• Smart Media Journal
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.29-34
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• 2018

This paper presents a study on adapting optical communication technology using infrared ray for the enhancement of hearing aids in noisy environment. The transmitter module containing microphone and infrared ray-emitting diode converts audio signal to infrared optical signal and sends it out in the air. The receiver module located in a distance receives the infrared signal, converts it to electrical signal, and transfers it to an input of a digital hearing aid. Especially, the receiver module needs to be small, low voltage, and consume low power since it will be attached to hearing aids. Experiments with applying infrared communication technology of digital modulation method and analog non-modulation method show that the analog non-modulation method is adequate for infrared communication of approximately 5m distance indoor. Prototypes of transmitter module and receiver module were manufactured, and internal parameters of the digital hearing aid were adjusted to confirm normal transmit-receive operation of audio signals.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.294-302
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• 2009

In this paper, the trend of technology and the business strategy on 'Hearing Aids' are investigated for the industry promotion of medical devices based on IT engineering from the 316 patents of 'Hearing Aids' registered in Korean Intellectual Property Office(KIPO). The classification of technology on 'Hearing Aids' is performed according to the IPC(International Patent Classification) code to and the core technology of 'Hearing Aids' As the results of classification of IPC code, the number of patents with IPC code 'H04R', 'H04B', 'H01M', and 'A61F' are 160, 46, 40, and 19 respectively. We found that the Digital technology and the Medical Transplants technology are come to the front of 'Hearing Aids' and the foreign 'Hearing Aids' companies are filed an application with the Korean Intellectual Property Office(KIPO) before their business.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.347-354
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• 1996

This paper presents digital hearing aids signal processing system in WT(wavelet transform) domain. For implementation of hearing aids in WT domain, the gain in frequency domain is approximated in WT domain. We also present the gain selection algorithm to deal with the change of input signal power. Most transform methods produce blocking effect, and this effect degrades the convergence rate of feedback canceller. As a solution, we proposed wavelet transform bascd feedback canceller. To evaluate the performance, we compared it with LOT (lapped orthogonal transform) method in the frequency domain. This system has not shown the blocking effect, and improves convergence rate as compared with the LOT based feedback canceller.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.29 no.5C
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• pp.673-682
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• 2004

The adaptive beam-forming is promising approach for noise reduction in hearing aids. This approach has come in the focus of interest only recently, because of the availability of new and powerful digital signal processors. The adaptation U using usually a Least Mean Squares algorithm, updates the weight vector. In this Paper, we propose a fast wavelet based adaptive algorithm using variable step size algorithm which varies adaptive constant by the change of signal environment. We compared the performance of the proposed algorithm with the known adaptive algorithm using computer simulation of multi channel adaptive bemformer in hearing aids. As the result the proposed algorithm is suitable for adaptive signal processing area using hearing aids and has advantages reducing computational complexity. And we show the beam-forming system using proposed algorithm converges stably in a sudden change of system environment.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.272-278
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• 2011

Recently, the performance of binaural hearing aids is rapidly improved with the technology advancement of wireless communication, digital signal processing, and integrated circuit design. However, the previous hearing aids developer platforms can't be applied to binaural hearing aids developing, because it has no consideration for wireless communication and binaural hearing control. Also, the previous developer platforms are not easy to use for the algorithm development, because programming languages are limited. In this paper, we designed and implemented the open platform board for binaural hearing aids developing. The designed board can be programmed by general programming language and can be used wireless communication module. In order to verify the designed open platform board, we used the volume control algorithm using two open platform board. As a result of experiment, we verified the performance of designed and implemented open platform board that was successfully operated the binaural hearing control and the wireless communication.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.857-866
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• 2009

In this paper, a noise cancellation-method using microphone array for digital hearing aids is proposed. The microphone array is located around the ear of a dummy. Speech sound is generated from the forward speaker positioned in the front of the dummy and noise sound is generated from the backward speaker. The speech and noise are mixed in the air space and entered into the microphones. VAD(voice activity detector) and ANC(adaptive noise cancellation) methods were used to eliminate noise in the sound of the microphones. 10 two-syllable words and 4 sentences were used for speech signals. Babble and car interior noise were used for noise signals. The performance of the proposed algorithm was evaluated by SNR(signal-to-noise ratio) and PESQ-MOS(perceptual evaluation of speech quality-mean opinion score). In babble noise condition, SNR was improved as much as $7.963{\pm}1.3620dB\;and\;3.968{\pm}0.6659dB$ for words and sentences respectively. In the case of car interior noise, SNR was improved as $10.512{\pm}2.0665dB\;and\;6.000{\pm}1.7642dB$ for words and sentences respectively. PESQ-MOS of the babble noise was improved as much as $0.1722{\pm}0.0861$ score for words and $0.083{\pm}0.0417$ score for sentences. And PESQ-MOS of the car interior noise was improved as $0.2661{\pm}0.0335$ score and $0.040{\pm}0.0201$ score for words and sentences respectively. It is verified that the proposed algorithm has a good performance in noise cancellation of microphone array for digital hearing aids.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.315-321
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• 2004

In this study, we proposed an adaptive feedback cancellation algorithm for multi-band digital healing aids. The adaptive feedback canceller (AFC) is composed of an adaptive notch filter (ANF) for feedback detection and an NLMS (normalized least mean square) adaptive filter for feedback cancellation. The proposed feedback cancellation algorithm is combined with a multi-band hearing aid algorithm which employs the MDCT (modified discrete cosine transform) filter bank for the frequency-dependent compensation of hearing losses. The proposed algorithm together with the MDCT-based multi-channel hearing aid algorithm has been evaluated via computer simulations and it has also been implemented on a commercialized DSP board for real-time verifications.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.282-290
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• 2006

We have developed a multi band digital hearing aid algorithm emphasizing feedback cancellation and a hardware module to evaluate the performance of our algorithm. The hearing aids should be able to compensate for individual hearing loss characteristics of hearing impaired person. Thus hearing aids need the function of multi-bands amplification and the capabilities of feedback cancellation that can remove howling caused by acoustic feedback. In this paper, we proposed a digital hearing aid algorithm which has multi-bands compensation using modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) and can efficiently remove acoustic feedbacks. Moreover, we have developed digital hearing aid hardware module, which can evaluate hearing aid algorithms in real time operation. The developed algorithm and hardware module were verified through computer simulation and clinical tests. Through operational experiments, good performances in real time operation environment and an efficient howling cancellation were also observed. The developed hardware module can operate in stable condition and it is expected to become a good hardware platform for developing hearing aid algorithms.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1998

Digital hearing aids offer many advantages over conventional analog hearing aids. With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, new digital techniques have been introduced to digital hearing aids. In addition, the evaluation of new ideas in hearing aids is necessarily accompanied by intensive subject-based clinical tests which requires much time and cost. In this paper, we present an objective method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aid systems without the help of such subject-based tests. In the hearing impairment simulation(HIS) algorithm, a sensorineural hearing impairment medel is established from auditory test data of the impaired subject being simulated. Also, the nonlinear behavior of the loudness recruitment is defined using hearing loss functions generated from the measurements. To transform the natural input sound into the impaired one, a frequency sampling filter is designed. The filter is continuously refreshed with the level-dependent frequency response function provided by the impairment model. To assess the performance, the HIS algorithm was implemented in real-time using a floating-point DSP. Signals processed with the real-time system were presented to normal subjects and their auditory data modified by the system was measured. The sensorineural hearing impairment was simulated and tested. The threshold of hearing and the speech discrimination tests exhibited the efficiency of the system in its use for the hearing impairment simulation. Using the HIS system we evaluated three typical hearing aid algorithms.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.16 no.1 s.106
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• pp.81-88
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• 2006

The most recent trend on digital hearing aid is to increase the ratio of signal to noise by directivity or to develop noise reduction algorithm inside DSP IC chip. This paper designed, fabricated and tested a digital hearing aid directivity testing device in which a micro-mouse-like the stepping motor with a speaker rotates around an examinant. Both ears of the examinant were fixed with ITE hearing aids in order to respond to receiving sound. The experimental results were compared with those of a boundary element method program for verification. The diameter of the directivity testing device was 2 m and the micro-mouse was precisely controlled by PICBASIC micro processor.