361results about How to "Improve hearing" patented technology

Improved techniques for modifying a playback rate of an audio item (e.g., an audio stream) are disclosed. As a result, the audio item can be played back faster or slower than normal. The improved techniques are resource efficient and well suited for audio items containing speech. The resource efficiency of the improved techniques make them well suited for use with portable media devices, such as portable media players.

Improved techniques for modifying a playback rate of an audio item (e.g., an audio stream) are disclosed. As a result, the audio item can be played back faster or slower than normal. The improved techniques are resource efficient and well suited for audio items containing speech. The resource efficiency of the improved techniques make them well suited for use with portable media devices, such as portable media players.

Novel techniques for hearing enhancement based on a pair of glasses are disclosed. In one embodiment, the glasses include a first lens holder, a second lens holder, a bridge element, a first temple, a second temple, a first speaker, a second speaker, a microphone and at least one electrical component that performs a hearing enhanced function to enhance audio signals from the microphone to be sent to the speakers for the user to hear. At least one electrical component in the glasses is for generating other audio signals by the speakers, with the other audio signals originating from signals other than audio signals captured by the microphone. In another embodiment, some of the electrical components are in a portable device, wired or wirelessly, coupled to the glasses. In yet another embodiment, the glasses function as a headset, with other electrical components in the portable device. In such embodiment, since the glasses can provide a number of different hearing functions, a third party may not be able to tell whether the user is wearing the glasses to have his hearing enhanced, or for hearing other audio signals.

An interactive multimedia book provides hands-on multimedia instruction to the user in response to voiced commands. The book is implemented on a computer system and includes both text and audio / video clips. The interactive multimedia book is accessed by voiced commands and natural language queries as the primary user input. The displayed text is written in a markup language and contains hyperlinks which link the current topic with other related topics. The user may command the book to read the text and, as the text is read by the voice synthesizer, a word which is also a hyperlink will change its attributes upon being spoken. The user will be able to observe or hear this and simply utter the word which is the hyperlink to navigate to the linked topic.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for attracting the attention of people in public places and engaging them in a touch-free interaction with a multimedia display using an image-capturing system and a set of Computer Vision algorithms as a means of informing the public as well as collecting data about / from the users. The invention is named, Virtual Touch Entertainment (VTE) Platform. The VTE Platform comprises of a series of interaction states, such as the Wait State, the Attraction State, the User Engagement State, the User Interaction State, and the Interaction Termination State. The modules in these interaction states handle complicated tasks assigned to them, such as attracting the users, training the users, providing the multimedia digital content to the users, and collecting the user data and statistics, in an efficient and intelligent manner. The user is able to experience a whole new way of interaction paradigm while getting information and entertainment through the rich digital multimedia. The system operates automatically and dynamically in real-time throughout the whole interaction process.

Novel techniques for hearing enhancement based on a pair of glasses are disclosed. In one embodiment, the glasses include a first lens holder, a second lens holder, a bridge element, a first temple, a second temple, a first speaker, a second speaker, a microphone and at least one electrical component that performs a hearing enhanced function to enhance audio signals from the microphone to be sent to the speakers for the user to hear. At least one electrical component in the glasses is for generating other audio signals by the speakers, with the other audio signals originating from signals other than audio signals captured by the microphone. In another embodiment, some of the electrical components are in a portable device, wired or wirelessly, coupled to the glasses. In yet another embodiment, the glasses function as a headset, with other electrical components in the portable device. In such embodiment, since the glasses can provide a number of different hearing functions, a third party may not be able to tell whether the user is wearing the glasses to have his hearing enhanced, or for hearing other audio signals.

Specific Cytokine Antagonists, including TNF antagonists and / or Interleukin-1 antagonists, are used as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of hearing loss, including presbycusis and other forms of sensorineural hearing loss. The present invention provides a method for inhibiting the action of TNF and / or IL-1 antagonists for treating hearing loss in a human by administering a TNF antagonist and / or an IL-1 antagonist for reducing the inflammation affecting the auditory apparatus of said human, or for modulating the immune response affecting the auditory apparatus of said human, by administering a therapeutically effective dosage level to said human of a TNF antagonist and / or an IL-1 antagonist. Administration may be systemic, through the subcutaneous, intramuscular, oral, or intravenous routes; or by delivering an anatomically localized application in the region of the head. The TNF antagonist is selected from the group consisting of etanercept, infliximab, D2E7, CDP 571, or thalidomide; and the IL-1 antagonist is either IL-1 RA or IL-1R type II receptor. Antiviral agents may be added for treating certain patients.

Methods for treating a non-spasm caused pain by peripheral administration to a patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin, such as a botulinum toxin.

An interactive multimedia book provides hands-on multimedia instruction to the user in response to voiced commands. The book is implemented on an easy to use computer system which is suitable to various environments in which the book might be used. The interactive multimedia book is published on a computer readable medium with the necessary software to support the interactive operation of the book. Alternatively, the book may be downloaded form a remote site using a network, such as the Internet, in which case the content of the book and the necessary software are copied to a local medium, such as a computer hard disk. The content includes both text and audio / video clips. The interactive multimedia book is accessed by a computer system which is equipped with a microphone and voice recognition software. Voiced commands and natural language queries are the primary user input to the computer system. The computer system is also equipped with a high resolution display, a voice synthesizer and a speaker or headphone system to provide output to the user. A combination headphone and directional microphone can be especially convenient in some environments as, for example, the wood shop where the headphones allow the user to better hear the instruction over the din of machine noise while at the same time protecting the user's hearing. The displayed text is written in a markup language, such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML), and contains hyperlinks which link the current topic with other related topics. The user may command the book to read the text and, as the text is read by the voice synthesizer, a word which is also a hyperlink will change its attributes upon being spoken. The user will be able to observe or hear this and, without having to click a mouse button, simply utter the word which is the hyperlink to navigate to the linked topic.

A hearing enhancement includes an audio processor that generates an electrical audio signal and transmits the signal to a coil. The coil is implanted into a patient in a position that results in transmission of mechanical stimulation to the inner ear when the coil is spatially displaced. A permanent magnet is placed in proximity to the coil so that when the coil receives the electrical audio signal form the processor, the induced coil magnetic field in the coil interacts with the magnetic field from the permanent magnet to spatially displace the coil and, as a result, transmit the mechanical stimulation to the inner ear.

An In The Ear (ITE) microphone improves the acoustic response of a Behind The Ear (BTE) Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system during telephone use. An acoustic seal provided by holding a telephone earpiece against the ear provides improved coupling of low frequency (up to about 1 KHz) sound waves, sufficient to overcome losses due to the near field acoustic characteristics common to telephones. In a preferred embodiment, the ITE microphone is connected to a removable ear hook of the BTE ICS system by a short bendable stalk.

Specific Cytokine Antagonists, including TNF antagonists and / or Interleukin-1 antagonists, are used as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of hearing loss, including presbycusis and other forms of sensorineural hearing loss. The present invention provides a method for inhibiting the action of TNF and / or IL-1 antagonists for treating hearing loss in a human by administering a TNF antagonist and / or an IL-1 antagonist for reducing the inflammation affecting the auditory apparatus of said human, or for modulating the immune response affecting the auditory apparatus of said human, by administering a therapeutically effective dosage level to said human of a TNF antagonist and / or an IL-1 antagonist. Administration may be systemic, through the subcutaneous, intramuscular, oral, or intravenous routes; or by delivering an anatomically localized application in the region of the head. The TNF antagonist is selected from the group consisting of etanercept, infliximab, D2E7, CDP 571, or thalidomide; and the IL-1 antagonist is either IL-1 RA or IL-1R type II receptor. Antiviral agents may be added for treating certain patients.

An ultra miniature hearing device for extended wear entirely in the ear canal past the cartilaginous region is provided. The hearing device comprises a microphone and a speaker, each having a respective diaphragm. The speaker and microphone are placed parallel to each other in a single lateral assembly. The microphone and speaker can be arranged such that their diaphragms are orthogonal to one another so that cross coupling of vibrations is minimized, thus reducing internal feedback. Due to the parallel co-placement of the speaker and microphone in the single lateral assembly, the length of the device is substantially shorter than that of prior hearing aid devices. The hearing device is 12 mm or less in length to fit in the bony part of the ear canal for most individuals and is placed within approximately 3 mm from the eardrum.

A telecommunications network includes a mobile phone with an audio-modulated vibrotactile module that responds to a telecommunications signal containing information about incoming speech from a called / calling party, for providing an audio-modulated vibrotactile module force containing information about the incoming speech from the called / calling party to vibrate a user's fingers, facial skin, wrist, cheek or other suitable location. The audio-modulated vibrotactile module has an audio-to-vibrotactile converter that responds to the telecommunications signal, for providing an audio-to-vibrotactile converter signal containing information about a vibration modulation of the incoming speech from the called / calling party. The audio-modulated vibrotactile module also has a vibrotactile actuator that responds to the audio-to-vibrotactile converter signal, for providing the audio-modulated vibrotactile module force in the form of a vibrotactile actuator force. The telecommunications system may also have the audio-to-vibrotactile converter. The vibrotactile actuator may be an electromechanical actuator arranged in the housing of the mobile phone for providing vibration to a user's fingers wrist or facial skin.

A bone conduction device for enhancing the hearing of a recipient, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing the acoustic sound signal; a transducer configured to generate mechanical forces representing the electrical signal for deliver to the recipient's skull; one or more external components mechanically coupled to the transducer and configured to transfer the mechanical forces; and one or more implanted components magnetically coupled to the one or more external components and configured to receive the mechanical forces from the external components.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a system for audiometric assessment and user-specific acoustic enhancement, comprising an audiometry management module, a tone generator coupled to the audiometry management module and adapted to generate streams of acoustical output, and a hearing profile data file, is disclosed. According to the embodiment, the audiometry management module, in a plurality of sessions, instructs the tone generator to send a series of streams of acoustical output of varying acoustical intensity, and, on receiving a series of user responses responsive to audible perception of sounds generated from the streams of acoustical data, the audiometric management module determines, for each of a plurality of frequencies, a hearing threshold, and stores at least that threshold in the hearing profile data file.

An input audio signal is equalized to form an output audio signal on the basis of an intended listening sound pressure level, the output capabilities of a particular playback device, and unique hearing characteristics of a listener. An intended listening level is first determined based on the properties of the audio signal and a mastering sound level. The intended listening level is used to determine an optimal sound pressure level for the particular playback device based on its capabilities and any master volume gain. These two levels are used to determine how much louder to make individual frequencies based on data pertaining to human auditory perception, either standardized or directly measured. The audio is further compensated on the basis of hearing loss data, again either standardized or directly measured, after optionally extending the signal bandwidth. The final, compensated audio signal is sent to the playback device for playback.

A bone conduction device for enhancing the hearing of a recipient comprising a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing the acoustic sound signal; a transducer configured to generate mechanical forces representing the electrical signal for delivery to the recipient's skull; one or more extensions mechanically coupled at a first portion to the transducer and further mechanically coupled at a second portion of the one or more extensions to the recipient's bone, wherein the one or more extensions are configured to transfer the mechanical forces from the transducer to the recipient's bone.

A bone conduction device for enhancing the hearing of a recipient, comprising: a sound input element configured to receive an acoustic sound signal; an electronics module configured generate an electrical signal representing the acoustic sound signal; a transducer configured to generate mechanical forces representing the electrical signal for delivery to the recipient's bone; and one or more vibration extensions mechanically coupled to the transducer and configured to be inserted into the ear canal of the recipient, and further configured to vibrate in order to transmit the mechanical forces generated from the transducer to the recipient's bone.

The present invention is an apparatus for and method of remotely, automatically, and routinely conducting diagnostic testing on a programmable hearing aid to ensure that it is functioning as intended when optimized for an individual's needs and preferences. Because hearing aids deteriorate with time and buildup of earwax, individuals can be uncertain whether their hearing is worsening or the hearing aid is malfunctioning. The net effect is diminished hearing aid performance and thus diminished quality of life. The present invention tests the hearing aid for proper function as frequently as daily. Additionally, the present invention includes elements (201, 202) that enable the apparatus to perform a cleaning process to effectively remove earwax and other undesirable debris from the hearing aid. The cleaning process can occur prior to the diagnostic testing or as a result of the diagnostic testing.

An electrode assembly comprising a low-profile, low-volume elongate electrode carrier and a corresponding guide tube for introducing the carrier into the cochlea to place electrodes disposed at the distal end of the carrier at desired locations along the tonotopically-mapped cochlea. The electrode assembly facilitates intra- and extra-cochlea atraumatic implantation of the unobtrusive electrode carrier of the present invention thereby minimizing adverse impact to natural auditory functioning. For example, the electrode assembly may be utilized to implant the low-profile, low-volume elongate electrode carrier into the scala tympani without damaging the delicate structures of the cochlea and without interfering with the natural hydrodynamic nature of the cochlea such as the natural flow of perilymph in the cochlea canals. In one particular embodiment, the carrier is pre-curved to attain a perimodiolar position in the scala tympani to facilitate accurate delivery of electrical stimulation with a minimum stimulation current and power consumption.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a system for audiometric assessment and user-specific acoustic enhancement, comprising an audiometry management module, a tone generator coupled to the audiometry management module and adapted to generate streams of acoustical output, and a hearing profile data file, is disclosed. According to the embodiment, the audiometry management module, in a plurality of sessions, instructs the tone generator to send a series of streams of acoustical output of varying acoustical intensity, and, on receiving a series of user responses responsive to audible perception of sounds generated from the streams of acoustical data, the audiometric management module determines, for each of a plurality of frequencies, a hearing threshold, and stores at least that threshold in the hearing profile data file.

A hearing aid for improving diminished hearing caused by reduced temporal resolution includes: a speech input unit (201) which receives a speech signal from outside; a speech analysis unit (202) which detects a sound segment and a segment acoustically regarded as soundless from the speech signal received by the speech input unit and detects a consonant segment and a vowel segment within the detected sound segment; and a signal processing unit (204) which temporally increments the consonant segment detected by the speech analysis unit (204) and temporally decrements at least one of the vowel segment and the segment acoustically regarded as soundless detected by the speech analysis unit (204).

The embodiments of the invention provide an audio correction method and device. The method comprises: acquiring first audio data; acquiring a first pitch contour which is a pitch contour of the first audio data; sequentially performing scale correction and tone correction on the first pitch contour according to a second pitch contour to obtain a corrected first pitch contour, wherein the second pitch contour is a pitch contour of second audio data corresponding to the first audio data; converting the corrected first pitch contour into audio signals to obtain corrected first audio data. Taking a song as an example, the method and the device enable the corrected pitch contour of the song sung by a user to be consistent with the trend of the pitch contour of the original song, and the rise and fall of the pitch contour of the song sung by the user are closer to those of the original song over correction, so that the rhythm and listening feeling of the song sung by the user are greatly improved, and the correction effect on audio data of songs and the like is improved.

The invention provides a method for improving sound quality of a headset. The method comprises the following steps: detecting a pressure between contact surfaces of the headset and ears so as to obtain a pressure value; determining a signal gain value corresponding to the obtained pressure value according to a corresponding relationship between a preset pressure and a signal gain; and adjusting an audio signal gain value output by the headset according to the signal gain value. The invention also provides a mobile terminal. According to the method provided by the invention, the signal gain value corresponding to the detected pressure value can be determined according to the corresponding relationship between the preset pressure and the signal gain, and the audio signal gain value output by the headset is adjusted according to the signal gain value in order to improve the sound quality of the headset. The aim of performing compensation on audio leakage generated due to an insufficient fit degree between the headset and human ears is fulfilled; an ideal sound quality effect can be achieved in different wearing states of a user; the auditory feeling is improved; and wearing discomfort due to a structural sealing design is avoided.

The invention provides a packing method for streaming media transmission in an intercom system. The method comprises the following steps of firstly, encoding acquired videos to acquire video frame of gradual single frames, and dividing the acquired audio PCM (pulse-code modulation) data into audio frame of gradual single frames according to appointed time period; secondly, after adding one data packet head to each video data packet and each audio data packet respectively, transmitting each video data packet and each audio data packet to a decoding terminal; and finally, analyzing the data packet head by the decoding terminal, wherein if the video data packet is lost, pausing until complete video key frames are received, if the audio data packet or audio frames are lost, automatically complementing the packet or the frames, and when video play is paused, if the audio frames or the audio data packet is not lost, the audio data can be normally played. The problems of much redundant data, mosaic videos and interrupted sound in a short time in a streaming media transmission process of the intercom system are solved, and the smoothness and the play effect of streaming media transmission in the intercom system are improved.

There is provided a cochlear implant for improving the hearing ability of a patient suffered from hearing impairment comprising an internal receiving unit implanted into the body, which comprises a receiving part for receiving external signal, an active electrode and a reference electrode, characterized in that the active electrode is constructed with a single electrode wire having different thickness in at least two different regions. The active electrode of the internal receiving unit is inserted into a space formed at between the mastoid bone and the ear canal skin and end of the active electrode is inserted into the scala tympani of the cochlea and directly stimulates spiral ganglion. The cochlear implant provides easier implantation into the body and improved hearing ability at a lower cost.

A method for generating an auditory environment for a user may include receiving a signal representing an ambient auditory environment of the user, processing the signal using a microprocessor to identify at least one of a plurality of types of sounds in the ambient auditory environment, receiving user preferences corresponding to each of the plurality of types of sounds, modifying the signal for each type of sound in the ambient auditory environment based on the corresponding user preference, and outputting the modified signal to at least one speaker to generate the auditory environment for the user. A system may include a wearable device having speakers, microphones, and various other sensors to detect a noise context. A microprocessor processes ambient sounds and generates modified audio signals using attenuation, amplification, cancellation, and / or equalization based on user preferences associated with particular types of sounds.

An In The Ear (ITE) microphone improves the acoustic response of a Behind The Ear (BTE) Implantable Cochlear Stimulation (ICS) system during telephone use. An acoustic seal provided by holding a telephone earpiece against the ear provides improved coupling of low frequency (up to about 1 KHz) sound waves, sufficient to overcome losses due to the near field acoustic characteristics common to telephones. In a preferred embodiment, the ITE microphone is connected to a removable ear hook of the BTE ICS system by a short bendable stalk.