Hearing Assistance Device Self-Assessment for Frequency-Band Gain Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing assistance devices require professional audiologist visits for configuration and adjustments, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming for users with hearing deficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for evaluating user hearing and configuring a hearing assistance device through a series of soundbites, allowing users to generate and refine personalized hearing profiles using a mobile device, thereby enabling self-assessment and real-time adjustments to compensate for hearing deficiencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If users visit professional audiologists for hearing device configuration, then hearing device setup accuracy is improved, but user convenience deteriorates and time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to perform self-assessment of their hearing needs through automated algorithms that analyze responses to audio stimuli and questions, generating personalized hearing profiles without requiring professional audiologist intervention. This self-service approach maintains configuration accuracy while significantly improving user convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
A mobile device application serves as an intermediary between the user and the hearing assistance device, facilitating the configuration process through automated hearing assessments and profile generation, thereby eliminating the need for direct professional involvement while maintaining setup accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If users visit professional audiologists for hearing device configuration, then hearing device setup accuracy is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary hearing assessments and profile generation automatically through mobile devices, preparing the hearing configuration data before the actual device setup. This preliminary action maintains accuracy while reducing the time required during professional visits or device initialization.
Solution Approach 2:
Users can complete hearing assessments and profile generation independently at their own pace, eliminating the need for scheduled professional appointments and significantly reducing overall time consumption while maintaining configuration accuracy through automated algorithms.
3Reliability
If hearing profiles are customized for each user, then speech comprehension is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system customizes hearing assistance by adjusting audio parameters such as gain, frequency response, and compression ratios based on individual user profiles. These parameter changes are implemented through software algorithms rather than hardware modifications, improving speech comprehension while maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hearing profile configuration is dynamic and adaptive, allowing real-time adjustment of audio parameters based on user feedback and environmental conditions. This dynamic approach enables personalized speech comprehension enhancement without requiring complex hardware reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for evaluating hearing of a user comprising: generating a baseline hearing profile for the user comprising a set of gain values based on a volume setting, each gain value in the set of gain values corresponding to a frequency band in a set of frequency bands; accessing a soundbite comprising a phrase characterized by a frequency spectrum predominantly within one frequency band; playing the soundbite amplified by a first gain in the frequency band; playing the soundbite amplified by a second gain in the frequency band; receiving a preference input representing a preference of the user from amongst the soundbite amplified by the first gain and the soundbite amplified by the second; and modifying a gain value, corresponding to the frequency band, in the baseline hearing profile based on the preference input to generate a refined hearing profile compensating for hearing deficiency of the user.