SBIR Phase I: Digital Hearing Aid with Computer Trainer

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目涉及数字助听器，能够独立调整离散频率并与训练计算机耦合。 这种助听器将使用非线性自适应滤波器来消除不必要的噪音，并与计算机接口进行训练和反馈。 这是开发系列的第一步，使计算机能够“教”或为语言治疗师提供帮助，以训练听障儿童更好的语言技能。 第一步将是展示一种能够提供专门的频率选择性放大的设备。 然后，该设备将与能够与儿童交互的计算机（和必要的硬件）一起实现，以帮助增强儿童丢失的特定声音。 开发系列的第二步是与听力学家和语言治疗师一起开发一个实现训练计算机的程序。 第三步是收集有关儿童的结果数据库，作为模式识别设备，以加快语言发展的过程。 使用该设备的听力残疾儿童的潜在商业市场估计每年为10，000。 然而，真正的潜力在于提高儿童的生活、能力和机会，因为她能够像正常儿童一样说话。 该奖项由小企业创新研究计划和刺激竞争力研究实验计划（EPSCoR）支持。

This Small Business innovation Research Phase I project deals with a digital hearing aid with the ability to adjust a discrete number of frequencies independently and couple to a training computer. This hearing aid will use a non-linear adaptive filter to eliminate unwanted noise and interface to a computer for training and feedback. This is the first step in a development series to enable a computer to `teach`' or provide assistance to speech therapist in training hearing impaired children better language skills. The first step will be to demonstrate a device capable of providing the specialized frequency selective amplifications. This device will then be implemented with a computer (and necessary hardware) that is capable of interacting with a child as an aid to enhance specific sounds the child is missing. The second step in the development series is to work with audiologists and speech therapists developing a program implementing the training computer. The third step is to collect a data base of the results of the children involved as a pattern recognition device to speed up the process of language development. The potential commercial market for hearing disabled children using this device is estimated to be in the 10,000's every year. The true potential, however lies in the enhancement of a child's life, ability and opportunity because she is able to speak as normal children do. This award is supported by the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).