Planning Systems Inc. has developed a promising directional hearing aid algorithm, called the Hybrid Adaptive Beamformer (HAB), for NIH/NIA. The HAB algorithm may be applied to many different microphone array configurations. The benefits of the HAB algorithm for increasing speech understanding in noise were tested in clinical trials with a prototype processing system employing a four-element eyeglass array. During the trials hard of hearing (HoH) subjects demonstrated significant benefit from the HAB prototype. Preliminary results show benefit on the order of 9 dB in terms of threshold signal-to-noise ratio over a wide range of listening conditions. We propose to apply the HAB algorithm to a new array employing in-the-ear directional microphones at each ear. The goal is to determine if similar performance can be achieved with an array configuration that would allow a cosmetically acceptable product packaging. We will test the benefit of the new system on HoH subjects. We also propose to test an innovative fitting of the new device that preserves binaural hearing. We will conduct experiments using HoH subjects to determine the interaction between binaural hearing and beamforming and to determine if binaural hearing and beamforming can be combined to provide more benefit than either effect alone.
The primary commercial application of the research is to improve both the cosmetics and the speech-in-noise performance of directional hearing devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants. Secondary applications of the technology include its use as a microphone front-end for consumer audio devices used in noisy environments, such as voice operated personal computers.
