194 results about "Auditory system" patented technology

A cochlear implant placed in a cochlea of a living subject for stimulating the auditory system of the living subject, where the auditory system comprises auditory neurons. In one embodiment, the cochlear implant includes a plurality of light sources, {Li}, placeable distal to the cochlea, each light source, L1, being operable independently and adapted for generating an optical energy, Ei, wherein i=1, . . . , N, and N is the number of the light sources, and delivering means placeable in the cochlea and optically coupled to the plurality of light sources, {Li}, such that in operation, the optical energies {Ei} generated by the plurality of light sources {Li} are delivered to target sites, {Gi}, of auditory neurons, respectively, wherein the target sites G1 and GN of auditory neurons are substantially proximate to the apical end and the basal end of the cochlea, respectively.

A hearing system (1) capable of assisting a user of the hearing system (1) to find a location where satisfactory hearing performance is achievable is described. The hearing system (1) comprises at least one hearing device (11, 12) with an input transducer (20), an output transducer (40), and a processing unit (30) operatively connected to the input transducer (20) as well as to the output transducer (40). The hearing system (1) further comprises a first means (50) for determining from a signal of the input transducer (20) at least one parameter (60) representative of a current acoustic environment at a current location, and a second means (40, 200, 201) for indicating to a user of the hearing system (1) a degree of suitability of the current location to achieve satisfactory hearing performance based on the at least one parameter (60).

It is a robotics visual and auditory system provided with an auditory module (20), a face module (30), a stereo module (37), a motor control module (40), and an association module (50) to control these respective modules. The auditory module (20) collects sub-bands having interaural phase difference (IPD) or interaural intensity difference (IID) within a predetermined range by an active direction pass filter (23a) having a pass range which, according to auditory characteristics, becomes minimum in the frontal direction, and larger as the angle becomes wider to the left and right, based on an accurate sound source directional information from the association module (50), and conducts sound source separation by restructuring a wave shape of a sound source, conducts speech recognition of separated sound signals from respective sound sources using a plurality of acoustic models (27d), integrates speech recognition results from each acoustic model by a selector, and judges the most reliable speech recognition result among the speech recognition results.

The present invention relates to a device for picking up biological electrical signals, and more precisely auditory evoked potentials generated by acoustic and / or electrical and / or mechanical stimulation of the cochlear, or of a portion of the auditory system in man or animal. The implantable device for measuring or picking up auditory evoked potentials comprises at least two extracochlear pickup electrodes connected to the inputs of a differential amplifier.

A prosthetic hearing system is described that provides multi-path stimulation of the patient auditory system. A mechanical stimulation component applies mechanical stimulation signals to cerebral tissue such as the dura mater, cerebrospinal fluid, vestibular structures, etc. using multiple separate mechanical stimulation channels. And an electrical stimulation component provides electrical stimulation of auditory neural tissue of the patient user.

An automated method for treating tinnitus by habituation through use of neurological feedback, comprising the steps of connecting a subject through a set of attached headphones to an electronic sound player that is connected to a PC workstation presenting sound examples by software to the subject who can refine them by manipulating a series of controllers on the player, making an electronic recording of the sound in a digital music format, storing the recording in the computer, transferring a copy of the electronic sound file to the subject's electronic music player, generating an EEC signature of the subject's brain activity in response to the presented sound, sound using the customized sound to stimulate the auditory system while the brain activity is recorded, wherein the computer continuously monitors for the feedback signatures and drives the sound stimuli appropriately.

A vibration presenting system includes a first vibration applying device for applying a vibration that is generated by a first vibration source and has frequency components within an audible range perceivable as a sound by an auditory sense system of a living body to the auditory sense system of the living body, and a second vibration applying device for applying a vibration that is generated by a second vibration source different from the first vibration source and has superhigh frequency components exceeding the audible range unperceivable by the auditory sense system of the living body to a living body component region other than the auditory sense system of the living body. The living body component region other than the auditory sense system of the living body is a body surface of the living body, which may include a head thereof.

An artificial engine sound control unit which controls an artificial engine sound which is emitted from a sounding body which is provided at an electric vehicle whose at least a part of drive power is generated by an electric motor, to outside; comprising a speed region determination part which determines a speed region of the electric vehicle and an artificial engine sound generating part, when the speed region determination part determines such that the electric motor of the electric vehicle can be energized and the electric vehicle is stopped, the artificial engine sound generating part controls so as for the sounding body to emit an artificial engine sound, and the artificial engine sound generating part detects such that the electric vehicle comes close to a start running mode, then the artificial engine sound generating part controls the artificial engine sound which is emitted from the sounding body.

A privacy apparatus adds a privacy sound based on a speaker's own voice into the environment, thereby confusing listeners as to which of the sounds is the real source. This permits disruption of the ability to understand the source speech of the user by eliminating segregation cues that the auditory system uses to interpret speech. The privacy apparatus minimizes segregation cues. The privacy apparatus is relatively quiet and thus easily acceptable in a typical open floor design office space. The privacy apparatus contains an A / D converter that converts the speech into a digital signal, a DSP that converts the digital signal into a privacy signal with pre-recorded speech fragments of the person speaking, a D / A converter that converts the privacy signal into an output signal and one or more loudspeakers from which the output signal is emitted.

A vibration processing apparatus is provided with generating means and vibration presenting means. The generating means generates a vibration or an oscillation signal, that includes a first band including vibration components perceived as sound by an auditory system of a living body, and a second band including vibration components exhibiting an effect of lowering brain activity from among bands beyond the first band. The vibration presenting means applies the vibration of the second band to the living body, together with the vibration of the first band.

An ear-level hearing device and a handheld computer (e.g., smartphone) with a graphical user interface determines a subject's own hearing threshold. Hardware includes the smartphone, viewing screen of the smartphone, smartphone software, ear level hearing device, transmitter on the smartphone and receiver on the ear level device (ELD) communicating with the graphical user interface on the smartphone to the ear level hearing device. The interface software on the smartphone may include an automatic routine or buttons to vary frequency and amplitude of a frequency dependent sound presentation to the earpiece. Software installed on the hand-held smartphone system sends wireless signals to the ELD changing acoustic parameters in the listening device. The firmware / software in the ELD stores frequency / amplitude parameters of the thresholds and wirelessly delivers them to the smartphone. The smartphone device uses the threshold data to derive the appropriate amplified acoustical signal (relative to the thresholds) to the subject.

The invention discloses a coupling-bionics-based food crispness tester which comprises a chewing simulator, a cracking signal acquisition system and a data processing and analysis system, wherein the chewing simulator is used for simulating the food chewing of a human chewing system; the cracking signal acquisition system is used for acquiring a pressure signal and a sound signal, which are generated during the chewing of the chewing simulator; the data processing and analysis system is used for receiving the signals, and performing data processing and analysis to acquire a predetermined food crispiness result. The coupling-bionics-based food crispness tester is established by simulating the human chewing system and an auditory system by a bionic technology, and is used for acquiring mechanical and acoustic signals when the food is chewed, establishing a sensory crispness evaluation and mechanical and acoustic signal prediction model and comprehensively determining the crispness of the food by utilizing the model; an integrated manual technical system with the characteristic of achieving maximum environmental adaptability with low energy consumption is constructed; a test is carried out from a crispness formation mechanism, and is superior to crispness evaluation from other indexes such as cracks and simply from the mechanical signals.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for listening to ambient sounds, engage in face-to-face communication, listen to and transmit voice communications, while also protecting the auditory system from hazardous sound pressure levels. Increased gain permits the user to maximize his sound detection ability during “reconnaissance and sentry” activities, thereby increasing the user's ability to detect and localize low level sounds such as, for example, enemy movement or activity. The throughput of the system is linear creating high fidelity of sound until the output level for a particular setting of the final gain reaches the limits established by the power supply. At that point, the output reaches a hard limit. This supply voltage also limits the output to the ear for any instantaneous increase in sound pressure levels. The invention includes barriers to attenuate ambient sounds from entering the ear canal and means for providing sound to the occluded portion of the ear canal. Therefore, hazardous impact noise (e.g., weapons blast, small arms fire, etc.) does not pass through the invention while ambient sounds and conversation are received at a level suitable for the auditory system.

An implantable microphone for use in hearing systems includes a housing having a sidewall, a first membrane coupled to a top portion of the housing and configured to move in response to movement from an auditory ossicle, and a second membrane coupled to the sidewall such that an interior volume of the housing is divided into a first volume and a second volume. The second membrane has an opening that permits fluid to flow from the first volume to the second volume. The implantable microphone also includes a vibration sensor adjacent to the second membrane and configured to measure the movement of the second membrane and to convert the measurement into an electrical signal. The vibration sensor may include a piezoelectric sensor and / or a MEMS sensor.

A hearing system for use by a user is presented. The hearing system includes an external portion for placement external the user. The external portion includes a sound processing unit for providing amplified acoustic sound to an ear of the user. The hearing system further includes an implantable portion for implantation under the skin of the user. The implantable portion and the sound processing unit have magnetic characteristics such that a magnetic attraction exists there between to retain the sound processing unit in a desired position.

The present invention provides a system and method for auditory skills Improvement and, more specifically, for improving auditory perception using a system and method that screens, diagnoses and trains the auditory system. The system is compatible for hearing aid users and for children. The training is specific to the auditory profile of the patients with different task difficulties. To monitor and control the training, the system transfer specific data to a remote server.

A valve for a personal auditory system is described. The auditory system is capable of converting between an acoustic signal and an electrical signal. The auditory system has an acoustic pathway through which an acoustic signal may travel between a first point exterior to the auditory system and a second point interior to the auditory system. The valve includes a free floating electrode and a second electrode adjacent to free floating electrode. An electric signal that is generated by the second electrode moves the free floating electrode to substantially open or close the acoustic pathway.

The method for operating a hearing system comprising at least one hearing device; at least one signal processing unit; at least one user control by means of which at least one audio processing parameter of said signal processing unit is adjustable; and a sensor unit; comprises the steps ofa) obtaining adjustment data (userCorr) representative of adjustments of said at least one parameter carried out by operating said at least one user control;b) obtaining characterizing data (p1;p2) from data outputted from said sensor unit substantially at the time said adjustment data are obtained;c) deriving correction data (learntCorr) from said adjustment data (userCorr); wherein step c) is carried out in dependence of said characterizing data; andd) recognizing an update event; and, upon step d):e) using corrected settings for said at least one audio processing parameter in said signal processing unit, which corrected settings are derived in dependence of said correction data (learntCorr).An improved automatic adaptation of the audio processing properties of the hearing system the hearing system user's preference can be achieved.

A wireless signal processing device integrated with a hearing device is structured to form a wireless auditory system. Specifically, the system enables reception of radio and similar related broadcast, within a selected range of frequencies, directly into the hearing aid. A remote programmable unit operates as a transceiver and a selector to provide the user with several options to change frequencies, adjust volume and select among broadcast programs. A receiver is integrated with the hearing device to wirelessly receive transmission signals from the programmer unit. The hearing device may be fitted with a transceiver unit to directly receive and transmit signals. In this arrangement, the programmer unit is used to control channel, frequency and volume while simultaneously serving as a redundant reception and transmission unit. The system could be used to enable direct transfer of information, communication and entertainment in addition to its normal function as a hearing aid unit.

A valve for a personal auditory system is described. The auditory system is capable of converting between an acoustic signal and an electrical signal. The auditory system has an acoustic pathway through which an acoustic signal may travel between a first point exterior to the auditory system and a second point interior to the auditory system. The valve includes a free floating electrode and a second electrode adjacent to free floating electrode. An electric signal that is generated by the second electrode moves the free floating electrode to substantially open or close the acoustic pathway.

The invention provides a speech separation method based on a fuzzy membership function, and belongs to speech separation methods. The fuzzy membership function is combined in the speech separation method, so that more accurate definition of a membership degree of speech time frequency units to a target signal is obtained. An auditory oscillation model is built through human ear auditory system simulation, and speech pitch characteristics are extracted. The speech time frequency units are marked according to pitch cycle characteristics to form foreground streams and background streams. Whether the corresponding time frequency units are targets or noise is judged according to different marks. In the synthesis stage, a target unit multiplies a high weight, a noise unit multiplies a low weight, and resynthetized speech is obtained. By means of the speech separation method, the pitch cycle can be estimated more precisely, the time frequency units can be marked more accurately on the basis of characteristic clues, and the more complete target speech can be obtained. Due to the fact that the method is based on the pitch characteristics of the speech, good separation effects in complex and non-stationary noise are achieved, and the application range is wide.

A method is described for generating stimulus signals for an auditory prosthesis system. A high frequency signal conveys higher frequency audio information including exceptionally low rate band-pass envelope characteristics. This high frequency signal represents at least the upper part if not all of the range of frequencies for speech, music, and other sounds that are audible to listeners with normal hearing. A separate low frequency signal is also provided representing lower audio frequency information including periodicity characteristics (voiced / unvoiced or periodic / aperiodic distinctions) and for periodic sounds, fundamental frequency characteristics. The high frequency signal is applied to the auditory system of a patient by an associated high frequency stimulator, and the low frequency signal is applied to the auditory system of the patient by an associated low frequency signal.

An implantable microstimulator, or equivalent neural stimulator, generates a relatively simple signal containing temporally challenging information and delivers such signal to the middle or outer portion of the ear contra-lateral to an ear having a cochlear implant of a bilaterally deafened patient. Such stimulation delivered to the contra lateral ear advantageously increases the survival rate of neurons therein, and further helps maintain or extend the plasticity of the higher auditory pathways of the contra-lateral ear, thereby allowing a cochlear implant to be more effectively used in such ear at a later date. The stimulation provided by the microstimulator, or equivalent simple neural stimulator, need not be continuous, but may be provided only during limited periods of time each day, or only on selected days. Further, such stimulation preserves whatever residual hearing may be left in the contra lateral ear.

A connection apparatus for coupling an implantable device, such as a hearing aid transducer, to a middle ear component. The connection apparatus includes a first joint member on the implantable device and a second joint member connectable to the middle ear component. The first and second joint members are themselves connectable during implantation of the device to couple the device and the middle ear component. In one embodiment of the invention, the first and second joint members may form a detachable connection to facilitate removal for repair and or replacement of the device

A privacy apparatus adds a privacy sound into the environment, thereby confusing listeners as to which of the sounds is the real source. The privacy sound may be based on the speaker's own voice or may be based on another voice. At least one characteristic of the speaker (such as a characteristic of the speaker's speech) may be identified. The characteristic may then be used to access a database of the speaker's own voice or another's voice, and to form one or more voice streams to form the privacy sound. The privacy sound may thus permit disruption of the ability to understand the source speech of the user by eliminating segregation cues that the auditory system uses to interpret speech.

Systems, methods and apparatuses for auditory system disorder rehabilitation by providing a stimulus to the auditory system of an individual experiencing an auditory disorder, tinnitus, conditions of reduced tolerance of loud sounds, or combinations thereof comprising, for example, a playback device and a method and apparatus for modifying an audio signal. The methods may include allowing a user to select an audio source (for example, a music track or the audio output of a television program) and modifying the audio with a spectral modified signal to create a spectrally modified audio. The spectrally modified audio can then be output by the playback device or other means for listening by the user.