Video Game Audio Modulation for Hearing Loss Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aids are incompatible with video gaming systems, leading to a diminished gaming experience for users with hearing impairments, as they fail to preserve the meticulously curated audio quality essential for video games.
Innovation Solution
A method for modifying video game audio output by applying modulation profiles based on a user's hearing loss profile, considering frequency bands and loudness levels, to enhance audio clarity while maintaining audio integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hearing aids are used, then hearing impairment is compensated, but compatibility with video gaming systems is lost and audio quality is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an audio processing system as an intermediary between the gaming system and the user's hearing impairment. This intermediary applies custom audio modifications based on the user's hearing profile, acting as a bridge that enables compatibility between gaming systems and users with hearing losses without requiring traditional hearing aid hardware integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes audio parameters (frequency, volume, timing) dynamically based on the user's hearing loss profile. By adjusting these parameters in real-time, the system adapts the audio output to match the user's hearing capabilities, resolving the contradiction between providing hearing compensation and maintaining gaming system compatibility.
2Reliability
If hearing aids amplify key frequencies, then hearing loss is addressed, but the meticulously curated audio quality of video games is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by treating different frequency bands differently based on the user's hearing profile and the importance of each sound element in the game. Rather than uniform amplification, the system applies selective modifications to specific frequency ranges, preserving the curated audio quality while compensating for hearing loss in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts audio characteristics in real-time based on the game audio being processed and the user's hearing profile. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain audio quality integrity by adjusting gain, equalization, and timing parameters on a per-frequency-band basis, rather than applying static amplification.
3Ease of operation
If audio is modified to assist users with hearing loss, then audio clarity is improved, but audio quality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the user's hearing profile as feedback information to guide audio modifications. By continuously referencing the hearing loss characteristics, the system adjusts audio parameters to optimize clarity while preserving quality. The feedback loop ensures that modifications are data-driven rather than speculative, balancing accessibility with fidelity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method for modifying video game audio output using a video gaming system. The method comprises: obtaining a hearing loss profile associated with a user, the hearing loss profile defining a hear loss value varying with frequency; obtaining audio data to be output on a video gaming system, the audio data corresponding to an audio asset, the audio data comprising a plurality of frequency bands; determining, for each frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands, a respective loudness level; selecting, for each frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands of the audio data, a respective modulation profile based on the frequency band and the respective loudness levels, the modulation profile defining a gain value to be applied dependent on a hearing loss value provided by the hearing loss profile; and applying, to each frequency band of the audio data, the respective modulation profiles using the hearing loss profile to generate modified video game audio.