Title
Bi-modal Stimulator: Simultaneous electrical and acoustical stimulation to test a hypothesis for treating tinnitus
Author
Zwartveld, Stef (TU Delft Mechanical Engineering)
Contributor
Serdijn, W.A. (mentor) 
Degree granting institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
Biomedical Engineering | Medical Devices
Date
2024-04-19
Abstract
Subjective tinnitus is a sensation of sound without an external source. There is no clear understanding of the cause and pathology of tinnitus.
Literature suggests a combination of deafferentation of the tonotopic map , the Bayesian brain model, and the triple mode network, creating one combined hypothesis for tinnitus pathology. Based on the combined hypothesis, transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation paired with tinnitus-matched sound stimulation should train the brain to reduce the tinnitus sound's importance, thereby eliminating it from conscious awareness.
To investigate this hypothesis in clinical studies, a device that combines transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the tragus with tinnitus-matched sounds in the ears is needed. The device should be easy to use and electrically safe.
A device has been designed with a user interface that interacts with a microcontroller, following the requirements. The microcontroller controls the audio stimulation shield and the custom-made stimulation circuit designed by Jonathan Kneepkens.
Electrical stimulation of the tragus provides the right effect. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The device's efficacy as a treatment must await clinical trials with patient-specific tinnitus-matched acoustical stimulation.
Subject
Tinnitus
Neuromodulation
Neurostimulation
electrical stimulator
Acoustical surveillance
bimodal stimulation
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:33d9ab25-8409-43ab-9ec8-f21acec4b7e6
Embargo date
2026-04-19
Part of collection
Student theses
Document type
master thesis
Rights
© 2024 Stef Zwartveld