MICRO-DISPENSER BASED EAR TREATMENT
Technologies are generally described for treatment of ear canal through a micro-dispenser-based treatment system. In some examples, ear canal irrigating fluids may be dispensed in a controlled volume and pressure through one or more micro-dispensers to dissolve and remove ear wax in a gentle and safe manner without harming the eardrum. Through positioning of the micro-dispensers or nozzles of the micro-dispensers, the fluid may be aimed directly at specific areas within the ear canal with a high degree of precision. The micro-dispenser(s) and an optional imaging device such as a camera may be integrated with an otoscope or a cannula for manual manipulation as well as for aiming the fluid jet with visual assessment of cleaning effectiveness
1 . A micro-dispenser based ear canal treatment system, comprising:
a delivery module comprising a supply sub-system and a dispensing sub-system, wherein the delivery module is configured to:
direct a fluid to a selected region of an ear canal through one or more micro-dispensers; and
a controller coupled to the delivery module, the controller configured to:
determine one or more dispensation parameters for the fluid to be directed to the ear canal; and
determine the region of the ear canal to be targeted.
2 . The treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to determine the region of the ear canal to be targeted based on one or more of: manual manipulation of the treatment system or detection of a build-up of ear wax via inspection through the camera.
3 . (canceled)
4 . The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the region of the ear canal to be targeted based on detection of a build-up of ear wax via inspection through a camera, and wherein the camera is part of:
a cannula that includes one or more nozzles of one or more micro-dispensers positioned at a tip of the cannula; or
an otoscope that includes one or more nozzles of one or more micro-dispensers positioned at a tip of the otoscope.
5 . (canceled)
6 . The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensation parameters comprise one or more of: a dispensed volume, a pressure, a direction, a fluid temperature, a dispensation pattern, a fluid composition, or a nozzle selection.
7 . The treatment system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the one or more dispensation parameters based on one or more of: a size of a build-up of an ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum.
8 . The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
adjust a shape of spray distribution for the fluid based on one or more of: a location of a build-up of an ear wax in the ear canal, a size of the build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum.
9 . The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing sub-system is configured to:
deliver a softening agent comprising one or more of: plant-based oil, synthetic oil, urea hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, sodium bicarbonate solution in water, sodium bicarbonate and glycerin solution (B.P.C.), peanut oil turpentine and dichlorobenzene, triethanolamine polypeptides and oleate-condensate, warm water, saline solution, or water and vinegar solutions; and
adjust one or more of: the volume, the pressure, and a shape of spray distribution for the fluid based on a type of the softening agent.
10 . (canceled)
11 . The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing sub-system is configured to:
deliver two or more softening agents or a softening agent and a rinsing solution through two or more distinct nozzles.
12 . The treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the supply sub-system includes a single reservoir configured to:
provide the fluid to a dedicated micro-dispenser of the dispensing subs-system; or
provide the fluid to a plurality of micro-dispensers of the dispensing subs-system.
13 . (canceled)
14 . The treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power module comprising one or more of: a battery, a direct current power source, and an alternative current power source.
15 . A method for ear canal treatment through a micro-dispenser-based system, the method comprising:
determining one or more dispensation parameters for a fluid to be directed to an ear canal;
determining a region of the ear canal to be targeted; and
directing the fluid to the region of the ear canal through one or more micro-dispensers based on the one or more dispensation parameters.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the region of the ear canal to be targeted comprises:
determining the region through visual inspection; or
determining the region via inspection through a camera.
17 . (canceled)
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the one or more dispensation parameters for the fluid to be directed to the ear canal comprises:
determining one or more of a dispensed volume, a pressure, a direction, a fluid temperature, a dispensation pattern, a fluid composition, or a nozzle selection.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the one or more dispensation parameters for the fluid to be directed to the ear canal comprises:
determining the one or more dispensation parameters based on one or more of: a size of a build-up of an ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum.
20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
adjusting a shape of spray distribution for the fluid based on one or more of: a location of a build-up of an ear wax in the ear canal, a size of the build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum; and
adjusting the shape of spray distribution for the fluid by activating one or more nozzles associated with the one or more micro-dispensers.
21 . (canceled)
22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein directing the fluid to the region of the ear canal through the one or more micro-dispensers comprises:
directing the fluid to the region of the ear canal through one or more nozzles positioned at a tip of a cannula or a tip of an otoscope.
23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
determining an effectiveness of fluid dispensation via observation through a camera positioned on the cannula or on the otoscope.
24 . (canceled)
25 . (canceled)
26 . The method of claim 15 , wherein directing the fluid comprises:
delivering a softening agent comprising one or more of plant-based oil, synthetic oil, urea hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, sodium bicarbonate solution in water, sodium bicarbonate and glycerin solution (B.P.C.), peanut oil turpentine and dichlorobenzene, triethanolamine polypeptides and oleate-condensate, warm water, saline solution, or water and vinegar solution.
27 . The method of claim 15 , wherein directing the fluid further comprises:
delivering two or more softening agents or a softening agent and a rinsing solution through two or more distinct nozzles.
28 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
providing the fluid from a single reservoir to a plurality of micro-dispensers or from a single reservoir coupled to a single micro-dispenser.
29 . (canceled)
30 . An otoscope capable of providing ear canal treatment, the otoscope comprising:
one or more reservoirs configured to store one or more fluids;
one or more micro-dispensers, configured to:
receive the one or more fluids from the one or more reservoirs; and
direct the one or more fluids to a selected region of an ear canal based on one or more dispensation parameters through one or more nozzles, wherein the one or more nozzles are positioned at a tip of the otoscope.
31 . The otoscope of claim 30 , further comprising:
a camera; and
a controller coupled to the camera, the controller configured to:
determine the region of the ear canal to be targeted based on detection of a build-up of ear wax via inspection through the camera, wherein the camera is positioned at a tip of the otoscope.
32 . (canceled)
33 . The otoscope of claim 31 , wherein the one or more dispensation parameters comprise a dispensed volume, a pressure, a direction, a fluid temperature, a dispensation pattern, a fluid composition, or a nozzle selection, and the controller is further configured to:
adjust the one or more dispensation parameters for the one or more fluids based on one or more of: a size of a build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum; or
adjust a shape of spray distribution for the one or more fluids based on one or more of: a location of a build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a size of the build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum.
34 . (canceled)
35 . (canceled)
36 . The otoscope of claim 31 , wherein the one or more fluids include a softening agent comprising one or more of: plant-based oil, synthetic oil, urea hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, sodium bicarbonate solution in water, sodium bicarbonate and glycerin solution (B.P.C.), peanut oil turpentine and dichlorobenzene, triethanolamine polypeptides and oleate-condensate, warm water, saline solution, or water and vinegar solution, and the controller is further configured to:
adjust one or more of: the volume, the pressure, and a shape of spray distribution for the one or more fluids based on a type of the softening agent.
37 . (canceled)
38 . The otoscope of claim 30 , wherein the one or more micro-dispensers are configured to:
deliver two or more softening agents or a softening agent and a rinsing solution through two or more distinct nozzles.
39 . The otoscope of claim 30 , further comprising:
a power module comprising one or more of: a battery, a direct current power source, and an alternative current power source.
40 . A cannula capable of providing ear canal treatment, the cannula comprising:
one or more micro-dispensers coupled to one or more reservoirs configured to store one or more fluids, the one or more micro-dispensers configured to:
receive the one or more fluids from the one or more reservoirs; and
direct the one or more fluids to a selected region of an ear canal based on one or more dispensation parameters through one or more nozzles, wherein the one or more nozzles are positioned at a tip of the cannula and wherein the one or more dispensation parameters comprise a dispensed volume, a pressure, a direction, a fluid temperature, a dispensation pattern, a fluid composition, or a nozzle selection.
41 . The cannula of claim 40 , wherein the one or more reservoirs are external to the cannula.
42 . The cannula of claim 40 , wherein the one or more reservoirs are integrated with the cannula.
43 . (canceled)
44 . The cannula of claim 40 , further comprising:
a camera; and
a controller coupled to the camera, the controller configured to:
determine the region of the ear canal to be targeted based on detection of a build-up of ear wax via inspection through the camera, wherein the camera is positioned at a tip of the cannula.
45 . (canceled)
46 . The cannula of claim 44 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
adjust the one or more dispensation parameters for the one or more fluids based on one or more of: a size of a build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum; or
adjust a shape of spray distribution for the one or more fluids based on one or more of: a location of a build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a size of the build-up of the ear wax in the ear canal, a composition of the ear wax, a shape of the ear canal, a depth of the ear canal, and a thickness of the ear drum.
47 . (canceled)
48 . The cannula of claim 44 , wherein the one or more fluids include a softening agent comprising one or more of plant-based oil, synthetic oil, urea hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, sodium bicarbonate solution in water, sodium bicarbonate and glycerin solution (B.P.C.), peanut oil turpentine and dichlorobenzene, triethanolamine polypeptides and oleate-condensate, warm water, saline solution, or water and vinegar solution, and the controller is further configured to:
adjust one or more of: the volume, the pressure, and a shape of spray distribution for the one or more fluids based on a type of the softening agent.
49 . (canceled)
50 . The cannula of claim 40 , wherein the one or more micro-dispensers are configured to:
deliver two or more softening agents or a softening agent and a rinsing solution through two or more distinct nozzles.
51 . The cannula of claim 40 , further comprising:
a power module comprising one or more of: a battery, a direct current power source, and an alternative current power source.