Progressive Hearing Aid Adjustment for User Acclimation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hearing aids often cause psychological distress in users transitioning from hearing loss to corrected hearing due to abrupt sound changes, leading to potential rejection of the device.

Innovation Solution

A hearing aid system that applies incremental adjustments over time, using a series of hearing correction filters to gradually adjust the user's hearing from an uncompensated to a fully compensated level, allowing the user to acclimate to the changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If hearing aids apply full hearing correction immediately, then hearing loss compensation is maximized, but psychological distress increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehearing loss compensationVSAvoidpsychological distress

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing correction process is segmented into multiple progressive stages. Instead of applying full correction immediately, the system divides the adjustment into incremental steps using a sequence of filters with progressively decreasing attenuation, allowing users to adapt gradually while still receiving beneficial hearing enhancement at each stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by applying attenuated hearing correction filters before full correction is implemented. These preliminary filters with reduced gain allow users to acclimate to hearing enhancement gradually, preparing them for full correction without the shock of immediate full-strength amplification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If hearing aids provide full hearing correction from the start, then hearing capability is restored, but user acceptance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehearing capability restorationVSAvoiduser acceptance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing correction system transitions from a static full-correction approach to a dynamic progressive adjustment system. The attenuation factor changes over time based on user acclimation, automatically adapting the correction level to optimize both hearing restoration and user comfort throughout the adjustment period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If hearing aids apply incremental adjustments over time, then psychological distress is reduced, but adjustment period is extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepsychological distressVSAvoidadjustment period

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic action through time-based progression of correction filters. Attenuation factors are systematically reduced at predetermined time intervals or usage milestones, providing structured periodic adjustments that balance gradual acclimation with efficient progression toward full correction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS8654999B2System and method of progressive hearing device adjustment

Publication Date: 2014.02.18 III HOLDINGS 4 LLC

AI summary

A hearing aid includes a microphone to convert sound into an electrical signal and a processor coupled to the microphone. The processor is configured to apply a selected one of a sequence of incremental hearing corrections to the electrical signal to produce a modulated output signal to at least partially compensate for a hearing impairment of a user. The hearing aid further includes a speaker coupled to the processor and configured to convert the modulated output signal into an audible sound.