Voice transfer system

Abstract

To provide a voice transfer system which attains communication while supporting from an utterer to a listener so as to clearly deliver voices from the utterer to the listener.SOLUTION: A voice transfer system 1 comprises acquisition means 20 which acquires input from a first user and transfer means 10 which transfers the input acquired by the acquisition means 20 to a second user. In the voice transfer system 1, the transfer means 10 comprises: a transducer 11 which converts an electric signal based on the input acquired by the acquisition means 20 into mechanical vibration; a transfer plate 12 which transfers the mechanical vibration, the transfer plate being fixed in contact with the head of the second user in the case of use, thereby transferring the mechanical vibration to the bone of the head of the second user; and a housing 13 in which the transducer 11 is stored. The transfer plate 12 can be fixed to the head of the second user by an external force which is added via the housing 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a voice transmission system that enables communication from a speaker to a listener in a manner that is close to the speaker. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, air conduction hearing aids have been developed, which transmit sound from a speaker to the ear as air-conducted sound, and bone conduction hearing aids, which transmit sound by converting electrical sound signals into vibrations in a vibrator and vibrating the human skull.

[0003] Furthermore, interventional sound transmission devices have been developed that can deliver vibrations representing sound information directly to spiral ganglion cells without attenuation and with high frequency resolution. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for a bone conduction sound transmission device using a giant magnetostrictive element, which is provided with a ring member and a damper member to suppress sound leakage (transmission of vibrations to the outside) while maintaining the vibration transmission characteristics of the giant magnetostrictive element.

[0004] Meanwhile, technologies have been developed to clearly transmit a speaker's voice to a listener wearing a hearing aid. For example, in a conversation support system using a hearing aid disclosed in Patent Document 2, a cushion seat on which the listener sits is equipped with a magnetic induction loop that generates an alternating magnetic field corresponding to the speaker's voice, so that a T-mode hearing aid worn by the listener captures the alternating magnetic field generated by the magnetic induction loop, and the speaker's voice is clearly transmitted to the listener. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7431425 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-38331 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In communication between a speaker and a listener, if the listener is hard of hearing, the speaker may not be able to communicate smoothly with the listener. In this case, the hearing-impaired person can improve communication to a certain extent by wearing a hearing aid, but depending on the surrounding environment, the hearing-impaired person may not be able to clearly hear what the speaker is saying.

[0007] According to the technology described in Patent Document 2, by activating the T mode of the hearing aid, part of the transmission path of the sound coming from the speaker is replaced by magnetism, thereby minimizing the influence of external noise, etc. However, in order to activate this function, it is necessary to use a cushion sheet equipped with a magnetic induction loop.

[0008] On the other hand, according to the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to transmit clear sound to hearing-impaired people who have difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds or consonants by using a sound transmission device that maintains the vibration transmission characteristics of a giant magnetostrictive element. However, if such a sound transmission device is in the form of a hearing aid that is worn on the head of a hearing-impaired person, the listener may find it troublesome to wear the sound transmission device.

[0009] Furthermore, when the listener is an elderly person who is hard of hearing and requires care, the caregiver cannot communicate smoothly with the elderly person in order to provide care, which increases the burden on the caregiver. In such cases, it is considered important for the caregiver to communicate closely with the elderly person so that their voice can be delivered clearly to the elderly person, but such a system has not yet been clarified.

[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a voice transmission system that enables a speaker to communicate closely with a listener so that the speaker's voice can be clearly delivered to the listener. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The audio transmission system of the present disclosure includes an acquisition means for acquiring an input from a first user and a transmission means for transmitting the input acquired by the acquisition means to a second user. In this audio transmission system, the transmission means includes a transducer for converting an electrical signal based on the input acquired by the acquisition means into mechanical vibrations, a transmission plate for transmitting the mechanical vibrations, the transmission plate being fixed so as to come into contact with the head of the second user in use, thereby transmitting the mechanical vibrations to the bones of the head of the second user, and a housing for accommodating the transducer, and configured so that the transmission plate can be fixed to the head of the second user by an external force applied via the housing.

[0012] In the above-described voice transmission system, for example, a first user is a speaker and a second user is a listener. Then, voice input from the first user is transmitted from the acquisition means to the transmission means, and voice information uttered by the first user is output from the transmission means to the second user. This allows the voice uttered by the first user to be clearly delivered to the second user. Also, at this time, the first user can communicate with the second user as if they were close to each other while pressing the transmission plate of the transmission means against the second user's head. In other words, the first user can communicate with the second user as if they were close to each other so that the voice uttered by the first user can be clearly delivered to the second user.

[0013] In the above-described audio transmission system, the transmission means may further include a biasing portion having one end fixed to the housing and the other end fixed to the transducer, biasing the transducer toward the transmission plate, and a detection portion that is turned on when the transmission plate is pressed and the biasing portion contracts by a predetermined amount or more. In this case, even if a built-in power source is turned on, if the detection portion is turned off, output from the transducer is stopped. However, if the power source and the detection portion are turned on, output from the transducer is performed. This mutes the transmission means when the transmission means is not held against a second user, thereby reducing power consumption when the transmission means is not held against the second user and suppressing feedback. Furthermore, in this case, the detection portion may be turned on when a force of 2.0 N or more is applied to the transmission plate. This allows the vibration of the transmission plate to be efficiently transmitted when the transmission means is used for the second user, allowing the sound from the first user to be clearly delivered to the second user.

[0014] In the audio transmission system of the present disclosure, the housing may have a grip shaped to correspond to the shape of a human palm, and the transmission plate may be configured to be fixed to the head of the second user when the grip is gripped. The shape of the grip may be defined by parameters including a solid angle, a longitudinal arc length R1, a lateral arc length R2, a longitudinal step R1h, and a lateral step R2h. In this case, the arc length R2, which is a parameter corresponding to the lateral shape of a human palm, is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, and the sum of the arc length R1 and the step R1h, which are parameters corresponding to the longitudinal shape of a human palm, is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold. This allows the first user to use the audio transmission system without strain when pressing the transmission plate of the transmission means against the head of the second user, for example.

[0015] In the voice transmission system of the present disclosure, the transmission means may further include an acquisition unit that acquires a response from the second user to predetermined voice information input to the acquisition means and output from the transmission means, and the acquisition means may further include a determination unit that determines the second user's level of understanding of the voice information based on the response acquired by the acquisition unit of the transmission means. In this case, the first user is a company that provides the voice transmission system or a speaker, and the second user is a listener. In this way, when communicating using the voice transmission system configured as described above, the level of voice recognition of the second user, who is a listener, can be known in advance. More specifically, the determination unit may determine the second user's level of understanding based on the degree of match between the voice information and the response from the second user. Furthermore, the acquisition means may input information about voices including consonants, and information about multiple types of voices, as the voice information. In this case, the determination unit may determine whether each of the responses to two or more pieces of voice information included in the plurality of pieces of voice information is correct or incorrect based on whether the response matches or does not match the voice information, and may determine the second user's level of understanding based on the number of correct or incorrect responses. The level of understanding determined by the determination unit may be displayed on the transmission means. This makes it possible to clearly grasp the second user's level of voice recognition in advance when attempting to communicate with the second user, and to appropriately adjust the level of communication depending on the second user's level of voice recognition. The transducer may include a supermagnetostrictive element that is a vibrator that expands and contracts in a longitudinal direction in response to a magnetic field, permanent magnets arranged at both longitudinal ends of the supermagnetostrictive element, and a coil arranged to radially surround the supermagnetostrictive element and through which a current corresponding to the electrical signal flows, and one of the permanent magnets arranged at one end of the supermagnetostrictive element may be connected to the transmission plate.

[0016] In the above voice transmission system, the acquisition means may further include a voice processing unit that processes voice input information input as voice, and the voice processing unit may adjust an output from the transmission means by processing the voice input information based on the comprehension level. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a voice transmission system that enables a speaker to communicate closely with a listener so that the speaker's voice can be clearly delivered to the listener. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a voice transmission system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a speaker according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of how the voice transmission system of the first embodiment is used; [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a grip formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of a person's palm. [Figure 5] 3 is a diagram for explaining a switch that is turned on and off depending on how the speaker is used in the audio transmission system in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the flow of operations of the voice transmission system in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.

[0020] First Embodiment An outline of the voice transmission system in the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the voice transmission system in this embodiment.

[0021] 1, the voice transmission system 1 according to this embodiment includes a microphone 20 as an acquisition means for acquiring an input from a first user, and a speaker 10 as a transmission means for transmitting the input acquired by the acquisition means (microphone 20) to a second user. In this embodiment, the first user is a speaker, and the second user is a listener.

[0022] Then, by connecting the microphone 20 and the speaker 10 via a predetermined network, audio input from a first user (speaker) is transmitted from the microphone 20 to the speaker 10 and output to a second user (listener) via the speaker 10. Here, the network connects the microphone 20 and the speaker 10 so that they can communicate with each other, and is, for example, short-range data communication according to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy standard (BLE). Note that the network may be wireless or a combination of wireless and wired; for example, in the case of wireless communication, NFC (Near Field Communication), UWB (Ultra Wideband), WiFi (registered trademark), etc. may be used.

[0023] 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a speaker in this embodiment. Speaker 10 in this embodiment is a bone conduction sound transmission device using a giant magnetostrictive element, and includes transducer 11 that converts a predetermined electrical signal into mechanical vibration, transmission plate 12 that transmits this mechanical vibration, and housing 13 that accommodates transducer 11. Here, the electrical signal is based on sound information.

[0024] The transducer 11 includes a giant magnetostrictive element, permanent magnets arranged at both longitudinal ends of the giant magnetostrictive element, and a coil through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal flows. The giant magnetostrictive element is a cylindrical element made of a specific magnetostrictive material. Neodymium permanent magnets are arranged at both longitudinal ends of the giant magnetostrictive element, thereby applying a steady magnetic field to the giant magnetostrictive element. Furthermore, when a current corresponding to an electrical signal flows through a coil arranged to radially surround the giant magnetostrictive element, a magnetic field is generated by the coil, causing the giant magnetostrictive element to expand and contract in the longitudinal direction. The giant magnetostrictive element in this embodiment is made of a magnetostrictive material made of an alloy such as terbium or gallium. This allows for a significantly larger expansion and contraction force and a significantly faster response speed compared to conventional magnetostrictive elements.

[0025] A transmission plate 12 is connected to the permanent magnet arranged at one end of the giant magnetostrictive element, and as shown in Fig. 2(a), the transmission plate 12 is exposed from the housing 13 that accommodates the transducer 11. The transmission plate 12 is fixed so as to come into contact with the head of the second user when the audio transmission system 1 is in use. Then, the mechanical vibration of the giant magnetostrictive element 21 of the transducer 11 transmitted to the transmission plate 12 is transmitted to the bones of the head of the second user via the transmission plate 12.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2( b ), the housing 13 is made up of a lower housing 131 , a middle housing 132 , and an upper housing 133 .

[0027] The transducer 11 can be supported by the lower housing 131. In this case, for example, a ring member may be fitted to cover the outer circumferential surface of the transducer 11, and a protrusion protruding outward from the ring member may be journaled in a support groove formed in the lower housing 131. Furthermore, in this case, the transducer 11 is arranged so that a gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the ring member and the lower housing 131, thereby minimizing transmission of vibrations of the transducer 11 to the outside (lower housing 131).

[0028] Middle housing 132 and upper housing 133 are portions that are held by a first user (speaker), and a grip, which will be described later, is formed in these portions. Note that a power supply, an electronic board, and the like may be disposed in the space defined by middle housing 132 and upper housing 133.

[0029] By using the above-described voice transmission system 1, a first user (speaker) can clearly deliver his / her voice to a second user (listener) while staying close to the second user. This will be described below with reference to FIG. 3.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of how the voice transmission system 1 of this embodiment is used. In Fig. 3, the first user who is the speaker is a doctor, and the second user who is the listener is an elderly patient.

[0031] In situations such as the one shown in Figure 3, doctors need to communicate fully with patients, such as listening to their symptoms and explaining the results of their examinations. However, in the past, when the patient was elderly and hard of hearing, doctors were unable to communicate smoothly with the patient, which increased the burden on the doctor.

[0032] In contrast to this, as shown in FIG. 3, when a doctor uses the voice transmission system 1 of this embodiment, the doctor can clearly deliver the voice he or she speaks to the patient while staying close to the patient.

[0033] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(a), a doctor, who is a first user, wears the microphone 20, grasps the grip formed on the housing 13 of the speaker 10, and in this state presses the transmission plate 12 of the speaker 10 against the head of a patient, who is a second user, thereby fixing the speaker 10 to the patient's head. Then, the voice uttered by the doctor, who is the first user, is acquired as input by the microphone 20. Then, the voice input from the first user (doctor) is transmitted from the microphone 20 to the speaker 10 via the network, and the voice information uttered by the first user (doctor) is output from the speaker 10 to the second user (patient). This allows the voice uttered by the first user (doctor) to be clearly delivered to the second user (patient). 3(b), the first user (doctor) can communicate with the second user (patient) in a close-knit manner by holding the grip of the speaker 10 in the same way as he or she holds a familiar stethoscope and pressing the transmission plate 12 of the speaker 10 against the head of the second user (patient). In other words, the first user (doctor) can communicate with the second user (patient) in a close-knit manner so that the voice he or she speaks can be clearly delivered to the second user (patient).

[0034] The voice transmission system of the present disclosure may also be used when a caregiver provides care to an elderly person who is hard of hearing and requires care. Conventionally, in such cases, the caregiver has been unable to communicate smoothly with the elderly person in order to provide care, which has led to an increased burden on the caregiver. In contrast, when using the voice transmission system of the present disclosure, the first user (caregiver) can communicate with the second user (elderly person) by pressing the transmission plate 12 of the speaker 10 against the head of the second user (elderly person) and communicating in a close manner, thereby enabling the first user (caregiver) to clearly communicate with the second user (elderly person).

[0035] The grip can be formed in a shape that corresponds to the shape of a person's palm so that the first user can use the voice transmission system 1 without any burden. This will be explained below.

[0036] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a grip formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of a human palm. As shown in Fig. 4, the shape of grip 14 formed on speaker 10 is defined by parameters including a solid angle, a longitudinal arc length R1, a lateral arc length R2, a longitudinal step R1h, and a lateral step R2h.

[0037] Grip 14 can be formed so that arc length R2, a parameter corresponding to the shape of a person's palm in the shorter direction, is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold. Grip 14 can also be formed so that the sum of arc length R1 and step R1h, parameters corresponding to the shape of a person's palm in the longer direction, is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold.

[0038] (Examples and Comparative Examples) The grip 14 formed according to the parameters in Table 1 below was evaluated for ease of gripping. The evaluation results were the consensus of 30 evaluators, both male and female. [Table 1]

[0039] (Evaluation of the shape in the short direction) The results regarding the shape of the grip 14 according to the shape of the human palm in the short direction are as follows. Evaluation of Example 1: ○ (easy to grip) Evaluation of Comparative Example 1: × (difficult to grip)

[0040] Specifically, Example 1, in which the arc length R2 is 50 mm, was evaluated as being easy to grip, whereas Comparative Example 1, in which the arc length R2 is 47 mm, was evaluated as being difficult to grip because the grip 14 was too small relative to the shape of a person's palm in the transverse direction. In other words, the grip 14 of this embodiment can be formed so that the arc length R2, which is a parameter corresponding to the shape of a person's palm in the transverse direction, is 50 mm or more.

[0041] Furthermore, the grip 14 formed according to the parameters in the following Table 2 was evaluated for ease of gripping. The evaluation results were the consensus of 30 evaluators, both male and female. [Table 2]

[0042] (Evaluation of longitudinal shape) The results for the shape of the grip 14 according to the longitudinal shape of the human palm are as follows: Evaluation of Example 2: ○ (easy to grip) Evaluation of Example 3: Excellent (especially easy to grip) Evaluation of Comparative Example 2: △ (slightly difficult to grip)

[0043] Specifically, Example 2, in which the sum of the arc length R1 and the step R1h was 95 mm, was evaluated as being easy to grip, Example 3, in which the sum of the arc length R1 and the step R1h was 94 mm, was evaluated as being particularly easy to grip because the finger joints and the step positions were aligned, while Comparative Example 2, in which the sum of the arc length R1 and the step R1h was 98 mm, was evaluated as being somewhat difficult to grip because the grip 14 was too large for the longitudinal shape of a person's palm. That is, the grip 14 of this embodiment can be formed so that the sum of the arc length R1 and the step R1h is 95 mm or less, with the arc length R1 and the step R1h being parameters corresponding to the longitudinal shape of a person's palm.

[0044] The above-described audio transmission system 1 may also be provided with a switch that is turned on and off depending on the mode of use, as will be described below.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining switches that are turned on and off depending on the manner in which the speaker 10 is used in the audio transmission system 1 of this embodiment.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, speaker 10 has one end fixed to housing 13 and the other end fixed to transducer 11, and is equipped with coil spring 15 that urges transducer 11 toward transmission plate 12.

[0047] The speaker 10 also includes a detection switch 16 that is turned on when the transmission plate 12 is pressed and the coil spring 15 contracts by a predetermined amount or more. Here, the predetermined amount is the amount of contraction of the coil spring 15 when a force of approximately 2.0 N is applied to the transmission plate 12. In other words, the detection switch 16 is turned on when a force of 2.0 N or more is applied to the transmission plate 12. The setting of the coil spring 15 is determined so that the detection switch 16 is turned on when a force is applied that is sufficient to efficiently transmit the vibrations of the transmission plate 12 to the second user, preferably when a force of 2.0 to 3.0 N is applied to the transmission plate 12.

[0048] According to the detection switch 16, even if the power supply built into the speaker 10 is on, if the detection switch 16 is off, output by the transducer 11 is stopped, and if the power supply built into the speaker 10 and the detection switch 16 are on, output by the transducer 11 is carried out.

[0049] In this way, when the speaker 10 is not held against the second user, the speaker 10 is in a muted state, and when the speaker 10 is held against the second user and a force capable of efficiently transmitting vibrations to the second user is applied to the transmission plate 12, the mute state of the speaker 10 is released and output is performed from the speaker 10. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption when the speaker 10 is not held against the second user and suppress feedback, and when the speaker 10 is used for the second user, the vibrations of the transmission plate 12 can be efficiently transmitted, allowing the sound from the first user to be clearly delivered to the second user.

[0050] According to the voice transmission system 1 described above, the speaker can communicate closely with the listener so that the speaker's voice can be clearly delivered to the listener.

[0051] Second Embodiment A voice transmission system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The voice transmission system 1 according to this embodiment includes an information processing device 200 as an acquisition means for acquiring an input from a first user, and a speaker 10 as a transmission means for transmitting the input acquired by the acquisition means (information processing device 200) to a second user. In this embodiment, the first user is a company that provides the voice transmission system or a speaker, and the second user is a listener. The speaker 10 further includes an acquisition unit (described later) in addition to the configuration described in the first embodiment. By using a voice transmission system with such a configuration to determine the level of voice recognition of the second user, who is a listener, in advance, it is possible to determine in advance whether the usage mode of the voice transmission system described in the first embodiment is effective for the second user, and to adjust the level of support from doctors and caregivers depending on the level of voice recognition of the second user.

[0052] The information processing device 200, which is the acquisition means in this embodiment, may be any electronic device that has the processing power for arithmetic and processing operations such as data acquisition, generation, and updating, and may be, for example, a personal computer, server, mainframe, tablet terminal, or other electronic device. That is, the information processing device 200 may be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, or removable media. The removable media may be, for example, a USB memory or a disc recording medium such as a CD or DVD. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, and the like.

[0053] Furthermore, the information processing device 200 may appropriately use SaaS (Software as a Service), Paas (Platform as a Service), or IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) using a cloud server, without providing software, hardware, an OS, etc. dedicated to the voice transmission system 1 of this embodiment.

[0054] The information processing device 200 has a communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit as functional units, and can realize functions that match the predetermined purpose of each functional unit by loading a program stored in the auxiliary storage device into a working area of ​​the main storage device and executing the program, which controls each functional unit, etc. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs.

[0055] Here, the communication unit is a communication interface for connecting the information processing device 200 to a network. The communication unit includes, for example, a network interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The information processing device 200 is connected to the speaker 10 and other external devices via the communication unit so as to be able to communicate with them.

[0056] The storage unit includes a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage unit. The main storage unit is a memory in which the programs executed by the control unit and the data used by the control programs are deployed. The auxiliary storage unit is a device in which the programs executed by the control unit and the data used by the control programs are stored. The storage unit stores test audio, which is audio information used to determine the understanding level of the second user as input from the first user.

[0057] The control unit is a functional unit that controls the information processing device 200. The control unit can be realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU. The control unit further includes a determination unit as a functional unit. This functional unit may be realized by the CPU executing a stored program.

[0058] The determination unit then determines the second user's level of understanding of the test audio based on the response from the second user acquired by the acquisition unit of the speaker 10. Note that, as will be described later, the determination unit can determine the second user's level of understanding based on the degree of agreement between the test audio and the response from the second user.

[0059] Here, the flow of operations of the voice transmission system 1 in this embodiment will be described. Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the flow of operations of the voice transmission system 1 in this embodiment. Fig. 6 explains the flow of operations between the components in the voice transmission system 1 in this embodiment and the processing executed by each component.

[0060] 6, for example, when a doctor or caregiver places the speaker 10 against the head of the second user, the detection switch 16 described in the first embodiment is turned on (S101). Then, communication between the speaker 10 and the information processing device 200 is started, and information that the detection switch 16 has been turned on is transmitted to the information processing device 200.

[0061] Then, when the information processing device 200 acquires the above information (S102), it initializes the number of times n that the test sound is to be output from the speaker 10 to 0 (S103).

[0062] Next, the information processing device 200 executes a process of outputting a test voice from the speaker 10 and determining the level of understanding of the second user based on a response from the second user.

[0063] More specifically, the information processing device 200 first counts up the number of times n of output in the process of S104, and then executes a process of calling the nth test voice (S105).

[0064] Here, the storage unit of the information processing device 200 stores multiple test voices input by the provider of the voice transmission system 1, which is the first user. In the process of S105, a different test voice is called for each output. The test voices include consonants, such as "food" and "fish." The test voices are not limited to these words, but may be single sounds or phrases. Consonants can be difficult to hear when a person's hearing ability declines. However, the speaker 10 using the transducer 11 having a super magnetostrictive element, as described in the first embodiment, can deliver mechanical vibrations deep into the human cochlea without attenuating them, increasing the likelihood that the second user will be able to hear the consonants. Therefore, by understanding the second user's voice recognition level in advance using test voices including consonants that are likely to be difficult to hear, doctors and caregivers can communicate with the second user in a more appropriate and supportive manner.

[0065] Furthermore, if the information processing device 200 is a user terminal such as a mobile terminal, tablet terminal, or smartphone, in the processing of S105 above, a doctor or caregiver may input voice into the user terminal as the first user to obtain test voice.

[0066] In this case, the user terminal is an electronic device owned by a doctor or caregiver, and may be any electronic device as long as it is a computer device with the processing capabilities for arithmetic and processing such as data acquisition, generation, and updating. Such a user terminal has a communication unit, an input / output unit, a memory unit, and a control unit as its functional units.

[0067] The test sound acquired in the process of S105 is transmitted to the speaker 10, and the speaker 10 acquires the sound information (S106). Then, the n-th test sound acquired in the process of S106 is output from the speaker 10, which is held against the head of the second user by a doctor or caregiver (S107).

[0068] Here, the speaker 10 in this embodiment further includes an acquisition unit that acquires a response from the second user to the test sound input to the information processing device 200 and output from the speaker 10, in addition to the configuration described in the first embodiment. This acquisition unit may be a microphone that acquires the sound uttered by the second user, or may be a touch panel that acquires operation input from the second user.

[0069] Then, the second user listens to the voice output in the process of S107 and repeats the voice he / she heard, and the response from the second user to the test voice is input to the speaker 10 via the acquisition unit (S108). If the acquisition unit is a touch panel, the response from the second user may be input as the text of the voice he / she heard, or may be input by selecting from a text list including the test voice.

[0070] Furthermore, if the test audio is in the form of a question, the second user may answer the question by voice or text, and the response to the test audio from the second user may be input to the speaker 10.

[0071] The response from the second user acquired in this manner is transmitted to the information processing device 200, which acquires the information (S109). Then, the information processing device 200 compares the test audio output from the speaker 10 with the response from the second user to determine whether the response from the second user is correct (S110). At this time, the information processing device 200 can determine that the response of the second user is correct if the test audio output from the speaker 10 and the response from the second user match, and can determine that the response of the second user is incorrect if they do not match. Note that information regarding the correctness determined in this manner is stored in a storage unit of the information processing device 200.

[0072] Next, the information processing device 200 determines whether the number of times n that the test sound has been output has reached a predetermined number (S111). If the determination in S111 is affirmative, the information processing device 200 proceeds to processing in S112, and if the determination in S111 is negative, the information processing device 200 returns to processing in S104.

[0073] If a negative determination is made in S111, then in S112, the information processing device 200 determines the second user's level of understanding of the test audio. At this time, for example, if the number of times n of outputting the test audio is 3 (i.e., three types of test audio are output) and the second user's responses contain at least one error, the information processing device 200 can determine that the second user has no level of understanding of the test audio, and if all of the second user's responses are correct, the information processing device 200 can determine that the second user has a level of understanding of the test audio. Alternatively, for example, if the number of times n of outputting the test audio is 3, the information processing device 200 can determine the second user's level of understanding of the test audio in three levels. In this case, if the number of correct answers in the second user's responses is 1, the information processing device 200 can determine the second user's level of understanding as 1, if the number of correct answers is 2, the information processing device 200 can determine the second user's level of understanding as 2, and if the number of correct answers is 3, the information processing device 200 can determine the second user's level of understanding as 3.

[0074] Then, information relating to the level of understanding determined in the process of S112 is transmitted to the speaker 10, and the speaker 10 acquires the information (S113). Then, the speaker 10 can display the level of understanding determined by the information processing device 200. For example, if the second user's level of understanding is determined as present or absent, the level of understanding can be displayed by turning on or off a lamp, and if the second user's level of understanding is determined as three levels, the level of understanding can be displayed by the number of lit lamps, the letters "upper", "middle", and "lower", or the numbers 1, 2, and 3.

[0075] This allows, for example, when a doctor or caregiver attempts to communicate with a second user, to clearly grasp the level of the second user's voice recognition in advance, and to appropriately adjust the level of support depending on the level of the second user's voice recognition.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the information processing device 200 may further include an audio processing unit that processes audio input information input as audio via the microphone 20. In this case, the audio processing unit can adjust the output from the speaker 10 by audio processing the audio input information based on the above-mentioned comprehension level.

[0077] In detail, the information processing device 200 can increase the level of a specific frequency band or increase the gain of the voice input to the microphone 20 and spoken by a doctor or caregiver, depending on the level of voice recognition by the second user.

[0078] Such a sound processing unit may be provided in the microphone 20, instead of in the information processing device 200 which may be configured as a server, a user terminal, or the like.

[0079] The above-described voice transmission system 1 also allows a speaker to communicate closely with a listener so that the speaker's voice can be clearly delivered to the listener.

[0080] <Other variations> The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the processes and means described in the present disclosure may be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0081] In addition, in the above description of the first embodiment, an example was described in which a transducer having a giant magnetostrictive element was used, but it is not intended that the transducer in the audio transmission system of the present disclosure be limited to this. The transducer in the audio transmission system of the present disclosure may also be a conventional bone conduction type. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Voice transmission system 10. Speaker 11. Transducer 12 Transmission plate 13. Housing 14 Grip 20. Mike 200 Information processing device

Claims

1. 1. A voice transmission system comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring an input from a first user; and a transmission means for transmitting the input acquired by the acquisition means to a second user, The transmission means is a transducer that converts an electrical signal based on the input acquired by the acquisition means into mechanical vibration; a transmission plate that transmits the mechanical vibration, the transmission plate being fixed so as to come into contact with the head of the second user during use, thereby transmitting the mechanical vibration to a bone in the head of the second user; a housing that accommodates the transducer; The transmission plate is configured to be fixed to the head of the second user by an external force applied via the housing. Audio transmission system.

2. The transmission means is a biasing portion having one end fixed to the housing and the other end fixed to the transducer, and biasing the transducer toward the transmission plate; a detection means that is turned on when the transmission plate is pressed and the biasing portion contracts by a predetermined amount or more, When the built-in power supply is on but the detection means is off, the output by the transducer is stopped, and when the power supply and the detection means are on, the output by the transducer is executed.

2. The audio transmission system of claim 1.

3. The detection means is turned on when a force of 2.0 N or more is applied to the transmission plate.

3. The audio transmission system of claim 2.

4. The housing includes: It has a grip shaped to fit the shape of a person's palm, The transmission plate is configured to be fixed to the head of the second user in a state where the grip is gripped.

2. The audio transmission system of claim 1.

5. The grip is The shape is defined by parameters including a solid angle, a longitudinal arc length R1, a transverse arc length R2, a longitudinal step R1h, and a transverse step R2h, The arc length R2, which is a parameter corresponding to the shape of the palm of a person in the short direction, is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value, With respect to the arc length R1 and the step difference R1h, which are parameters corresponding to the shape of the palm of a person in the longitudinal direction, the sum of the arc length R1 and the step difference R1h is equal to or less than a predetermined second threshold value.

5. The audio transmission system of claim 4.

6. the transmission means further includes an acquisition unit that acquires a response from the second user to predetermined voice information input to the acquisition means and output from the transmission means; the acquiring means further includes a determining unit that determines a level of understanding of the second user for the voice information based on the response acquired by the acquiring unit of the transmitting means; The determination unit determining a level of understanding of the second user based on a degree of agreement between the voice information and the response from the second user; 6. A voice transmission system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The acquiring means receives, as the speech information, information about speech including consonants and information about a plurality of types of speech, the determination unit determines whether each of the responses to two or more pieces of voice information included in the plurality of pieces of voice information is correct or incorrect based on a match or mismatch between the voice information and the response, and determines the second user's level of understanding based on the number of correct or incorrect responses; The communication means displays the understanding level determined by the determination unit.

7. The audio transmission system of claim 6.

8. The transducer is configured to include a giant magnetostrictive element which is a vibrator that expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction in response to a magnetic field, permanent magnets arranged at both ends of the giant magnetostrictive element in the longitudinal direction, and a coil arranged to surround the giant magnetostrictive element in the radial direction and through which a current corresponding to the electrical signal flows, and of the permanent magnets, the permanent magnet arranged at one end of the giant magnetostrictive element is connected to the transmission plate.

8. The audio transmission system of claim 7.

9. the acquiring means further includes a voice processing unit that processes voice input information input as voice, the voice processing unit adjusts an output from the communication means by processing the voice input information based on the level of understanding.

7. The audio transmission system of claim 6.

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