Research on the development of a portable digital hearing aid

本研究的目的是开发一种便携式数字助听器系统，实现我们提出的方法，并对系统进行评估。该方法将输入信号的频谱通过补偿每个窄带的响度，转移到感音神经性听障听者的剩余可听范围内，有望大大提高听障听者的可听性。在便携式助听器中实现上述方法的算法和软件开发：系统选用低功耗DSP芯片摩托罗拉DSP-56156作为CPU。开发了DSP-56156软件，实现了上述方法的实时检测。便携式数字助听器的开发：该系统由我们设计，由Ono Sokki株式会社开发。该系统尺寸为23x87x138毫米，无需更换电池即可连续使用4小时。该结果符合原始规格，认为具有足够的性能。便携式系统的评估：实验在东北大学医学院耳鼻喉科进行。虽然到目前为止，研究对象的数量很少，但已经取得了一些有希望的结果。为了在日常生活中使用该系统，必须进一步开发适合每个听者的助听器参数的系统。因此，这项研究应该继续下去。

The purpose of this research is to develop a portable digital hearing aid system which realize the method proposed by us, and to evaluate the system. In this method, the spectrum of the input signal is transferred into the remaining audible range of the sensorineural hearing impaired listeners by compensating luck of loudness in each narrow band, and is expected to improve the intelligibility of the impaired listeners greatly.1. Development of the algorithm and software which realize the above method in a portable hearing aid : A low-powered DSP chip, Motorola DSP-56156 was selected as a CPU in the system. The software for DSP-56156 was developed, which realize the above method in real time.2. Development of the portable digital hearing aid : The system was designed by us and was developed by Ono Sokki Co., Ltd. The system measures 23x87x138 mm and can be used for four consecutive hours without changing its batteries. This result meets the original specification and is considered to have sufficient performance.3. Evaluation of the portable system : The experiment was carried out at the Dept.Otolaryngology, Tohoku University School of Medicine. Though the number of the subjects is small so far, some promising results has been obtained. For using this system in everyday life, a system to fit the parameters of the hearing aid to each individual listener must be further developed. Thus the research should be continued.