Current efforts to improve speech intelligibility in hearing aids using signal processing algorithms are hampered by the need to reinvent realtime processing tools across research labs. Intellectual property rights and monetary considerations prevent the open sharing of processing tools from commercial companies and limit the usefulness of commercially available hearing aids in research. As a result, many academic innovations that could potentially improve hearing health care are not being tested and evaluated. Furthermore, when closed, proprietary devices are used in academic research, it becomes difficult to assess the impact of the findings when pertinent details of the subsystems in the signal processing pipeline are not known. In this proposal, we aim to develop an open, reconfigurable, non-proprietary, wearable, realtime speech processing system that uses processing and data collection approaches not available in existing hearing-aid technology that Audiologists and hearing aid researchers will be able to easily use to investigate new hearing aid algorithms in lab and field studies. Using novel speech processing algorithms, this open-access tool specifically designed for audiologists and hearing aid researchers will help accelerate hearing health care research studies and facilitate translation of technology advances into widespread clinical use.

Public Health Relevance

In this proposal, we aim to develop an open, non-proprietary processing system that uses processing and data collection approaches not available in existing hearing-aid technology that researchers can easily use to design new hearing aids for field studies. Using novel speech processing algorithms, this open-access tool specifically designed for audiologists and hearing aid researchers will help accelerate hearing health care research studies and facilitate translation of technology advances into widespread clinical use.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC015436-04
Application #
9753728
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDC1)
Program Officer
Miller, Roger
Project Start
2016-08-01
Project End
2021-07-31
Budget Start
2019-08-01
Budget End
2020-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California, San Diego
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
804355790
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92093
Lee, Ching-Hua; Kates, James M; Rao, Bhaskar D et al. (2017) Speech quality and stable gain trade-offs in adaptive feedback cancellation for hearing aids. J Acoust Soc Am 142:EL388