Hearing Aid Scene Adaptation via Image Classification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aid devices fail to adapt to different scenes, leading to ineffective sound reception and inability to distinguish between multiple speakers, as they lack the ability to recognize the user's surroundings and adjust microphone settings accordingly.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid system equipped with an image capturing device, a microphone assembly, and an audio processing device that includes a scene analysis module, microphone controller, and audio signal processor, allowing it to switch between sound-receiving modes based on scene classification models and user selection, enabling optimal sound reception in various environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hearing aid devices use a single sound-receiving mode (omnidirectional or directional microphone), then the device structure remains simple, but the device cannot adapt to different scenes and fails to optimize sound reception for various environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between different sound-receiving modes (omnidirectional, directional, and focused beamforming) based on scene classification. The system continuously monitors the environment and adjusts microphone activation and audio processing parameters in real-time to match the current scene, enabling adaptability without requiring multiple fixed configurations
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic scene classification and autonomously selects the appropriate sound-receiving mode without user intervention. The scene analysis module automatically identifies the current environment type and triggers the corresponding audio processing strategy, making the complex adaptation process transparent to the user
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional hearing aid devices use directional microphones to reduce noise, then noise reduction is improved, but the device cannot distinguish between multiple speakers and may block important speech sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio processing into multiple independent strategies corresponding to different scene types. Instead of using a single directional microphone approach, the system divides sound reception into multiple modes (omnidirectional for conference scenes, directional for noisy environments, focused beamforming for distant speakers) and activates the appropriate segment based on the classified scene, preventing information loss while maintaining noise reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes audio processing parameters including microphone gain, beamforming focus direction, and noise reduction intensity based on the classified scene. This allows optimal noise reduction while preserving speech information by adjusting parameters rather than using a fixed aggressive noise reduction approach that might block important sounds
3Reliability
If conventional hearing aid devices activate multiple microphones for better sound reception, then sound quality improves, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent activates only the necessary subset of microphones and processing strategies required for the current scene rather than continuously running all microphones and processing modes. For example, in quiet omnidirectional scenes, only essential microphones are active, while in complex conference scenes, additional microphones and beamforming processing are selectively engaged, optimizing the balance between sound quality and power consumption
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing aid system includes an image capturing device capturing an image, microphones, an audio processing device connected with the image capturing device and the microphones, and an audio output device connected with the audio processing device. The audio processing device, by using classification models, performs analysis on the image to determine one of the classification models, controls the microphones to receive sound according to a plan which corresponds to the classification model, and operates in a mode corresponding to the plan to perform audio signal processing on collected audio signal(s) generated by the microphones so as to generate a processed audio signal, based on which the audio output device outputs sound.