Stereo Digital Hearing Device with External Microphone for Spatial Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aids lack the ability to provide a sense of direction and space in sound perception, relying on cumbersome directional adjustments and often leading to excessive amplification, which can worsen hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
A stereo type digital hearing device connected with an external device via wireless communication, utilizing a built-in microphone to transmit and amplify sound, with a sound location estimating unit and beamforming setting unit to automatically adjust beamforming values for optimal microphone directivity, providing stereo sound with a sense of direction and space without excessive amplification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hearing aids use two sparse microphones with omnidirectional characteristics to calculate directional signals, then the device can provide basic directionality, but the direction cannot actively respond to situations and requires cumbersome procedures for changing, correcting, and setting the direction
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid system automatically estimates sound locations and adjusts beamforming values without user intervention. The sound location estimating unit continuously monitors audio signals and determines sound source positions, while the beamforming setting unit automatically configures microphone directivity based on these estimates, enabling the system to serve itself in maintaining optimal directional characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the sound location estimating unit continuously monitors the audio environment, estimates sound source positions, and feeds this information back to the beamforming setting unit, which then adjusts the beamforming values accordingly. This closed-loop control enables automatic adaptation to changing acoustic situations
2Measurement precision
If hearing aids amplify external sound to help users hear better, then users can perceive distant sounds, but excessive amplification occurs which can worsen hearing loss
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid applies different amplification levels to different spatial locations rather than uniform amplification. By estimating sound source positions and configuring beamforming values accordingly, the system provides targeted amplification only in directions where sound sources are located, leaving other directions with minimal or no amplification, thus avoiding excessive amplification damage while improving perception of relevant sounds
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts beamforming values in real-time based on changing sound source positions and acoustic environments. The sound location estimating unit continuously tracks moving sound sources, and the beamforming setting unit updates directional characteristics accordingly, enabling adaptive amplification that follows the dynamics of the acoustic scene rather than static pre-configuration
3Measurement precision
If hearing aids provide amplified sound output, then users can hear distant sounds clearly, but the sense of direction and space is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid system segments the audio processing into distinct functional units: the sound location estimating unit that analyzes audio signals to determine sound source positions, and the beamforming setting unit that configures microphone directivity based on these positions. This segmentation allows independent optimization of sound clarity and spatial information preservation through specialized processing in each unit
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to the audio processing by estimating sound source positions in three-dimensional space and using this spatial information to configure beamforming values. This transforms the audio processing from simple amplitude amplification to spatially-aware directional processing, preserving spatial relationships while enhancing sound clarity in specific directions
Data Source
AI summary
A stereo type digital hearing device connected with an external device with built-in microphone and an operation method thereof are proposed. An operation method of a stereo type digital hearing device connected with an external device with built-in microphone according to an embodiment may include connecting a digital hearing device worn by a user and an external device carried by the user or located around the user to each other through wireless communication; receiving external sound through a microphone built in the external device; transmitting the sound received from the external device to the digital hearing device; and amplifying the sound transmitted from the digital hearing device and delivering it to the user through a speaker.