Cochlear Surround Sound Stimulation With Noise Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cochlear stimulation systems lack the ability to provide improved electrically stimulated sound systems with enhanced spatial qualities and effective noise cancellation for individuals with hearing disabilities.
Innovation Solution
A cochlear stimulation system incorporating multiple channel electrodes and microphones, a processor/control unit, and a sound canceling processor to generate surround sound signals with interaural level and time differences, and ambient noise cancellation, enhancing the perception of sound directionality and reducing background noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple channel electrodes and microphones are added to provide surround sound capability, then spatial sound quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into multiple channels (front left, front right, center, back left, back right, etc.), with each channel processed independently by dedicated electrodes and microphones. This segmentation enables spatial sound reproduction while distributing the complexity across multiple simple, identical components rather than one complex processing unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The cochlear implant system is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it provides both traditional hearing stimulation and surround sound spatial audio processing. The same electrode array and processor are used for both monaural hearing restoration and multi-channel spatial audio reproduction, eliminating the need for separate dedicated surround sound hardware.
2Reliability
If sound canceling processor is added to reduce ambient noise, then hearing clarity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The noise canceling processor is merged with the existing cochlear implant processor, combining spatial audio processing and active noise cancellation into a single integrated processing unit. This consolidation reduces overall device complexity while providing both surround sound and noise cancellation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary between the microphones (which capture ambient noise) and the electrodes (which deliver stimulation). It processes the microphone signals, generates anti-noise cancellation signals, and delivers them through the electrodes, mediating between noise detection and noise reduction without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each function.
3Illumination intensity
If surround sound processing with interaural differences is implemented, then spatial perception is improved, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system manipulates key acoustic parameters (interaural time differences and interaural level differences) to create spatial perception. By changing these specific parameters of the electrical stimulation signals delivered to different electrodes, the system simulates directional sound without requiring complex spatial audio algorithms or additional hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
A cochlear and nerve stimulation system comprises a signal input to receive an audio input signal, a multiple channel microphone input to receive multiple channel ambient noise signals, and a multiple channel cochlear converter coupled to the signal input to produce multiple channel surround sound cochlear and nerve stimulation signals based on the audio input signal. The stimulation signals include one or both of interaural level differences and interaural time differences. A sound canceling processor is coupled between the microphone input and the cochlear converter to produce multiple channel sound canceling signals based on the ambient noise signals. Multiple channel cochlear and nerve stimulation electrodes are configured for attachment to a user and coupled to receive the multiple channel surround sound cochlear stimulation signals.