Tactile Speech Compensation via Acoustic Energy Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tactual vocoders require user training and elaborate apparatuses to assist speech discrimination, making them impractical for hearing assistance in noisy environments or for individuals with hearing disorders.
Innovation Solution
A speech transmission compensation apparatus that analyzes acoustic characteristics of speech signals to generate corresponding vibration signals, providing tactile feedback without the need for user training or complex equipment, leveraging the integration of vibration and acoustic inputs to enhance speech perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional tactual vocoders are used to assist speech discrimination, then speech perception is improved, but user training is required and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acoustic characteristics (energy distribution across frequency bands) from the speech signal, converting them to corresponding vibration patterns. This selective extraction avoids the complexity of full speech synthesis while maintaining speech discrimination effectiveness, directly resolving the contradiction between accuracy and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of speech information by representing acoustic characteristics through vibration patterns that mirror the energy distribution in different frequency bands. This copying approach preserves the essential speech discrimination information without requiring the complex apparatus of conventional tactual vocoders
2Measurement precision
If conventional tactual vocoders are used to assist speech discrimination, then speech perception is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to required user training
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the system to automatically analyze acoustic characteristics and generate appropriate vibration patterns without requiring user interpretation or training. The conversion from acoustic energy distribution to vibration patterns occurs automatically, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for user training while maintaining speech discrimination accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from complex speech waveforms to simplified energy distribution patterns across frequency bands. This parameter transformation enables direct conversion to vibration patterns that are intuitively understandable, eliminating the need for user training while preserving speech discrimination capability
3Reliability
If elaborate apparatus such as cylinder for air jet and haptic presentation apparatus are used, then tactual stimulus effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical systems (cylinders for air jet generation, sophisticated haptic presentation apparatus) with a simplified vibration-based system. By substituting the mechanical air jet mechanism with direct vibration patterns that correspond to acoustic energy distribution, the system maintains tactual stimulus effectiveness while dramatically reducing device complexity
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
Enables clear speech discrimination in noisy environments or for individuals with hearing disorders through tactile feedback, requiring no user training or elaborate apparatus, effectively integrating tactile and auditory information for improved hearing assistance.
Implementation Method 1
a presentation unit that accepts input of the vibration signal being output from the conversion unit and provides the user with vibration for the duration on the basis of the vibration signal
Data Source
AI summary
A speech transmission compensation apparatus that assists discrimination of speech heard by a user, includes: one or more computers each including a memory and a processor configured to: accept input of a speech signal, detect a specific type of sound in the speech signal, analyze an acoustic characteristic of the specific type of sound in the speech signal and output the acoustic characteristic; accept input of the acoustic characteristic being output by the memory and the processor, generate a vibration signal of a duration corresponding to the acoustic characteristic and output the vibration signal; and accept input of the vibration signal being output by the memory and the processor and provide the user with vibration for the duration on the basis of the vibration signal.