An Open-source Speech Processing Platform (OSP) for Research on Hearing Loss and Related Disorders

摘要 听力损失(HL)是一种影响全球3.6亿人的无形残疾，可患有远在... 影响后果，包括生活质量下降，摔倒风险增加，以及认知能力下降，但仅限于 三分之一的HL患者拥有助听器(HA)。尽管在听力损失方面有强烈的愿望和需求 社区对于质量好、价格实惠的助听器来说，专有的“黑匣子”性质的商业已经是一大 听力学研究突破、助听器技术改进和翻译的障碍 供有听力障碍的人使用。需要替代商用HA设备，以满足以下需求 听力学研究，NADI团队开发了用于听力的开源语音处理平台(OSP 帮助研究和开发，这有可能弥合听力学研究和 将HL技术商业化，并推动超出可行范围的心理物理研究 今天。OSP由多个实时主助听器算法(MHAs)和嵌入式Web服务器组成 托管板载应用程序(可通过任何支持浏览器的设备访问，如智能手机、平板电脑或PC) 监测和控制助听器的操作。OSP硬件包括基于智能手机的可穿戴处理器 芯片组和耳后、通道中接收器(BTE-RIC)外形尺寸耳级组件。 OSP系统的可行性在实验室和现场都得到了验证，可供听力专家进行配对 以及自我适应能力。拟议的直接第二阶段项目将通过临床测试验证平台，结果 它将为OSP硬件和软件支持的制造包的开发提供信息 使用OSP进行听力学研究的基础设施。OSP软件，包括听力学研究工具(目标1) 和结果评估工具(AIM 2)，将通过测量辅助言语感知结果来验证 为成人HL患者提供安静和嘈杂的环境。这将确立OSP在临床研究中的有效性 现实条件。此外，生态瞬时评估(EMA)工具(目标3)将使用以下工具进行验证 为操作的正确性制定了良好的软件测试程序。硬件版本和敏捷 基于用户反馈的软件开发将产生一套丰富的算法，包括多个MHA， 为研究人员和听众提供的用于控制MHA的HL应用程序、评估结果的自动化工具和工具 管理EMA现场调查。该项目将由一个强大的跨学科团队进行，该团队包括 系统设计和信号处理、产品开发和支持、软件等领域的研究人员 建筑学、硬件制造和听力学。该项目的成功将导致一套经过验证的 开放源码的HA研究工具，允许研究人员调查各种信号之间的相互作用 处理功能，进行目前工具不可能进行的心理物理研究，并产生证据- 基于解决方案，以增加获得听力保健的机会。

ABSTRACT Hearing loss (HL) is an invisible disability affecting 360 million people worldwide that can have far- reaching consequences, including reduced quality of life, increased risk of falls, and cognitive decline, yet only one in three individuals with HL owns a hearing aid (HA). Despite a strong desire and need in the hearing loss community for quality, affordable hearing aids, the proprietary “black box” nature of commercial HAs is a major obstacle to achieving breakthroughs in audiology research, improving hearing aid technology, and translating it to use by hearing impaired individuals. Motived by the need for alternatives to commercial HA devices for audiology research, the Nadi team developed the Open-source Speech Processing Platform (OSP) for hearing aid research and development, which has the potential to bridge the gap between audiology research and commercialization of HL technologies, as well as promote psychophysical research beyond what is feasible today. OSP comprises multiple real-time master hearing aid algorithms (MHAs) and an embedded web server that hosts onboard apps (accessible by any browser-enabled device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or a PC) to monitor and control hearing aid operation. OSP hardware includes a wearable processor based on smartphone chipsets and behind-the-ear, receiver-in-the-canal (BTE-RIC) form factor ear-level assemblies. The feasibility of the OSP system was demonstrated in the lab and the field for both audiologist-fitting and self-fitting. The proposed direct Phase II project will validate the platform with clinical testing, the results of which will inform development of a manufacturing package for OSP hardware and a software support infrastructure for audiology research using OSP. The OSP software, including audiology research tools (Aim 1) and outcome assessment tools (Aim 2), will be validated by measuring aided speech perception outcomes in quiet and noisy environments for adults with HL. This will establish the validity of OSP for clinical research under realistic conditions. In addition, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) tools (Aim 3) will be validated using well established software test procedures for correctness of operation. The hardware revisions and Agile software development based on user feedback will result in a rich suite of algorithms, including multiple MHAs, apps for both researchers and listeners with HL to control MHAs, automated tools to assess outcomes, and tools to administer EMA surveys in the field. This project will be conducted by a strong interdisciplinary team comprised of investigators in systems design and signal processing, product development and support, software architecture, hardware manufacturing, and audiology. The success of this project will lead to a validated set of open-source HA research tools that will allow researchers to investigate the interactions among various signal processing functions, undertake psychophysical research not possible with current tools, and generate evidence- based solutions to increase access to hearing healthcare.