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

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为听力损失患者提供个性化的听力保健。提供允许用户更清楚地理解语音的定制放大设备和应用解决方案可以避免听力学家预约，并允许用户直接从他们的电话控制他们的听力。听力损失通常与就业减少和潜在的低收入有关。 有效的放大设备可以使轻度至中度听力损失的人改善他们的就业和收入。 此外，该技术还可以消除某些人群在医疗系统中所经历的不适，并为他们的听力提供个性化的授权。SBIR第二阶段项目旨在以传统助听器解决方案的一小部分成本，从用户的家中舒适地提供个性化的声音配置。这种自适应技术与大多数非处方或直接面向消费者的听力解决方案不同，因为新技术允许助听器在各种不同的听音环境中实现个性化的声音配置。技术目标是允许用户在现场声音环境中优化声音配置文件，并使软件平台标准化，以便与任何硬件制造商建立合作伙伴关系，从而扩展可以帮助人们听得更清楚的产品套件。拟议的项目将继续开发该技术，包括：- 增加在自拟合过程期间调整的频率范围，包括在自拟合过程中调整非线性增益参数，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值进行评估来支持和更广泛的影响审查标准。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to potentially provide personalized hearing health care for those with hearing loss. Providing a customized amplification device and app solution that allows the user to understand speech more clearly may avoid audiologist appointments and allow the user to take control of their hearing right from their phone. Hearing loss is often associated with decreased employment and potentially lower income. An effective amplification device may enable those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss to improve their employment and earnings. Additionally, this technology may remove the discomfort that certain populations experience within the medical system and provide individualized empowerment in relation to their hearing.This SBIR Phase II project seeks to deliver personalized sound profiles from the comfort of the user’s home at a fraction of the cost of traditional hearing aid solutions. This self-fitting technology differentiates is differentiaed from the majority of over-the-counter or direct-to-consumer hearing solutions as the new technology allow the hearing aid enable personalize sound profiles in a variety of different listening environments. The technological goals are to allow users to optimize sound profiles in situ for live sound environments, and to standardize the software platform to enable partnerships with any hardware manufacturer in order to expand the suite of products that can help people hear clearly. The proposed project will continue the development of the technology including: increasing the range of frequencies that are adjusted during the self-fitting process, including the adjustment of non-linear gain parameters in the self-fitting process, an allowing users to obtain profiles for different listening environments.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.