Hearing Device Adaptive Pinna Restoration Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing device designers face challenges in achieving improved spatial perception and stability, particularly due to feedback and instabilities when microphones and receivers are placed near each other in hearing aids.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device comprising a behind-the-ear housing and an earpiece housing connected by a wire, featuring a primary set of microphones, a secondary microphone, a pinna restorer, an input mixer, a processor, and a receiver. The pinna restorer includes filters and mixers that process inputs from both microphones to provide improved spatial perception and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If microphones and receiver are placed near each other in a MaRie hearing device, then spatial perception is improved, but feedback and instabilities occur
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing device is divided into two separate housings: a first housing containing the microphones and a second housing containing the receiver. This spatial segmentation allows the microphones to be positioned close to the ear canal for optimal spatial perception while the receiver is positioned separately to avoid feedback instabilities that would occur if all components were co-located.
Solution Approach 2:
A wire acts as an intermediary connection between the first housing (microphones) and the second housing (receiver). This intermediary allows the audio signal to be transmitted from the microphone location to the receiver location without requiring the receiver to be positioned directly next to the microphones, thereby resolving the feedback issue while maintaining spatial perception capability.
2Measurement precision
If a wire connects the first housing and second housing, then spatial perception is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex wireless transmission system, the patent employs a simple wire connection to transmit the audio signal from the first housing to the second housing. This straightforward copying of the signal through a physical conductor avoids the complexity of wireless communication systems while achieving the necessary functional separation for improved spatial perception.
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing device includes: a pinna restorer for provision of a pinna output based on a first pinna input and a second pinna input, wherein the first pinna input is based on a primary first microphone input signal, and wherein the second pinna input is based on a primary second microphone input signal, the pinna restorer comprising: a first filter for provision of a first mixer input based on the first pinna input, a second filter for provision of a second mixer input based on the second pinna input, a first mixer for provision of a first mixer output based on the first mixer input and the second mixer input, and a pinna controller; and an input mixer for provision of an input mixer output based on the pinna output and a secondary mixer input, wherein the secondary mixer input is based on a secondary microphone input signal.