• 전기학회논문지
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• 제58권4호
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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.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.59-65
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• 2008

Nowadays, implantable hearing aids have been developed to solve the problems of conventional hearing aids. In case of fully implantable hearing aids, an implantable microphone is necessary to receive sound signal beneath the skin. Normally, an implantable microphone has poor frequency response characteristics in high frequency bands of acoustic signal due to the high frequency attenuation effect of skin after implantation to human body. In this paper, the implantable microphone is designed to reduce the high frequency attenuation effect of a skin by putting its resonance frequency at the attenuated range through a finite element analysis (FEA) simulation. The designed implantable microphone through the simulated results has been fabricated by manufacturing process using bio-compatible materials. By the several in-vitro experiments with pig skin, it has been verified that the designed implantable microphone has a resonance frequency around the starting part of the attenuated range and reduces the attenuation effect.

• 대한기관식도과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기관식도과학회 1978년도 제12차 학술대회연제 순서 및 초록
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• pp.9.2-9
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• 1978

연세대학교 청각언어센타에서는 1571년 5월부터 보청기처방검사를 시행하여 오던중, 양이에 보청기를 착용할 때와 편측에만 착용했을 때 있을 차이점을 평가할 필요가 있음을 절감하고, 3세 내지 7세의 선천성 난청아 9명과, 8세 내지 76세의 후천성 난청자 10명등 총19명을 대상으로 편측이 보청기착용과 양측이 보청기착용에 의한 보청효과를 비교하는 실험을 시행하며 아래와 같은 결과를 얻었기에 보고하는 바이다. 실험방법은, 각 대상자에게 어음탐지역치, 어음청취역치 및 어음판별치등을 소음이 있는 조건과 없는 조건의 두가지 상태하에서 편측착용시와 양측착용시의 score를 각각 구하였다. 얻어진 score를 (1) 난청의 정도 (2) 자동음량조절장치(automatic gain control)에 대한 영향 (3) 두 귀의 난청곡선의 균형(symmetry)등에 따라서 비교하고, (4) 어음판별력이 거의 없는 경우와 (5)보충현상(recruitment)이 심한 경우의 요인면에서 관찰하여 다음과 같이 모든면에서 양이보청기착용이 유리함을 발견하였다. 1. 음성탐지역치에 있어서는 stereo type의 danavox 747pp는, did측착용시에는 편측착용시보다 평균 4.25dB의 상승이 있었고 두개의 별개의 보청기를 착용시켰을 경우에는 4.12dB의 상승이 있었다. 2. 어음청취역치는 소음이 없는 상태에서는 양측착용시에 편측착용시보다 평균 3.56dB(최고 6dB)의 상승이 있었고, 소음이 있는 상태에서는 평균 5.56dB(최고 18dB)의 상승이 있어 소음중에서 더욱 효과적이었다. 3. 어음판별치도 소음이 없을 때는 평균 17.09%(최고 42%)의 차이가 있었고, 소음중에서는 19.63%(최고 46%)의 상승이 양측착용시에 있어 역시 소음중에서 양이 보청기의 착용효과가 더 우수하게 나타났다. 4. 난청의 정도별로 관찰하면, 어음청취역치나 어음판별 score의 신장도(伸長度)가 공히 중등고도(moder-ately-severe)난청에서 가장 우수하였고 경도(mild)난청에서 가장 저조하였으며, 중등고도, 고도, 중등도, 경도의 순으로 나타났다. 5. 자동음량조절장치의 유무에 의한 영향을 보면 같은 모델의 AGC장치보청기를 양측에 사용했을 때는 극히 저조하였고, AGC장치보청기와 보통의 보청기를 같이 사용하거나 보통의 보청기끼리만 착용할 때가 보다 우수하였다. 6. 두개의 난청곡선의 균형이 맞지않고 정도차가 심한 경우에도 양이보청기를 착용하면 어음청취역치와 판별능력이 신장되었다. 7. 어음판별력이 거의 없는 고도난청자에게도 양이에 보청기를 착용할 때가 보다 우수한 성적을 보였다. 8. 보충현상(recuruitment)이 심한 고도난청자에게도 양이보청기착용이 보다 우수하였고, AGC장치보청기끼리만 착용했을 때 보다 AGC장치보청기와 보통의 보청기를 병용했을 때가 더 효과적이었다. 이상의 결과는 보청훈련을 하지 않은 단기간의 효과이므로 앞으로 양이보청에 의한 장기사용효과에 대한 연구를 계속하고자 한다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.315-321
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• 2004

본 연구에서는 다채널 디지털 보청기에서 적용될 수 있는 적응 궤환 제거 알고리즘을 제안하였다. 제안된 적응궤환 제거기는 궤환 검출을 위한 적응 노치 필터와 궤환 제거를 위한 NLMS (normalized least mean square) 적응필터로 구성되어 있다. 제안된 적응 궤환 제거 알고리즘을 다채널 보청 알고리듬과 결합하였다. 다채널 보청 알고리즘은 MDCT (modified discrete cosine transform) 필터뱅크를 이용하여 주파수 대역별 청력 손실을 보상하도록 구성하였다. 제안된 알고리즘을 포함한 완성된 보청 알고리즘의 성능을 컴퓨터 시뮬레이션을 통해 평가하였으며 상용 DSP보드를 이용하여 실시간 구현을 확인하였다.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.385-394
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• 2010

Automatic gain control(AGC) is used in hearing aids to compensate for the hearing level as to reduced dynamic range. AGC is consisted of the main 4 factors which are compression threshold, compression ratio, attack time, and release time. This study especially focus on each individual need for optimum release time parameters that can be changed within 7 certain range such as 12, 64, 128, 512, 2094, and 4096ms. To estimate the effect of various release time in AGC, twelve normal hearing and twelve hearing impaired listeners are participated. The stimuli are used by one syllable and sentence which have the same acoustic energy respectively. Then, each of score of the word recognition score is checked in quiet and noise conditions. As a result, it is verified that most people have the different best recognition score on specific release time. Also, if hearing aids is set by the optimum release time in each person, it is helpful in speech recognition and discrimination.

• 전기학회논문지
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• 제60권5호
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• pp.1055-1061
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• 2011

In this study, main parameters: aperture, first bend and second bend which express a structure of ear canal are extracted in order to modeling and manufacture the ready-made ear shells of hearing aids. The proposed parameter extraction method consists of 2 important algorithms, aperture detection and feature detection. In the aperture detection algorithm, aperture of 3-D scanned virtual ear impression and parameters relating to ear shell of hearing aid are determined. The feature detection algorithm detects first bend, second bend, and related parameters. Through these two algorithms, parameters for aperture, first bend, and second bend are extracted to model the ready-made ear shell of hearing aid. The values of these extracted parameters from 36 people's right ear impression are analyzed and measured statistically. As a result of the analysis, it has been found that it is possible to classify ready-made ear shell parameters by age and size. The ready-made ear shell parameters are classified 3-size for 20 years old and 2-size for 60 years olde. Using 3D rhino program, virtual ready-made ear shell is reconstructed by parameters of every type, and simulated to model it. A final product was produced by transferring simulation result with rapid prototyping system. The modeled ready-made ear shell is evaluated with the objective and subjective method. Objective method is the comparison volume ratio and overlapped volume ratio of ear impression from randomly chosen 18 people and ready-made ear shell. And subjective method is that the final product of ready-made ear shell is used by users and the satisfaction number drawn from well fitting and comfortable testing was evaluated. In the result of the evaluation, it has been found that volume ration is 70%, big and middle size ready-made ear shell products are possible, and the satisfaction number is high.

• 한국통신학회논문지
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• 제36권7C호
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• pp.413-420
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• 2011

본 논문에서는 양이 보청기의 음향궤환 및 잡음을 제거하기 위한 새로운 알고리즘을 제안한다. 이 알고리즘은 이중 마이크를 사용하여 잔차신호에서 음성신호를 제거한 후 궤환제거 필터의 계수를 갱신시킴으로써 수렴성능을 향상시킨다. 먼저 궤환제거기가 마이크 선호에서 궤환신호를 제거하고, 이어서 빔포밍 기법을 이용하여 잡음을 제거한다. 양이 보청기의 안정적 수렴을 보장하기 위해 좌측 및 우측 보청기를 분리하여 먼저 좌측 보청기를 수렴시키고 나서 그 다음 우측 보청기를 수렴시키는 과정으로 진행한다. 본 연구에서 제안한 궤환 및 잡음제거기의 성능을 검증하기 위하여 시뮬레이션 프로그램을 작성하고 모의실험을 수행하였다. 실험 결과, 제안한 적응 알고리즘을 사용하면 기존의 알고리즘을 사용하는 경우보다 궤환제거기에서 평균 14.43 dB의 SFR(Signal to Feedback Ratio), 잡음제거기에서 평균 10.19 dB의 SNR(Signal to Noise Ratio) 개선효과를 향상시킬 수 있는 것으로 확인하였다.

• 한국음향학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국음향학회 1994년도 FIFTH WESTERN PACIFIC REGIONAL ACOUSTICS CONFERENCE SEOUL KOREA
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• pp.1064-1069
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• 1994

In order to realize the function of human interface of telecommunications whose objective is to interchange useful information among persons, we developed a bone conduction telephone with which hearing impaired persons with conductive or noise-induced hearing loss and presbycusis can communicate with each other without any other additional devices such as hearing aids. The bone conduction telephone we developed has chatacteristics as follows : (i) a hearing impaired person and a normal hearing person can communicate by bone and air conduction hearings, respectively, using only this telephone set because, as its receiver, it uses a bone conduction vibrator with which we can realize such function with the voice coil and damper of a small speaker unit, the vibrating plate, etc., (ii) it has tone control function compensating hearing losses of hearing impaired persons according to their hearing loss/frequency chatacteristics. Using the tone control function together with a received volume control, it has the received volume range of 20dB in loudness rating; and (iii) it has the function of three emergency calls and a bell lamp as the visual display of a received call.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.230-234
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• 2021

Otosclerosis, a hereditary disorder characterized by disordered resorption and deposition of bone, results in progressive hearing loss. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by recurrent fractures, blue sclera, and varying degrees of hearing impairment; and is a known risk factor for otosclerosis. After adolescence, the risk of fracture decreases, reducing the need for follow-up in OI. However, otosclerosis is a progressive disorder. In this report, we discuss two cases of familial otosclerosis with different clinical features. We hypothesize that the difference in hearing level correlates with the difference in computed tomography findings. The mother, whose case was considered severe, was prescribed hearing aids, while the daughter, who had normal hearing level, was regularly followed up.

• 대한청각학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.230-234
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• 2021

Otosclerosis, a hereditary disorder characterized by disordered resorption and deposition of bone, results in progressive hearing loss. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder characterized by recurrent fractures, blue sclera, and varying degrees of hearing impairment; and is a known risk factor for otosclerosis. After adolescence, the risk of fracture decreases, reducing the need for follow-up in OI. However, otosclerosis is a progressive disorder. In this report, we discuss two cases of familial otosclerosis with different clinical features. We hypothesize that the difference in hearing level correlates with the difference in computed tomography findings. The mother, whose case was considered severe, was prescribed hearing aids, while the daughter, who had normal hearing level, was regularly followed up.