SBIR Phase I: Software Technology for Improved Perception of Speech/Audio to Self Personalize Hearing Aids/Devices

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将产生更广泛的影响/商业潜力，因为它将帮助5000万美国人(或全球10亿人)听得更清楚。听力损失现在是全球残疾长年的第五大原因，而且随着人口老龄化，听力损失还会上升。对于老年人来说，听力损失是仅次于心脏病和关节炎的第三大常见身体疾病。此外，听力损失的人中有一半实际上是工作年龄或更年轻的人，听力损失与就业减少和收入减少有很大关联。随着听力解决方案变得更实惠和更容易获得，如眼镜和隐形眼镜，更多的制造商(包括消费耳机制造商)将寻找一个标准平台，将他们的产品转化为助听器。这一新颖的解决方案是一种软件技术，可以将任何助听器/助听器转变为可自我定制的助听器，这将显著改善获得助听器的能力。这项创新将加强对如何获得最佳听力清晰度的科学和技术理解。听力损失将不再是一个挑战，助听器将变得像镜片一样容易获得、负担得起和佩戴。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发一种直接且可重复的方式，供人们在家中安装助听器或助听器。与目前的听力测试不同，听力测试测量听力阈值，需要昂贵的音箱设备和中介专业人员，这项新技术优化了语音感知，类似于视力测试，即通过镜片观看，并询问哪个镜片更清晰。该技术为每个用户提供个性化的声音配置文件，并使获得听力清晰度的整个过程能够在家中完成。换句话说，人们可以在购买助听器/设备之前(通过他们自己的智能手机和耳塞)个性化并试用他们的助听器/设备，然后以类似的方式设置他们的助听器/设备。这提高了访问和满意度，同时显著降低了价格。开发将利用移动、网络和云技术，以及物联网连接、机器学习和数据分析。这个第一阶段的项目将确定该技术的可行性，预计将产生一个联网的移动/网络软件应用程序，能够始终如一地达到最佳的个性化用户声音配置文件。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will result from helping 50 million Americans (or 1 billion people worldwide) who have hearing loss to hear clearly. Hearing loss is now the fifth leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide and will climb higher with aging of the population. For older adults, hearing loss is the third most common physical condition after heart disease and arthritis. Moreover, half of people with hearing loss are actually working age and younger, and there is a significant association of hearing loss with decreased employment and lower income. As hearing solutions become more affordable and accessible like glasses and contact lenses, more manufacturers (including manufacturers of consumer headsets) will look for a standard platform to turn their product into a hearing aid. This novel solution is a software technology to turn any hearing device/aid into a self-customizable hearing aid, which will dramatically improve access. The innovation will enhance scientific and technological understanding of how to attain optimal hearing clarity. Hearing loss will no longer be a challenge, and hearing aids will become as easy to access, afford, and wear as lenses. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a direct and repeatable way for people to set up their hearing aids or hearing devices at home. Unlike the current hearing test, which measures hearing thresholds and requires expensive sound booth equipment and middlemen professionals, this novel technology optimizes for improved perception of speech and is similar to the vision test where one looks through lenses and is asked which lenses are clearer. The technology provides personalized sound profiles for every user and enables the entire process of attaining hearing clarity to be done at-home. In other words, people can personalize and try out their hearing profile before purchasing a hearing aid/device (through their own smartphone and earbuds), and then set up their hearing aid/device in a similar way. This improves access and satisfaction while significantly decreasing price. Development will utilize mobile, web, and cloud technologies, as well as IoT connectivity, machine learning, and data analysis. This Phase I project will establish feasibility of the technology and is expected to result in a connected mobile/web software app that is able to consistently arrive at optimal personalized user sound profiles.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.