192 results about "Auditory system" patented technology

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).

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 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 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.

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 of

• a) 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; and
• d) 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.

The hearing system (1) is adapted to establishing a communication network (10) between devices (11, 12, 13, 14) of said hearing system (1). It is characterized by a main channel of said communication network (10), which uses at least a portion of the transmission capacity of said communication network, and which is shared between said devices. Said sharing is managed jointly by said devices using a control channel. There is no centralized decision, but a distributed decision. Preferably, said main channel and said control channel are time-multiplexed.

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.