• Information Systems Review
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.23-41
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• 2022

This case research investigates on how hearing aids, which is one of disability aids, is becoming a smart device, focusing on the case of Starkey Hearing Technologies(Starkey Inc.). Starkey, founded in 1967, has been a leader in innovating forms and functions of hearing aids, and has recently introduced the world's first hearing aid implemented with AI and biological sensors. In this study, history of disability aids, hearing aids(especially Starkey Inc.'s), smart wearable devices and smart earphones are compared. It has been found that recently, there has been a breakdown of boundaries between hearing aids and smart wearable devices in terms of their functions, since entertainment and life assistant functions are added to hearing aids. Based on this trend, the development model of disability aids and smart wearable devices are derived, and according social changes are discussed.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.174.1-174.1
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• 2005

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.62-71
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• 2009

In this study, we developed a wireless CROS(contralateral routing of signal) hearing aid for unilateral impaired people. CROS hearing aid takes sound from an ear with poorer hearing and transmit to another ear with better hearing. Generally, the self-voice delivered through the receiver of CROS hearing aid can be very loud. It is hard to perceive target speech because of loud self-voice. To compensate it, a self-voice suppression algorithm has been developed. we performed SDT(speech discrimination test) for evaluation of the self-voice suppression algorithm. One-syllable words was used as test speech and recorded with self-voice at a 1m distance. As the results, SDT score was improved about 11% when the self-voice suppression algorithm was processed. It is verified that the self-voice suppression algorithm helps speech perception at a time to communicate with others.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2016

In this paper, we implement the development platform of multichannel digital hearing aid algorithm using Simulink provided by Matlab. The digital hearing aids are considered medical devices designed to compensate for hearing loss, they need to be correctly selected, to help a person who has difficulty in hearing. The development platform that implemented in this paper, includes WOLA filterbank for analysis/synthesis of input signal, Wide dynamic range compression for hearing loss compensation and adaptive filter for feedback cancellation. Using the development platform, algorithm parameters for each block can be set depending on the hearing aid user. Thus it is possible to test the algorithm before the machine language. As a result, the time for algorithm development can be saved and performance and computational complexity can be optimized.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.238-247
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• 2005

In this Paper. we Presents subband design techniques of a compensating filter and adaptive feedback canceller for the digital hearing aid. The sensorineural hearing loss has a hearing threshold that shows a nonlinear characteristic in frequency domain. and its compensation suffers from an echo that produced by an undesired time varying feedback path. Therefore. the digital hearing aid requires the compensator that can adjust gains nonlinearly in frequency bands and eliminate the echo rapidly In the Proposed digital hearing aid. the compensating filter is designed by the adaptive system identification method in subband structure, and the adaptive feedback canceller is designed by the subband affine projection algorithm. The designed compensation filter can control the nonlinear gain in each subband respectively, therefore precise compensation is possible. And the feedback canceller using the subband adaptive filter achieves fast convergence rate. The Performances of the Proposed method are verified by computer simulations as comparing with the behaviors of the previous trials.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.273-279
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• 2012

In this thesis, a nonlinear compression fitting method was studied for each frequency channel of a 64 channel digital hearing aid. Unlike conventional fitting formula method done from the result of the hearing loss test, the present fitting method uses the auditory threshold of sound pressure measured near the tympanic membrane while ITE (In-The-Ear) hearing aid is fitted into the user's ear canal. Also, the spectral distribution of the voice sound pressure was used for realizing of output sound pressure compression curves against input sound pressure level. Theoretical research results of FFT-iFFT compression algorithm has been evaluated by experimental gain measurements at each different input sound pressure level 50 dB, 70 dB, 90 dB respectively.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.973-992
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• 2010

The hearing impairment is the representative disorder that affects the quality of the routine life of the aged period. This study was aimed to develop the Korean evaluation scale for hearing handicap(KESHH) with which we can evaluate social and psychological effects of the hearing impairment. Applying this scale clinically, we can analyze the geriatric hearing loss specifically and improve the quality of the aural rehabilitation that can help the hardness of the hearing impairment. Data were collected from 288 participants(176 hearing aid users and 112 non-hearing aid users) and the average age of the participants was 67.4 years old ( 60.15 for the hearing aids users and 78.9 for the non hearing users). The composition ratio of the male and female participants were 58.0% and 42.0% and extrovert and introvert personality were 49.3% and 50.7% showing balanced formation. The tentative draft of KESHH measurements were produced with 30 items and following 5 subscales. Using factor analysis, 6 items were erased and 4 subscales - social effect, psycho/emotional effect, interpersonal effect, and perception of hearing aids - were identified. As each subscale consisted of 6 items, 24 items were corrected and remained totally. Conclusively, the KESHH was developed with 24 items and 4 subscales including 6 items on each subscale. In addition, the KESHH was divided into type-1 and 2 depending on hearing aid users and non hearing aid users. The results of this study can be summarized as the following 5 parts. Firstly, the reliabilities of the KESHH were proved to be high because the subscales' Cronbach alpha values were from 0.723 through 0.895. Secondly, the KESHH showed systematically increasing score as the hearing impairment increased. The lowest score was 24 and the highest score was 117 and the average scores of the hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired are 72.06(SD=15.67) and 66.98(SD=20.94) showing 5.08 increased score for the hearing impaired. Depending on the degree of the hearing loss, the scores recorded 52.63 at the below of the mild hearing loss, 67.29 for the moderate hearing loss, 71.89 for the moderately severe hearing loss, and 75.57 for the severe hearing loss The comparison of the scores by hearing levels indicated that the higher the hearing levels were, the higher the scores of the KESHH with statistical significance(p<0.001). Thirdly, the correlation among 4 subscales was 0.384~0.880(p<0.001). Also, the pure tone average, personality, and the four subscales correlations showed statistical significance with 0.148~0.880 except for the pure tone average and personality and the pure tone average and perception of hearing aids. Fourthly, the total variances explained for the independent subscles were analyzed with multiple regression. The social effect was explained 17.4% with pure tone average, personality, and the status of hearing aid use variances. The psycho/emotional effect was explained 14.4% with puretone average, personality, and age variances. The interpersonal effect was explained 11.2% with pure tone average, personality, and the status of hearing aid use variances. The perception of hearing aids effect was explained 2.2% with only personality. Finally, test-retest reliability was proved to be high with 0.791(p<0.001). Conclusively, the KESHH that was developed considering Korean culture can be a useful instrument for expressing the hearing handicaps of the Korean aged hearing impaired in scores for both hearing aid users and non-users. Also, it is thought that the KESHH is useful clinically for identifying the changes of the hearing handicap scores before and after wearing hearing aids and aural rehabilitation at diverse situations.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.411-414
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• 2005

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 response to receiving sound. The diameter of the directivity testing device was 2 [m] and the micro-mouse was precisely controlled by PICBASIC micro processor.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.10b
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• pp.382-384
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• 2005

When a hearing aid' s user is listening through telephone or cellular phone, he/she usually suffers from severe electrical magnetic interference noise. It is because hearing aids amplify voice signal as well as background noise. A telecoil, an induction coil, is a possible solution for the problem. Because a telecoil has the characteristic of high pass filter, it has some problem of resulting increased high frequency noise. For solving this problem, we can use a capacitor connected with the telecoil in parallel. According to capacitance, receiving signal quality may change. In this paper, proper capacitor values for the best sound quality are investigated by experimental work.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.10b
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• pp.551-553
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• 2005

When a hearing aid' s user is listening through telephone or cellular phone, he/she usually suffers from severe electrical magnetic interference noise. It is because hearing aids amplify voice signal as well as background noise. A telecoil, an induction coil, is a possible solution for the problem. Because a telecoil has the characteristic of high pass filter, it has some problem of resulting increased high frequency noise. For solving this problem, we can use a capacitor connected with the telecoil in parallel. According to capacitance, receiving signal quality may change. In this paper, proper capacitor values for the best sound quality are investigated by experimental work.