Hearing Aid Audio Signal Processing with Dynamic Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable devices for lifelogging, such as smartphones, are not ideal due to their size and design, limiting their ability to provide enhanced interaction with the environment through feedback and advanced functionality based on image and audio analysis.
Innovation Solution
A wearable apparatus with an image sensor and processor that captures and processes real-time image data, recognizes hand-related triggers, and provides feedback to the user, including selective audio signal processing to amplify sounds from the user's look direction or recognized individuals, while attenuating other sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If audio signals are processed in real-time with minimal delay, then the naturalness of conversation is improved, but the ability to attenuate user's own voice and enhance other sounds is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal processing is segmented into two distinct processing schemes: a first processing scheme for user's own voice that operates with minimal delay to maintain natural conversation, and a second processing scheme for other sounds that includes voice attenuation and operates with longer delay. The processor dynamically switches between these segments based on voice activity detection, resolving the contradiction between real-time processing and effective voice attenuation.
2Reliability
If the device processes and transmits multiple processed audio signals simultaneously, then the audio fidelity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the audio processing configuration based on real-time conditions. The processor detects user voice activity and dynamically switches between different processing schemes (first scheme without attenuation, second scheme with attenuation), allowing the system to maintain high audio fidelity while managing complexity through adaptive rather than static processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes processing parameters dynamically - specifically the delay duration and voice attenuation level - based on the detected audio content. When user voice is detected, the system transitions to a processing mode with minimal delay and no attenuation; when other sounds are detected, it switches to longer delay with voice attenuation, optimizing audio quality without permanently increasing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing aid and related systems and methods are disclosed. In one implementation, a system may comprise a microphone and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive an original audio signal representative of sounds captured by the microphone; determine that the original audio signal includes a voice of the user; process the original audio signal according to a first processing scheme to generate a first processed audio signal; transmit the first processed audio signal to a hearing interface device after a first time delay associated with the first processing scheme; determine that the original audio signal includes an additional sound; process the original audio signal according to a second processing scheme to generate a second processed audio signal; and transmit the second processed audio signal to the hearing interface device after a second time delay associated with the second processing scheme.