Hearing Loss Simulation Headset for Clearer Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals with normal hearing cannot fully understand or empathize with the auditory experiences of those with hearing loss, leading to ineffective communication and misunderstandings, and there is a lack of effective tools to simulate hearing loss for improved interaction.

Innovation Solution

A hearing loss simulation system comprising a headset and a terminal device that simulates audio heard by a user with hearing loss based on user information and hearing loss feature information, allowing users without hearing loss to experience the effects of hearing loss through audio simulation, evaluation, and potential hearing aid selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a user with normal hearing communicates with a user with hearing loss, then communication efficiency is low and misunderstandings occur, but if the user with normal hearing tries to speak louder or repeat words more frequently, then communication time increases and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication effectivenessVSAvoidcommunication time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing loss simulation system acts as an intermediary tool that allows users with normal hearing to experience and understand the auditory challenges faced by users with hearing loss. By wearing the headset and experiencing simulated hearing loss, users can develop better communication strategies without needing to repeatedly speak louder or repeat words, thus improving communication effectiveness while reducing unnecessary time consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a user with normal hearing continuously speaks to ensure understanding, then communication clarity improves, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication clarityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing loss simulation system serves as an intermediary that enables users with normal hearing to understand the communication challenges faced by users with hearing loss. This understanding allows users to adopt more efficient communication strategies that maintain clarity without requiring continuous repetition or increased volume, thereby reducing energy consumption while preserving communication effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If hearing loss simulation is performed using complex audio processing, then simulation accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehearing loss simulation accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing loss simulation system creates a virtual copy of the hearing loss condition through audio processing. By generating simulated hearing loss characteristics that replicate real-world hearing impairment patterns, the system achieves high simulation accuracy without requiring physically complex hardware modifications. The complexity is managed through software-based audio processing rather than hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP4668778A1Hearing loss simulation system, earphone, and server
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4668778A1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4668778A1 patent drawingFigure 1c~1d
  • EP4668778A1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a hearing loss simulation system, a headset, and a server. The hearing loss simulation system includes a headset and a terminal device, and the headset is worn by a first user. The terminal device is configured to: receive an information input operation, and obtain user information of a second user that is correspondingly input by the information input operation; and receive a listening test operation, and send listening test data to the headset in response to the listening test operation, where the listening test data includes the user information or hearing loss feature information, and the hearing loss feature information is determined based on the user information. The headset is configured to: obtain first audio data; perform hearing loss simulation on the first audio data based on the hearing loss feature information, to obtain second audio data; and play the second audio data. In this way, the first user can use the hearing loss simulation system to experience an effect of audio heard by the second user.