A device to be worn in the ear of a subject provides a direct vibrational drive to the tympanic membrane through a vibrationally conductive assembly which couples vibrations from a vibratory transducer positioned within the ear canal proximal to the tympanic membrane. In one embodiment of the invention,...http://www.google.de/patents/US6137889?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6137889 - Direct tympanic membrane excitation via vibrationally conductive assembly
