EEG Hearing Aid Self-Fitting for Objective Threshold Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aid technologies rely on subjective user responses for hearing threshold assessments, which can be biased and unreliable, especially for individuals with cognitive impairments or fluctuating hearing abilities, and require specialized equipment and environments for testing.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid system that uses EEG sensors to measure hearing thresholds by analyzing EEG responses to auditory stimuli or ambient sounds, allowing for objective and continuous assessment without user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional hearing threshold testing methods are used, then hearing assessment can be performed, but the measurement is subjective and unreliable especially for cognitive weak individuals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/subjective response system with an electrophysiological measurement system. Instead of relying on the user's subjective indication of hearing sounds, the system uses electrodes to measure brain stem responses and EEG signals, which are objective physiological indicators of auditory processing. This substitution eliminates the reliability issues associated with subjective responses from cognitive weak individuals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement system - the brain stem response and EEG measurement apparatus - that indirectly assesses hearing ability. Rather than directly asking the user to indicate when they hear sounds, the system measures the physiological response in the brain stem and cortex, which serves as an intermediary indicator of auditory threshold without requiring conscious user participation.
2Measurement precision
If traditional hearing tests are conducted frequently to track hearing evolution, then hearing changes can be monitored, but specialized equipment and sound proofed environments are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the hearing assessment system universal by integrating it into a hearing aid device that can be worn in everyday environments. The hearing aid with integrated electrodes and processing capabilities can perform hearing threshold measurements without requiring specialized sound-proofed rooms or complex external equipment, thus enabling frequent monitoring in natural listening conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service hearing assessment by automatically measuring brain stem responses and EEG signals through integrated electrodes in the hearing aid. The device performs the measurements and processes the signals without requiring external specialized equipment or complex environmental controls, allowing users to be tested frequently in their own environments.
3Ease of operation
If subjective user responses are used for hearing assessment, then the testing process is simple, but the results are biased and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the simple but unreliable subjective response mechanism with an automated electrophysiological measurement system. The hearing aid automatically presents acoustic stimuli and records the user's brain stem and cortical responses through electrodes, eliminating the need for complex user interactions while providing objectively accurate hearing threshold measurements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides accurate, reliable, and continuous hearing threshold measurements, adaptable to individual hearing changes over time, without the need for specialized equipment or environments.
Implementation Method 1
an EEG sensor part (101, 201) having electrodes for picking up an EEG response from the user
Implementation Method 2
measuring the brain stem response, when said person is exposed to certain sounds
Data Source
AI summary
A personal hearing aid (1) is adapted to be carried at the head of a person. The hearing aid comprises an EEG sensor part having electrodes (3) for measuring EEG responses from said person. The hearing aid comprises an EEG signal analyzer (5, 5′) adapted for having an EEG signal transferred from the EEG sensor part, and adapted for monitoring the EEG response. The hearing aid (1) further comprises EEG stimuli controlling means adapted for performing at least one of the following: providing a stimulus to the person, requesting the person to perform a stimuli creating act, or identifying a stimuli creating ambient sound. The hearing aid comprises EEG response detection means for identifying an induced response from the EEG response caused by the stimuli, and a classifier for deciding based on said induced response if the electrodes receive EEG responses. The invention further provides a method of adjusting a hearing aid.