Tinnitus-Masker Speech Intelligibility Model
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current tinnitus-masker systems in hearing assistance devices lack an effective mechanism to assess and adjust their impact on speech intelligibility during fitting, potentially interfering with the understanding of external sounds like speech.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method and device that uses a speech intelligibility model to compute scores with and without tinnitus-masker therapy, automatically adjusting parameters like overall level and spectrum to minimize disruptions to speech understanding, ensuring the tinnitus-masker does not significantly impair speech intelligibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tinnitus-masker therapy is provided to treat tinnitus, then tinnitus relief is improved, but speech intelligibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts parameters of the tinnitus-masker device (such as overall level and spectrum) based on speech intelligibility scores computed by the speech intelligibility model. When the model predicts that the current parameters degrade speech understanding, the system modifies these parameters to reduce the negative impact while maintaining tinnitus therapy effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If manual adjustment of tinnitus-masker parameters is performed during fitting, then speech intelligibility can be monitored, but fitting time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The speech intelligibility model automatically computes scores and predicts the impact of tinnitus-masker parameters on speech understanding without requiring manual clinician intervention. The system self-adjusts parameters based on the model's predictions, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual fitting procedures while maintaining speech intelligibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment procedures with an automated computational system. The speech intelligibility model uses algorithmic processing to evaluate and adjust parameters, substituting the mechanical/Manual fitting process with an automated digital system that reduces fitting time and complexity.
3Productivity
If automated parameter adjustment is implemented, then fitting efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The speech intelligibility model serves multiple functions: it computes speech intelligibility scores, predicts the impact of tinnitus-masker parameters on speech understanding, and guides parameter adjustment decisions. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single integrated model, managing device complexity while maintaining high fitting efficiency.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for automated assessment and adjustment of tinnitus-masker impact on speech intelligibility during fitting. In various embodiments, a method of fitting a tinnitus-masker device for a patient is provided. The method includes using a speech intelligibility model to predict impact of therapy provided by the tinnitus-maker device on speech understanding of the patient. A parameter of the tinnitus-masker device is automatically adjusted during fitting to reduce the impact of the therapy provided by the tinnitus-maker device on speech understanding of the patient, according to various embodiments.