Abstract

Project Name

TinnX

Description

Roughly 14% of the global population suffers from tinnitus, a phenomenon where a person hears a noise in one or both ears without an external source. This percentage continues to increase over time due to the emergence of noise pollution and an aging population that grows every day. Tinnitus sufferers are a generally underserved community as the condition did not get much attention due to its perceived non-fatal nature, with a strong link between intense tinnitus sufferers and being at risk for depressive or even suicidal tendencies. The TNX-1 combated this issue in sufferers with bilateral or unilateral constant tonal subjective tinnitus. By utilizing non-intrusive, adjustable bone conduction headphones that do not block external noise, TinnX generated a custom audio signal in the frequency range of the sufferer’s tinnitus in order to lower the amplitude of the perceived noise. TinnX designed the headset with low-power components and a 500 mAh battery life for long-term usage of the device with minimal downtime based on an Arduino Nano 33 IoT microcontroller. Alongside the headphones, Python software was created to generate and control sound waves, their modulation, and their amplitude across both the left and right channels. These generated sounds have shown great promise in reducing perceived tinnitus for people suffering from constant tonal tinnitus, providing relief to sufferers without sacrificing their day-to-day lives.

Member(s)

Nicholas DiMeglio

Rohit Jayas

Shady Kamel

Advisor(s) 

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Quzwini

Professor George McConnell

Professor Robert Harari