2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Transcutaneous Electrical Rhythm Stimulator for Hearing Impaired People

Research Project

Project/Area Number	14580243
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Educational technology
Research Institution	Tsukuba College of Technology
Principal Investigator	KAWASHIMA Mitsuo Tsukuba College of Technology, Information Science and Electronics Department, Professor, 電子情報学科・電子工学専攻, 教授 (70258838)
Project Period (FY)	2002 – 2003
Keywords	Computer Music / Deaf and Music / MIDI / Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulator / Communication with Hearing Impaired / リズム学習
Research Abstract	An attempt was made to use transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) as a means of musical signal transmission for hearing impaired people. In this paper, we describe the basic result of our preliminary experiments using a pc based TES system. To pursue an optimum condition having a good sensitivity without accompanying pains, such as shapes and intensity of the stimulation pulses, an electrode structure and its place to fit, have been examined. The experiment suggests that ring like electrodes attached as usual on fingers seems appropriate in sensitivity and provides wide range of usable voltage applicable without causing any pain. This method may therefore be valuable together with visual signals in synchronizing musical performances among hearing impaired people, without any delay frequently experienced in using vibration or low frequency sound instead.

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