Drug delivery customized ear canal apparatus

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a wearable system wherein elements of the system, including various sensors adapted to detect biometric and other data and/or to deliver drugs, are positioned proximal to, on or in the ear canal of a person. In embodiments of the invention, elements of the system, including drug delivery devices, are positioned on or in the ear canal for extended periods of time. For example, an element of the system may be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user and left there overnight, for multiple days, months, or years. Because of the position and longevity of the system elements in the ear canal, the present invention has many advantages over prior wearable biometric and drug delivery devices.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . An ear canal platform comprising:
 a medial ear canal assembly adapted to be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user, the medial ear canal assembly comprising a retention structure adapted to conform to the anatomy of the user's ear canal, wherein the retention structure includes a first end corresponding to a shape profile of the anterior sulcus and the anterior portion of the tympanic membrane annulus; and   a drug delivery device mounted on the ear canal assembly.   
     
     
         2 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 1 , further including sensors connected to the ear canal assembly, the sensors being connected to a transmitter. 
     
     
         3 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 2 , wherein the sensors include sensors adapted to detect biometric data. 
     
     
         4 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensors include sensors adapted to detect one or more physical characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         5 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the sensors is a microphone. 
     
     
         6 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 5 , wherein the microphone is a micro-actuator. 
     
     
         7 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 6 , wherein sound received by the micro-actuator is converted to a transmitted signal. 
     
     
         8 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 7 , wherein the ear canal platform includes a data processor which converts the transmitted signal to a signal representative of the sound received by the micro-actuator. 
     
     
         9 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 8 , wherein the signal is transmitted by a hearing system to a receiver external to the hearing system. 
     
     
         10 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 9 , wherein the receiver is a smart phone, a wireless network, or a peripheral device. 
     
     
         11 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a skin contacting sensor or a non-skin contacting sensor. 
     
     
         12 . An ear canal platform according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the sensors comprises an umbo sensor, an eartip sensor, or a tethered sensor. 
     
     
         13 . A method of delivering drugs to a user having a medial ear canal assembly positioned on the user's tympanic membrane, the medial ear canal assembly comprising a drug delivery device and a retention structure adapted to conform to the anatomy of the user's ear canal, wherein the retention structure includes a first end corresponding to a shape profile of the anterior sulcus and the anterior portion of the tympanic membrane annulus, the method comprising the steps of:
 delivering drugs to the user through the drug delivery device.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the medial ear canal assembly further includes sensors and a transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:
 using the sensors to measure biometric data of the user; and   transmitting the measured biometric data using the transmitter.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further including the step of activating the drug delivery device using the biometric data measured by the sensors. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 14 , the method further comprising using the sensors to measure one or more physical characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of activating the drug delivery device using the measured physical characteristics of the user. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a skin contacting sensor or a non-skin contacting sensor. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the sensors comprises an umbo sensor, an eartip sensor, or a tethered sensor.