Binaural Hearing System Fitting with Asymmetric Gain Acclimatization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Binaural hearing systems fitted using conventional methods can cause unpleasant hearing sensations for patients with asymmetric hearing loss, leading to discomfort and reduced intelligibility due to unbalanced and overly loud amplification in the ear with stronger hearing loss, which may mask the ear with weaker hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
The method involves setting the initial gain for the ear with stronger hearing loss lower than the final gain by an amount depending on the weaker hearing loss, and setting the initial gain for the ear with weaker hearing loss higher than the final gain by an amount depending on the stronger hearing loss, with a binaural difference in initial gain settings typically less than 40 dB, to create a more symmetrical initial gain setting that gradually adjusts to the final asymmetrical setting during acclimatization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional fitting formulas are applied to optimize speech understanding, then speech recognition is improved, but unpleasant hearing sensations and discomfort occur due to unbalanced and overly loud amplification in the ear with stronger hearing loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing an acclimatization period before the final fitting is activated. During this period, the hearing devices are provided with initial gain settings that are more balanced between ears, allowing the patient to gradually adapt to the binaural system without experiencing the harsh effects of full asymmetric amplification immediately. The final optimized fitting is then activated after the patient has adapted, achieving both speech recognition optimization and comfort.
2Reliability
If high amplification is applied to the ear with stronger hearing loss to achieve satisfactory hearing compensation, then hearing compensation is improved, but intelligibility is reduced due to masking of the ear with weaker hearing loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing initial gain settings during the acclimatization period that balance the amplification between both ears. This preliminary balanced configuration prevents the masking effect that would occur with immediate high asymmetric amplification, while still providing sufficient hearing compensation. After the patient adapts, the final fitting optimizes each ear's gain according to its specific hearing loss, achieving both compensation and intelligibility.
3Reliability
If asymmetric gain settings are applied according to individual hearing loss to achieve optimal hearing compensation, then hearing compensation is improved, but patient acceptance is reduced due to unbalanced hearing impression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing an acclimatization period with initially more symmetric gain settings that are easier for patients to accept. During this period, both ears receive balanced amplification that does not create a harsh unbalanced hearing impression. After the patient has adapted to the binaural system during this preliminary phase, the final asymmetric fitting is activated, achieving optimal hearing compensation tailored to each ear's specific loss while maintaining patient acceptance.
Data Source
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Figure 2
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AI summary
There is provided a method for fitting of a binaural hearing system comprising a first hearing device (10) and a second hearing device (11) to a patient (15) suffering from an asymmetric hearing loss for first time use, wherein the difference in hearing loss between the two ears is at least 5 dB on average in a main frequency range between 500 Hz and 4 kHz, the method comprising: providing audiogram data representative of the hearing loss of each of the ears of the patient, determining, from the audiogram data, for each of the hearing devices an initial gain setting and a final gain setting, applying, for an initial time period, the respective initial gain setting to each of the hearing devices, applying, for an acclimatization time period, gain settings to each of the hearing device which are gradually changed, as a function of time, from the respective initial gain setting to the respective final gain setting, applying, after lapse of the acclimatization time period, the respective final gain setting in each of the hearing devices, wherein the initial gain setting of the hearing device used at the ear having the stronger hearing loss is, on average in the main frequency range, lower than the respective final gain setting by an amount depending on the hearing loss of the ear having the weaker hearing loss, wherein the initial gain setting of the hearing device used at the ear having the weaker hearing loss deviates, on average in the main frequency range, from the respective final gain setting by an amount depending on the hearing loss of the ear having the stronger hearing loss, and wherein, on average in the main frequency range, the binaural difference between the initial gain settings is lower than that of the final gain settings.