Hearing Aid Connectivity to Consumer Electronics

项目描述（申请人提供）：本项目将为听障人士开发一个数字无线流媒体立体声音频系统。第一阶段已经成功地展示了一种新技术，该技术可以完全集成到现代耳背式助听器中，以接收来自消费电子设备（如手机、电视、立体声和个人媒体设备）的音频。该系统使用一个小型发射器，插入标准耳机插孔，将音频传输到助听器。在助听器中，在接近声源的声音与背景噪声结合之前捕获声音可以提供更好的信噪比。在消费电子设备的情况下，助听器用户在使用这种设备的集成扬声器时遇到音质方面的困难。这些设备通常提供标准音频输出，该输出提供低噪声信号。将音频信号从消费电子设备传输到助听器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。蓝牙消耗太多的功率，无法直接集成到小型助听器中，因此这些解决方案需要助听器外部模块中的更大电池。磁耦合可以被制成低功率，但只能传输短距离。先前的连接系统的采用率很低的原因有很多，大多数都与当前解决方案中的中间中继模块有关。拟议的解决方案将是第一个消除这种中继模块，以允许直接长距离传输到微型耳后（BTE）助听器。拟议的无线技术将提供更大的距离（15英尺）。比磁耦合解决方案更好，比所有数字替代方案功耗更低（小于200 uW）。公共卫生相关性：根据一个更好的听力研究所（BHI）最近对56,000个家庭的调查，3150万美国人有听力损失。听力损失影响十分之一的美国人和四分之一的家庭。虽然95%的听力损失患者可以通过助听器成功治疗，但目前只有23%的人使用助听器。该项目建议开发一种低功耗、易于使用的助听器选项，允许将音频从消费电子产品直接无线传输到无线助听器。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project will develop a digital wireless streaming stereo audio system for the hearing impaired. Phase I has successfully demonstrated a novel technology that can be integrated fully into modern behind-the-ear hearing aids to receive audio from consumer electronics devices such as cell phones, televisions, stereos, and personal media devices. The system uses on a small transmitter that plugs into standard headphone jack to digitize and transmit the audio to the hearing aid. 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 a standard audio output which offers a low noise signal. 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 consumes too much power to be directly integrated into small hearing aids, 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 to allow direct long-range transmission to a micro behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid. The proposed wireless technology will offer larger distances (15 ft.) than magnetic coupling solutions and lower power (less than 200uW) than all digital alternatives. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: According to a Better Hearing Institute's (BHI) recent survey of 56,000 households, 31.5 million Americans have hearing loss. Hearing loss affects 1 in 10 Americans and 1 in 4 households. Furthermore while 95% of individuals with hearing loss could be successfully treated with hearing aids, only 23% currently use them. This project proposes to develop a low power, easy to use, hearing aid option that allows wireless transmission of audio directly to wireless enabled hearing aids from consumer electronics.