Improved estimation of direction of arrival of sound sources for hearing aids using gyroscopic information

2013 ◽  
Vol 133 (5) ◽  
pp. 3360-3360
Author(s):  
Alan W. Boyd ◽  
William M. Whitmer ◽  
W. Owen Brimijoin ◽  
Michael A. Akeroyd
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Direction Of Arrival ◽  
Sound Sources

scholarly journals Improved estimation of direction of arrival of sound sources for hearing aids using gyroscopic information

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan W. Boyd ◽  
William M. Whitmer ◽  
W. Owen Brimijoin ◽  
Michael A. Akeroyd
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Direction Of Arrival ◽  
Sound Sources

scholarly journals Motion Sensors in Automatic Steering of Hearing Aids

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (03) ◽  
pp. 237-247
Author(s):  
Eric Branda ◽  
Tobias Wurzbacher
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Motion Sensors ◽  
Acoustic Sensors ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Automatic Steering ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

AbstractA requirement for modern hearing aids is to evaluate a listening environment for the user and automatically apply appropriate gain and feature settings for optimal hearing in that listening environment. This has been predominantly achieved by the hearing aids' acoustic sensors, which measure acoustic characteristics such as the amplitude and modulation of the incoming sound sources. However, acoustic information alone is not always sufficient for providing a clear indication of the soundscape and user's listening needs. User activity such as being stationary or being in motion can drastically change these listening needs. Recently, hearing aids have begun utilizing integrated motion sensors to provide further information to the hearing aid's decision-making process when determining the listening environment. Specifically, accelerometer technology has proven to be an appropriate solution for motion sensor integration in hearing aids. Recent investigations have shown benefits with integrated motion sensors for both laboratory and real-world ecological momentary assessment measurements. The combination of acoustic and motion sensors provides the hearing aids with data to better optimize the hearing aid features in anticipation of the hearing aid user's listening needs.

Model-based direction of arrival estimations for sound sources using a spherical microphone array

2018 ◽  
Vol 144 (3) ◽  
pp. 1882-1882
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Landschoot ◽  
Jonathan Mathews ◽  
Jonas Braasch ◽  
Ning Xiang
Keyword(s):  
Microphone Array ◽  
Direction Of Arrival ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Model Based

scholarly journals Decision making in auditory externalization perception

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Baumgartner ◽  
Piotr Majdak
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Predictive Processing ◽  
Prediction Errors ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Perceptual Inference ◽  
Inference Problem ◽  
Processing Theory ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Error Accumulation

AbstractUnder natural listening conditions, humans perceptually attribute sounds to external objects in their environment. This core function of perceptual inference is often distorted when sounds are produced via hearing devices such as headphones or hearing aids, resulting in sources being perceived unrealistically close or even inside the head. Psychoacoustic studies suggest a mixed role of various cues contributing to the externalization process. We developed a model framework able to probe the contribution of cue-specific prediction errors and to contrast dynamic versus static decision strategies underlying externalization perception. The model was applied to various acoustic distortions with constant reverberation. Our results suggest that the decisions follow a static, weighted accumulation of prediction errors for both monaural and interaural spectral shapes, without a significant contribution of other auditory cues. The weighted error accumulation supports generalizability of predictive processing theory to the perceptual inference problem of spatial hearing.Impact StatementA static rather than dynamic weighting of sensory prediction errors explains the inability to attribute auditory sensations to external sound sources.

The Head Shadow Phenomenon Affected by Sound Source: In Vitro Measurement

2013 ◽  
Vol 284-287 ◽  
pp. 1715-1720
Author(s):  
Jen Fang Yu ◽  
Yen Sheng Chen
Keyword(s):  
Significant Influence ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Sound Source ◽  
Sound Stimulus ◽  
Frequency Range ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Shadow Effect ◽  
Source Positioning ◽  
Fitting Hearing Aids

This study focuses on establishing an in-vitro sound filed measurement system in order to investigate the effect of sound source angle and frequency on the head shadow effect (HSE). The study used sound stimuli at frequencies of 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 750 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 3 kHz, 4 kHz, 5 kHz, 6 kHz, 7 kHz, 8 kHz, and with sound source positioning at angles of 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degrees. It evaluated the effect these frequencies and positioning combinations had on the HSE. When the sound source was positioned at 90 degrees to the ear, this study found that the HSE not only existed at the frequencies of 4 kHz to 6 kHz, but also the HSE could be happened at 3 kHz, 7 kHz and 8 kHz. In addition, a significant influence on HSE was also demonstrated when the sound stimulus was positioned at 45 degrees to the ear, with a frequency range between 3 kHz~8 kHz. As well as considering head and ear anatomy and the head shadow effect when selecting and fitting hearing aids, it is also necessary to consider adjustment to account for angular sound sources at different sound frequencies.

scholarly journals Localization Performance in a Binaural Real-Time Auralization System Extended to Research Hearing Aids

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 233121652090870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Pausch ◽  
Janina Fels
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Performance Indicator ◽  
Free Field ◽  
Angular Error ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Error Metrics ◽  
Crosstalk Cancellation ◽  
Localization Performance ◽  
General Localization

Auralization systems for auditory research should ideally be validated by perceptual experiments, as well as objective measures. This study employed perceptual tests to evaluate a recently proposed binaural real-time auralization system for hearing aid (HA) users. The dynamic localization of real sound sources was compared with that of virtualized ones, reproduced binaurally over headphones, loudspeakers with crosstalk cancellation (CTC) filters, research HAs, or combined via loudspeakers with CTC filters and research HAs under free-field conditions. System-inherent properties affecting localization cues were identified and their effects on overall horizontal localization, reversal rates, and angular error metrics were assessed. The general localization performance in combined reproduction was found to fall between what was measured for loudspeakers with CTC filters and research HAs alone. Reproduction via research HAs alone resulted in the highest reversal rates and angular errors. While combined reproduction helped decrease the reversal rates, no significant effect was observed on the angular error metrics. However, combined reproduction resulted in the same overall horizontal source localization performance as measured for real sound sources, while improving localization compared with reproduction over research HAs alone. Collectively, the results with respect to combined reproduction can be considered a performance indicator for future experiments involving HA users.

Direction-of-Arrival Dependency of Active Noise Cancellation Headphones

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Liebich ◽  
Jan-Gerrit Richter ◽  
Johannes Fabry ◽  
Christopher Durand ◽  
Janina Fels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Direction Of Arrival ◽  
Noise Cancellation ◽  
Optimal Time ◽  
Active Noise Cancellation ◽  
Active Noise ◽  
Primary Path ◽  
Hearing Devices

The evolving field of ear-mounted hearing devices manifests in more people wearing headphones, hearing aids or hearables in daily life. One of their purposes is to reduce the increasing burden of ambient noise. Their passive attenuation of noise can be supplemented by using Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). It uses acoustic anti-phase compensation. The occurring ambient noises in daily life can have a highly time-variant nature, e.g. with varying direction of arrival. In this contribution, we investigate the direction-dependency of ANC systems based on acoustic device-specific head related transfer functions (DHRTF). The DHRTF were measured with a fast measurement system for HRTF. We focus on in-ear headphones as the acoustic front-end. The headphones comprise two microphones; an outer microphone for ambient sounds and an inner microphone, which faces the eardrum. The transfer function between these two microphones is called the primary path. For the ANC system, we investigate optimal time-invariant feedforward filtering that depends on the primary path. Therefore, changes in the primary path due to varying directions of arrival may degrade the performance. The DHRTF measurements reveal differences in magnitude and phase of the primary path. Evaluations show that the attenuation performance depends on the direction of arrival.

scholarly journals Effects of directional hearing aid settings on different laboratory measures of spatial awareness perception

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Micha Lundbeck ◽  
Giso Grimm ◽  
Volker Hohmann ◽  
Lars Bramsløw ◽  
Tobias Neher
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Movement Direction ◽  
Directional Hearing ◽  
Spatial Awareness ◽  
Environmental Sound ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Target Signal ◽  
Laboratory Measures

Hearing loss can negatively influence the spatial hearing abilities of hearing-impaired listeners, not only in static but also in dynamic auditory environments. Therefore, ways of addressing these deficits with advanced hearing aid algorithms need to be investigated. In a previous study based on virtual acoustics and a computer simulation of different bilateral hearing aid fittings, we investigated auditory source movement detectability in older hearing- impaired (OHI) listeners. We found that two directional processing algorithms could substantially improve the detectability of left-right and near-far source movements in the presence of reverberation and multiple interfering sounds. In the current study, we carried out similar measurements with a loudspeaker-based setup and wearable hearing aids. We fitted a group of 15 OHI listeners with bilateral behind-the-ear devices that were programmed to have three different directional processing settings. Apart from source movement detectability, we assessed two other aspects of spatial awareness perception. Using a street scene with up to five environmental sound sources, the participants had to count the number of presented sources or to indicate the movement direction of a single target signal. The data analyses showed a clear influence of the number of concurrent sound sources and the starting position of the moving target signal on the participants’ performance, but no influence of the different hearing aid settings. Complementary artificial head recordings showed that the acoustic differences between the three hearing aid settings were rather small. Another explanation for the lack of effects of the tested hearing aid settings could be that the simulated street scenario was not sufficiently sensitive. Possible ways of improving the sensitivity of the laboratory measures while maintaining high ecological validity and complexity are discussed.

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