that the system being adapted to pick up the voice of a person wearing the portable system by the microphone device, converting the voice to an own voice electrical signal, to transmit the own voice electrical signal to the listening device, to receive the own voice electrical signal in the listening device and to play it for the person by the receiver with a delay. An advantage of the invention is that it provides a flexible body worn system suitable for treatment of stuttering. The invention may e.g. be used for applications involving listening devices to be worn by a person to be treated for stuttering.