Hearing Aid Frequency Screening for Tinnitus-Affected Ranges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aids fail to accurately identify and mitigate tinnitus frequencies, amplifying them instead, leading to unbearable levels of noise for users with or without hearing impairment.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that screens the user's hearing range incrementally to identify tinnitus-impacted frequencies, applying a signal shift or 0dB amplification at these frequencies to mitigate or eliminate tinnitus, using a hearing aid programmed to process sounds through microphones and electronic signal processors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hearing aids amplify all frequencies equally to improve hearing, then hearing ability is improved, but tinnitus frequencies are amplified to unbearable levels
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid applies different amplification characteristics to different frequency ranges. Specifically, it identifies tinnitus-affected frequencies and applies reduced or zero amplification to those frequencies while maintaining normal amplification for other frequencies. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing overall hearing improvement while preventing tinnitus amplification at specific frequencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts amplification parameters based on detected tinnitus frequencies. By changing the amplification parameter from a uniform value to frequency-specific values (with reduced amplification at tinnitus frequencies), the system simultaneously improves hearing for non-tinnitus frequencies while mitigating tinnitus noise at affected frequencies.
2Reliability
If hearing aids use standard amplification to improve speech intelligibility, then communication ability is improved, but tinnitus mitigation is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency spectrum is segmented into tinnitus-affected and non-affected portions. The hearing aid processes these segments differently: standard amplification is applied to speech frequencies for intelligibility, while reduced amplification is applied to tinnitus frequencies for mitigation. This segmentation allows both speech intelligibility and tinnitus mitigation to be achieved simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary processing stage that analyzes the frequency content and identifies tinnitus frequencies before amplification. This intermediary analysis enables the system to differentiate between speech signals (to be amplified for intelligibility) and tinnitus frequencies (to be reduced), resolving the contradiction between improving speech understanding and mitigating tinnitus.
3Measurement precision
If hearing aids amplify signals to compensate for hearing loss, then hearing sensitivity is improved, but tinnitus frequencies become more prominent
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid implements frequency-specific amplification where tinnitus frequencies receive reduced or zero amplification while other frequencies receive standard amplification. This local quality differentiation allows the system to maintain hearing sensitivity for normal sounds while preventing tinnitus frequencies from becoming more prominent through amplification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system identifies tinnitus frequencies (which are harmful) and applies reduced amplification to them, effectively converting the harmful amplification effect into a beneficial mitigation effect. By recognizing which frequencies to reduce rather than amplify, the system transforms what would normally be a harmful side effect into a therapeutic benefit for tinnitus sufferers.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2~3B
AI summary
A system (300) and method for aiding hearing are disclosed. In one embodiment of the system (300), a programming interface (16) is configured to communicate with a device. The system (300) screens, via a speaker and a user interface (16) associated with the device, a left ear - and separately, a right ear - of a patient at an incrementally selected frequency within a frequency range, with tinnitus detected frequencies being re-ranged tested to better identify the tinnitus frequencies. The system (300) then determines a left ear tinnitus-impacted hearing range and a right ear tinnitus-impacted hearing range.