HEARING LOSS AND PROSTHESIS SIMULATOR

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议工作的目标是模拟听力损失与助听器，人工耳蜗或其他听觉假肢相结合的听觉感知效应的系统。这个模拟器将完全可穿戴，在日常环境中使用，而不占用手或眼睛。它将是计算机可编程的，以允许系统特性的广泛变化。它将是一个双耳系统，具有独立指定的左右声道损失和假体特性，并且它将提供简单的控制，以便用户可以在几个损失和假体设置之间切换。最终目标是使模拟器以中等成本（约700美元）提供以下应用：培训听力学家和聋人教育工作者；听力保护示范和公共教育项目；为听障人士和聋人家庭举办的示范活动；为潜在助听器使用者示范；作为一种研究工具。第一阶段的工作开发了系统的核心DSP技术，并演示了混合阈值移位方法的可行性，该方法使用被动衰减、掩蔽噪声和自动增益控制，可以精确模拟沉浸在声场中的用户高达100 dB的听力损失。第二阶段的拟议工作将改进系统的硬件和信号处理组件，改进系统的人体工程学方面，开发用户界面，并为参与专业培训、听力康复/咨询和听力保护的合作者提供实地评估的原型系统。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the proposed work is a system that simulates the auditory-perceptual effects of hearing loss in combination with hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other auditory prostheses. This simulator will be completely wearable for use in everyday settings without occupying hands or eyes. It will be computer-programmable to allow for extensive changes of system characteristics. It will be a binaural system, with loss and prosthesis characteristics independently specifiable for the left and right channels, and it will provide simple controls so that the user can switch among several loss and prosthesis settings. The eventual goal is to make the simulator available at moderate cost (approximately $700) for the following applications: training audiologists and educators of the deaf; demonstrations in hearing-conservation and public education programs; demonstrations for families of hearing-impaired and deaf persons; demonstrations for prospective hearing aid users; and as a research tool. The work in Phase I developed the core DSP technology for the system and demonstrated the feasibility of a hybrid threshold shift method that uses passive attenuation, masking noise, and automatic gain control to enable accurate simulation of hearing losses as large as 100 dB for a user immersed in a sound field. Proposed work in Phase II will refine the hardware and signal-processing components of the system, improve ergonomic aspects of the system, develop a user interface, and deliver prototype systems for field evaluations by collaborators involved in professional training, aural rehabilitation/counseling, and hearing conservation.