• 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.

• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.133-142
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• 2019

The existing auxiliary communicating aids for the hearing-impaired have an inconvenience of using additional expensive sensing devices. This paper presents a hand image detection based algorithm to interpret the sign language of the hearing-impaired. The proposed sign language recognition system exploits the hand image only captured by the camera without using any additional gloves with extra sensors. Based on the hand image processing, the system can perfectly classify several numeric sign language representations. This work proposes a simple lightweight classification algorithm to identify the hand image of the hearing-impaired to communicate with others even further in an environment of complex background. Experimental results show that the proposed system can interpret the numeric sign language quite well with an accuracy of 95.6% on average.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.206-211
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• 2005

The hearing aids specific operational amplifier described in this paper is a single-supply, low voltage CMOS amplifier. It works on 1.3V single-supply and gets a gain of 82dB. The 0.18${\mu}m$ CMOS process was chosen to reduce the driven voltage as well as the power dissipation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2020

Background: In a wide range of industries, noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent occupational problems. This study aimed to assess the noise exposure level and associated factors of hearing loss among textile workers in Yangon Region, Myanmar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Textile mill (Thamine), Yangon Region, from April to December 2018. In total, 226 workers who were randomly selected from 3 weaving sections participated in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A digital sound level meter and pure-tone audiometer were used for the assessment of noise exposure level and hearing loss, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associated factors of hearing loss. Results: In total workers, 66.4% were exposed to ≥85 dB(A) of noise exposure, and the prevalence of hearing loss was 25.7%. Age ≥35 years, below high school education, hearing difficulty, tinnitus, hypertension, > 9 years of service duration in a textile mill were positively associated with hearing loss. After adjusting confounding factors, age ≥35 years (adjusted odds ratio = 6.90, 95% confidence interval = 3.45-13.82) and tinnitus (adjusted odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-7.37) were persistently associated with hearing loss. Conclusion: Providing occupational hazard education and enforcement of occupational safety regulations should be taken to decrease the noise exposure level. The regular audiometry test should be conducted for assessment of hearing threshold shift. The employer needs to implement a hearing conservation program in workplace when noise exposure reaches or exceeds 85 dB(A) for 8 hours.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.69-74
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• 2012

This paper shows the results about field operating digital hearing aids which protect the ears of the battle field soldiers from explosive sound and minimize the difficulty of mutual communication during the battle. The essence of the hearing aid is in its signal compression technology in which soft sound is amplified while rapidly increased explosive sound is attenuated. This nonlinear compression technology can be applied for the protection of the ears of the battle field soldiers. As a core part of the hearing aid, when a new DSP IC chip is launched, the modified firmware and fitting software is developed for adaption. Ezairo 5910 which was recently launched by DSP factory in Canada was used for the development of the firmware of the hearing aid.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.180-190
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: Although many studies have evaluated the effect of the digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithm of hearing aids (HAs) on speech recognition, there are few studies on the effect of DNR on music perception. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of DNR on music, in addition to speech perception, using objective and subjective measurements. Subjects and Methods: Sixteen HA users participated in this study (58.00±10.44 years; 3 males and 13 females). The objective assessment of speech and music perception was based on the Korean version of the Clinical Assessment of Music Perception test and word and sentence recognition scores. Meanwhile, for the subjective assessment, the quality rating of speech and music as well as self-reported HA benefits were evaluated. Results: There was no improvement conferred with DNR of HAs on the objective assessment tests of speech and music perception. The pitch discrimination at 262 Hz in the DNR-off condition was better than that in the unaided condition (p=0.024); however, the unaided condition and the DNR-on conditions did not differ. In the Korean music background questionnaire, responses regarding ease of communication were better in the DNR-on condition than in the DNR-off condition (p=0.029). Conclusions: Speech and music perception or sound quality did not improve with the activation of DNR. However, DNR positively influenced the listener's subjective listening comfort. The DNR-off condition in HAs may be beneficial for pitch discrimination at some frequencies.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.180-190
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• 2020

Background and Objectives: Although many studies have evaluated the effect of the digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithm of hearing aids (HAs) on speech recognition, there are few studies on the effect of DNR on music perception. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of DNR on music, in addition to speech perception, using objective and subjective measurements. Subjects and Methods: Sixteen HA users participated in this study (58.00±10.44 years; 3 males and 13 females). The objective assessment of speech and music perception was based on the Korean version of the Clinical Assessment of Music Perception test and word and sentence recognition scores. Meanwhile, for the subjective assessment, the quality rating of speech and music as well as self-reported HA benefits were evaluated. Results: There was no improvement conferred with DNR of HAs on the objective assessment tests of speech and music perception. The pitch discrimination at 262 Hz in the DNR-off condition was better than that in the unaided condition (p=0.024); however, the unaided condition and the DNR-on conditions did not differ. In the Korean music background questionnaire, responses regarding ease of communication were better in the DNR-on condition than in the DNR-off condition (p=0.029). Conclusions: Speech and music perception or sound quality did not improve with the activation of DNR. However, DNR positively influenced the listener's subjective listening comfort. The DNR-off condition in HAs may be beneficial for pitch discrimination at some frequencies.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1997 no.11
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• pp.63-66
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• 1997

With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, new digital techniques have been introduced to the hearing instrument. This advanced hearing instrument circuitry has led to the need or and the development of new fitting approach. A number of different fitting approaches have been developed over the past few years, yet there has been little agreement on which approach is the "best" or most appropriate to use. However, when we develop not only new hearing aid, but also its fitting method, the intensive subject-based clinical tests are necessarily accompanied. In this paper, we present an objective method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aids without the help of such subject-based tests. In the hearing impairment simulation (HIS) algorithm, a sensorineural hearing impairment model is established from auditory test data of the impaired subject being simulated. Also, in the hearing impairment simulation system the abnormal loudness relationships created by recruitment was transposed to the normal dynamic span of hearing. The nonlinear behavior of the loudness recruitment is defined using hearing loss unctions generated from the measurements. The recruitment simulation is validated by an experiment with two impaired listeners, who compared processed speech in the normal ear with unprocessed speech in the impaired ear. To assess the performance, the HIS algorithm was implemented in real-time using a floating-point DSP.