Headset Hearing Loss Profiling From Audio Interactions and Local Context
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for diagnosing and assessing hearing loss are time-consuming and provide limited data, leading to inaccurate estimation and compensation for an individual's hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
A controller in a headset utilizes sensors to capture audio and environmental data to estimate a user's hearing loss by analyzing interactions with the local area, determining a sound profile, and applying filters to compensate for identified hearing loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional hearing tests and surveys are used to diagnose hearing loss, then a clinical assessment can be obtained, but the process is time-consuming and provides limited data for accurate estimation
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to perform self-assessment of hearing loss through automated analysis of audio interactions and environmental data. The controller automatically processes captured audio, identifies interactions, determines attributes, and estimates hearing loss without requiring clinical providers to administer tests or surveys, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating time-consuming manual assessment processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual hearing tests and paper surveys with an automated electronic system that captures audio data, processes it through algorithms, and generates hearing loss estimates. The controller uses computational methods to analyze audio interactions and environmental data, substituting the traditional mechanical assessment process with an automated information processing system that provides both speed and precision
2Loss of information
If conventional hearing tests are used, then some hearing data can be collected, but the data is limited and prevents complete assessment of functional hearing
Solution Approach 1:
The headset device performs multiple functions: it captures audio interactions, records environmental data, tracks user responses, and estimates hearing loss all through a single integrated system. The controller serves as a universal processing unit that handles diverse data types from multiple sensors, eliminating the need for separate specialized devices for each measurement type and achieving complete hearing assessment through one multi-functional platform
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple data collection methods (audio capture, environmental sensing, interaction tracking) into a unified assessment system. The controller integrates information from various sensors and data sources to generate a comprehensive hearing loss estimate, merging previously separate assessment components into a single cohesive system that captures complete functional hearing information
Data Source
AI summary
An audio system includes one or more acoustic sensors capturing audio from a local area surrounding the audio system and one or more additional sensors capturing data describing the local area. An audio controller in the audio system identifies interactions by a user based on the captured audio and the data describing the local area. The audio controller determines attributes associated with each interaction, such as metrics describing speaking by the user, metrics describing requests for clarification by the user, and metrics based on a topic determined from audio captured by the user. Based on the interactions and associated attributes, the audio controller estimates a sound profile for the user that identifies ranges of frequencies where the user has hearing loss. The audio controller may leverage the sound profile to determine one or more filters to offset hearing loss of the user.