Assistance System Speech Intelligibility Acoustic Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing assistance systems are not adequately adapted to users with hearing impairments, leading to reduced effectiveness in noisy environments, as they primarily rely on simple amplification rather than intelligent modulation of speech output to enhance intelligibility.
Innovation Solution
An assistance system that uses sensors to analyze the acoustic environment and the user's hearing capacity, adjusting speech presentation parameters such as frequency, intensity, and modality to optimize intelligibility, including the use of visual cues and gestures, to adapt to both the user's hearing abilities and environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If simple amplification of speech output is used, then the system is easy to implement, but speech intelligibility deteriorates in noisy environments and for hearing-impaired users
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes multiple parameters of the speech output signal including frequency spectrum distribution, temporal envelope characteristics, and spatial positioning. These parameter modifications are adapted based on the user's hearing profile and the acoustic environment to optimize intelligibility without requiring complex hardware changes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple acoustic amplification with intelligent signal processing that uses computational models of hearing impairment and acoustic environment analysis. This substitution transforms a purely mechanical/amplification-based system into an intelligent adaptive system that processes and modifies speech signals based on multiple input parameters
2Reliability
If speech output parameters are dynamically adjusted, then speech intelligibility improves for hearing-impaired users, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the user's hearing capacity and the acoustic environment before generating speech output. By pre-processing these inputs and determining optimal parameter settings in advance, the system avoids complex real-time adjustments during speech delivery, reducing computational complexity while maintaining intelligibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing stages that include acoustic environment analysis modules, hearing profile processing modules, and parameter optimization modules. These intermediaries break down the complex task of adaptive speech generation into manageable sequential steps, each handling a specific aspect of the problem
3Loss of information
If multimodal communication including visual cues is used, then comprehension improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges auditory speech output with visual communication modalities such as lip synchronization, facial expressions, and gesture coordination. By combining these modalities into a unified communication output, the system enhances information delivery without requiring separate independent systems for each modality
Data Source
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AI summary
An assistance system performs a method for providing information to an assisted person using speech output. The system comprises at least one sensor for acoustically sensing an environment, in which the assistance system and the assisted person are located. The system further comprises a processor that is configured to analyze a sensor output from the at least one sensor. The processor estimates a potential interference of an intended speech output with the sensed acoustic environment in the common environment on the basis of the analysis result. Additionally, the processor obtains information on an assisted person's hearing capacity and determines an expected intelligibility of speech output on the basis of the estimated interference and the obtained information on the assisted person's hearing capacity. The system further comprises a speech output signal generation unit. The speech presentation signal generation unit generates a speech presentation signal in accordance with the determined modality for intended speech presentation. The speech output signal is then supplied at least to a loudspeaker or hearing aid for outputting the speech output including the information to be provided to the user.