Electromagnetic Noise Cancelling System for Hearing Aids

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): other electrical system is a growing problem that poses a serious obstacle to communication accessibility for hearing aid users. For this hard of hearing population, EMI impedes the use of telephones and assistive listening systems (ALS). Existing approaches to reducing ambient EMI are costly or impractical and have never resulted in noise reducing technology specifically for the benefit of hearing aid users. This project's objective is to develop, validate and ultimately commercialize an effective low cost hearing aid EMI mitigation system that is compatible with current hearing aid telecoil technologies and accessibility regulations. Employing proprietary technology, the Counter-Active Noise Cancelling Electronic Loop (CANCEL) will digitally sample ambient EMI and transmit an adaptive phase cancelling signal. Electrical background noise will be reduced and listening conditions will be improved for hearing aid users. CANCEL will be developed in a laboratory setting where realistic EMI conditions can be simulated and controlled. Utilizing listening tests and experienced hearing aid users, the effectiveness of prototype CANCEL systems will be evaluated at a prominent hearing health care facility that has been impeded in its mission due to high levels of EMI. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Consumers, manufacturers and distributors of hearing aids, ALS and telephones have expressed concern about the negative impact of EMI on the estimated 1.7+ million people in the USA who have telecoil-equiped hearing aids. There is also a market for CANCEL overseas, where hearing aid telecoils are widely used. A cost-effective EMI mitigation system tailored for hearing aid users would offer new options for expanding communication accessibility for a significant number of hard of hearing people.