Hearing Aid Connectivity to Consumer Electronics

助听器与消费电子产品的连接

• 批准号: 7480898
• 负责人: DANIEL S HEDIN
• 金额: $ 12.62万
• 依托单位: ADVANCED MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-04-01 至 2008-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7480898
• 关键词: Adoption; Adverse effects; American; Area; Cellular Phone; Consumption; Contracts; Coupling; Custom; Data; Devices; Ear; Electronics; Environment; Face; Gray unit of radiation dose; Hearing; Hearing Aids; Hearing Impaired Persons; Hybrids; Individual; Industry; Life; Link; Magnetism; Manufacturer Name; Medical Electronics; Methods; Minnesota; Music; Nature; Noise; Output; Pattern; Performance; Phase; Physiologic pulse; Power Sources; Pulse taking; Radio; Range; Rate; Research; Research Personnel; Resistance; Resources; Running; Signal Transduction; Simulate; Solutions; Source; Speed; Standards of Weights and Measures; Structure; System; Technology; Television; Universities; Wireless Technology; analog; base; design; digital; experience; hearing impairment; interest; miniaturize; novel; simulation; size; sound; transmission process

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will apply novel ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless impulse radio technology to provide connectivity from consumer electronics devices directly to micro- behind-the-ear (micro-BTE) hearing aids. In hearing aids, capturing sound close to the source before it is combined with background noise offers better signal to noise ratio. In the case of consumer electronics devices, hearing aid users encounter difficulties with sound quality when using the integrated speakers of such devices. These devices often provide an audio output which offers a low noise signal. The proposed device will digitize this signal from the audio port before noise is added and transmit it digitally directly to the hearing aid. Existing methods to transmit audio signals to hearing aids from consumer electronics devices include Bluetooth, magnetic coupling (digital and analog), and FM. FM radios are prone to interference and distortion and are being replaced by digital wireless solutions. Bluetooth is too high of power to be directly integrated into hearing aids and so these solutions require larger batteries in modules external to the hearing aid. Magnetic coupling can be made low power but can only transmit for short distances. There are many reasons why previous connectivity systems have experienced poor adoption rates and most are related to the intermediate relay module found in current solutions. The proposed solution will be the first to eliminate this relay module allow direct long-range transmission to a micro BTE hearing aid. The proposed wireless technology will offer larger distances (15 ft.) than magnetic coupling solutions and lower power (<200uW) than all digital alternatives. This technology can be integrated directly into micro-BTE hearing aids. The transmitter module will also be miniaturized around a standard audio plug for a discrete (< 0.3 in3), easy to use device. Project Narrative More than 28 million Americans suffer from or face imminent hearing loss. The segments of hearing aid users that can receive the greatest benefit from the proposed technology are the estimated 10% of hearing-impaired persons suffering signal-to-noise-ratio loss. These individuals have a reduced ability to hear in acoustically noisy environments.

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目将应用新型超宽带 (UWB) 无线脉冲无线电技术，提供从消费电子设备直接到微型耳背式 (micro-BTE) 助听器的连接。在助听器中，在与背景噪声结合之前捕获靠近声源的声音可提供更好的信噪比。就消费电子设备而言，助听器用户在使用此类设备的集成扬声器时会遇到音质问题。这些设备通常提供音频输出，从而提供低噪声信号。所提出的设备将在添加噪声之前将来自音频端口的信号数字化，并将其以数字方式直接传输到助听器。从消费电子设备向助听器传输音频信号的现有方法包括蓝牙、磁耦合（数字和模拟）和 FM。调频收音机容易受到干扰和失真，正在被数字无线解决方案所取代。蓝牙的功率太高，无法直接集成到助听器中，因此这些解决方案需要在助听器外部的模块中安装更大的电池。磁耦合可以做成低功率，但只能短距离传输。以前的连接系统采用率较低的原因有很多，其中大多数与当前解决方案中的中间继电器模块有关。所提出的解决方案将是第一个消除该中继模块的解决方案，允许直接远距离传输到微型 BTE 助听器。所提议的无线技术将提供比磁耦合解决方案更大的距离（15 英尺）和比所有数字替代方案更低的功耗（<200uW）。该技术可以直接集成到微型 BTE 助听器中。发射器模块还将围绕标准音频插头进行小型化，以实现离散（< 0.3 in3）、易于使用的设备。项目叙述 超过 2800 万美国人患有或面临迫在眉睫的听力损失。可以从所提议的技术中获得最大收益的助听器用户群体是估计有 10% 遭受信噪比损失的听力障碍人士。这些人在噪声环境中的听力能力下降。