Hearing Device Sidetone Gain Adjustment Using Auditory Models
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing devices lack an effective and user-friendly method to adjust sidetone gain, leading to issues such as speaking too loudly or too softly, which affects communication effectiveness and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with a processing unit that adjusts sidetone gain by processing input sounds using multiple transducers, a transceiver, and applying auditory models to determine and adjust sidetone parameters, allowing for automatic and optimal sidetone level adjustment without user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of sidetone gain is provided, then user can control speaking volume, but user interaction is required which reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing device automatically adjusts the sidetone gain using a model-based approach that analyzes the user's voice characteristics and ambient noise levels. The processing unit applies auditory models to determine optimal sidetone parameters without requiring user interaction, allowing the device to serve itself in adjusting the gain parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the sidetone gain parameter based on real-time analysis of voice signals and environmental conditions. The model adjusts multiple parameters including gain magnitude, frequency characteristics, and temporal envelope to optimize naturalness and comfort of the sidetone feedback.
2Ease of operation
If simplified sidetone adjustment is implemented, then ease of operation improves, but precision of sidetone parameter determination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The processing unit is divided into multiple specialized components: a voice activity detector for detecting speech segments, a noise estimator for analyzing ambient conditions, and a model-based processor for precise parameter calculation. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific tasks, maintaining high precision while automating the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
Auditory models serve as intermediaries between the raw sensor data and the final sidetone parameter settings. These models translate complex acoustic measurements into optimized gain parameters, bridging the gap between simple automated detection and precise parameter determination without requiring direct user input.
3Extent of automation
If model-based automatic adjustment is used, then extent of automation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing unit integrates multiple functions into a single unified model-based system that simultaneously performs voice activity detection, noise estimation, sidetone gain calculation, and output adjustment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated hardware components, managing device complexity while maintaining high automation.
4Reliability
If improper sidetone gain is applied, then communication effectiveness deteriorates, but adjusting gain manually requires user interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the user's speech output and the effectiveness of the applied sidetone gain, using this feedback to dynamically adjust parameters. The model analyzes whether the current sidetone level is achieving natural-sounding feedback and adjusts accordingly, ensuring reliable communication effectiveness without requiring user evaluation or adjustment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device ensures the user speaks at a normal volume, enhancing communication effectiveness and comfort by providing an adjusted sidetone gain that is not too loud or too soft, thus facilitating natural conversations without disturbing others.
Implementation Method 1
an input transducer (20) configured to receive an input sound and to convert the input sound into an input signal (S1, S2)
Implementation Method 2
a transceiver (25) configured to receive another input sound and to convert the another input sound into another input signal (S3)
Implementation Method 3
an output transducer (40) configured to receive the output signal (S13) from the processing unit (30) and to convert the output signal (S13) into an output sound
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed is a hearing device (100) configured to adjust a sidetone gain. The hearing device comprises an input transducer (20), a transceiver (25), a processing unit (30) and an output transducer (40). The processing unit (30) comprises a first component (32, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9) arranged in connection with the input transducer (20) and the transceiver (25) and configured to process the input signals (S1, S2, S3) to obtain processed input signals (S6, S7, S8), a second component (34, 4, 7, 10, 11) configured to receive the processed input signals (S6, S7, S8) and to apply a model to the processed input signals (S6, S7, S8) to determine a sidetone parameter (S12), and a third component (36) configured to adjust a sidetone gain of the first part of the input signal (S1), based on the sidetone parameter (S12), to obtain the output signal (S13) having the adjusted sidetone gain.