Proto Devices
RESEARCH TOPIC
Tinnitus Experiment
GOAL
To determine if tinnitus (ringing in the ear) is generated internally or externally.
METHOD
A small electret microphone, was inserted in the outer ear path,then amplified with various levels of gain to determine whether
or not the noise is generated via an oscillating muscle or whatever. The limitation was in the fact that the microphone
only is viable up to about 20,000 hz. The sound is generally considered to be in the range of "white noise", which would
be in the normal range, 20 to 20,000 hz
RESULT
Indications are that the noise is created in the inner ear or by the brain itself. Further study will determine if it is still externally
generated via ultra sonic means (beyond the range of the small microphone) presently looking for a sensor small enough to fit.