Transcript Amigo Re-Invents FM

New Developments in Hearing
Technology
Dave Gordey, M. Sc. AUD (c)
Let’s Talk About…..
New Features of Hearing Aids
 Directionality
 Noise Reduction
 Adaptation Manager
 Datalogging
 New Designs
 And Next Generation in Hearing
What is Directionality?


Two microphones
Optimal Port spacing
Optimal mic alignment
A good way to improve speech in
noise!
Directionality index (DI) - dB

Microphone Directionality
First Generation -Manual
Directionality
Underlying assumptions



Target is in front
Noise is elsewhere
Manual switching required
Now - Automatic Directionality
Switches automatically
between omni-directional
and fixed directional
microphones.
Uses Artificial Intelligence
to make decisions.
Noise Reduction

Noise interferes with speech understanding
Likely
Most
linked to auditory fatigue
environments have some noise present
Noise Reduction
Two Types
1.Modulation Based Noise
Management
2. Tristate Noise Management
First Generation of Noise Reduction Modulation Detection
Speech
Highly Modulated
Noise
Minimal Modulations
“Looks like noise”
Speech +
Noise
Tristate Noise Reduction
Automatic Adaptation Manager



Automatic transition to
the target prescription
Customizable transition
time (start and endtime)
Smooth adaptation for a
smoother
acclimatization
SKI-Slope Losses
Focus
on more than just
audibility
Less gain in HF
More gain in MF
More focus on transition
region
Data logging
Hearing
aid has a built in “artificial memory”
Tells us about:
Hearing
aid use
Operation
Battery
of on/off switch
consumption
The look of the future
Introducing Delta. . .
Delta
Design


Nothing like a traditional
hearing aid
Fits Mild to Moderate-Severe
Understanding in noise
 Excellent bandwidth
 Advanced directionality
Sound quality and comfort
 Open fitting/Micromold
 Speaker in the ear
 State-of-the-art automatics
How can people with hearing
loss become hearing
empowered?
Answer
Connecting them to the Near World and
the Far World
The Near World
Hearing
our friends, family and colleagues in
different environments.
Hearing
world
Living
and understanding the sounds of our
in the soundscape.
Connecting to the Far World
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The Far World
The
world is going wireless
Multimedia
is now a big part of our life
Professional
We
and Personal Lives
all need access to the far world
Ramsdell and
WWII Veterans
20
Disconnected from their Soundscape
•Social
•Signal/Warning
•Primitive
21
The importance of auditory
spatial resolution
(or why it’s good to know where sounds
come from..)
Demo with lights out
22
Speech understanding in
noise:
De-construct the auditory scene, find the voice
of interest
Not just identifying components, but “following
a voice”
Speech events have little or no meaning in
isolation –
Meaning accumulates over time…
23
What is the most important
mechanism to maintain a
persons Soundscape?
24
Hint #1
25
Hint #2
26
Two ears are better than one
Binaural hearing gives us a sense of place
Binaural hearing allows us to localize
27
Localization ability:


Maintains SoundScape
Improves Speech/Noise
Binauaral hearing is most
important for good
localization ability
28
How do Hearing Aids
Currently Affect
Localization ability
29
Video
Excitement and Innovation….
Binaural Processing
Spatial Sound:

Ensures that auditory system is sent
and accurate representation of the
spatial environment
31
Binaural DFC
Conventional
Unique
- First DFC system ever to benefit
from binaural
processing
Benefit
- More precise feedback detection
- Avoid “false positives” and
common artifacts
of conventional DFC systems.
32
Epoq
33
Extreme Bandwidth
Unique
- Bandwidth extends up to
~10,000 Hz
Benefit
- Improved sound quality
- Better localization
- Greater naturalness and
fidelity.
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Extended Bandwidth &
Audibility
. . . can they hear it?
Life Learning
Unique
1. Detailed learning of Volume Control
preferences – in many different
types of
environments
Benefit
- Convenience, ease of use
- Discreetness (reduce need to use VC)
- Volume is automatically adjusted to
match
each situation
- Higher acceptance and long term
satisfaction
36
Phone and Streamer Demo
video
Streamer
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Streamer Benefits
Mobile phone: Hassle free, wire free. Listen with both
ears
Connect to your IPOD - Stream music - directly into
the hearing aids
Easy to Use.
Etc.
39
Summary
Questions?