Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT
The SensOhr®-platform of the Oldenburg Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA is used for sensor-based recording of biosignals close to the human ear. With the SensOhr®-platform, a variety of research approaches and practical integration examples for the application of sensor technology close to the ear have been realised. SensOhr®-elements are used in research and development projects and studies of the Fraunhofer IDMT. The main areas of application are in scenarios that require monitoring - whether in health applications or communication.
Sounds such as snoring, heartbeat, swallowing or speech can be combined with the recording of (other) vital data such as EEG, movement or oxygen saturation. For example, SensOhr® can form the basis for recording different biosignals. The body-related sensor technology supports research into different clinical pictures such as epilepsy or sleep disorders.
Technological prerequisites
The combination of different Fraunhofer technologies within SensOhr® creates a variety of development approaches for ear- and head-related applications, processes and hardware solutions. The platform consists of the basic hardware based on quad-core ARM modules with WiFi and Bluetooth as well as USB as a wired interface. This basic module can be expanded with further sensor modules. For airborne sound, a 16-channel microphone array with powerful DSP is available. Furthermore, structure-borne sound and motion sensors can be added and pulse and oxygen saturation can be recorded via an optical sensor. An 8-channel EEG amplifier is available for EEG/EMG applications and an optical time-off-flight sensor for respiratory movements. Due to the modular concept, individual systems can be assembled according to project requirements or customised sensors can be added. Sufficient computing resources are available on DSP and ARM processors to use various algorithms developed by the Fraunhofer IDMT or your own algorithms. Real-time data transmission is possible via USB or WiFi (LSL - LabStreamLayer). The sensor technology can be integrated into in-ear headphones (hearables) or attached behind the ear with adhesive electrodes. A battery option enables wireless data acquisition for several hours.