New Developments in Hearing Technology Dave Gordey, M. Sc. AUD (c)

Let’s Talk About….. New Features of Hearing Aids  Directionality  Noise Reduction  Adaptation Manager  Datalogging  New Designs  And Next Generation in Hearing

What is Directionality?  Two microphones  Optimal Port spacing  Optimal mic alignment A good way to improve speech in noise! Directionality index (DI) - dB

First Generation -Manual Directionality Underlying assumptions  Target is in front  Noise is elsewhere  Manual switching required Microphone Directionality

Now - Automatic Directionality Switches automatically between omni-directional and fixed directional microphones. Uses Artificial Intelligence to make decisions.

Noise Reduction  Noise interferes with speech understanding  Likely linked to auditory fatigue  Most environments have some noise present

Noise Reduction 1.Modulation Based Noise Management 2. Tristate Noise Management Two Types

Speech Noise Speech + Noise “Looks like noise” Minimal Modulations Highly Modulated First Generation of Noise Reduction - Modulation Detection

Tristate Noise Reduction

Automatic Adaptation Manager  Automatic transition to the target prescription  Customizable transition time (start and end- time)  Smooth adaptation for a smoother acclimatization

SKI-Slope Losses  Focus on more than just audibility  Less gain in HF  More gain in MF  More focus on transition region

Data logging  Hearing aid has a built in “artificial memory”  Tells us about:  Hearing aid use  Operation of on/off switch  Battery consumption

Introducing Delta... The look of the future

Delta Design  Nothing like a traditional hearing aid  Fits Mild to Moderate-Severe Understanding in noise  Excellent bandwidth  Advanced directionality Sound quality and comfort  Open fitting/Micromold  Speaker in the ear  State-of-the-art automatics

How can people with hearing loss become hearing empowered?

Answer Connecting them to the Near World and the Far World

The Near World  Hearing our friends, family and colleagues in different environments.  Hearing and understanding the sounds of our world  Living in the soundscape.

18 Connecting to the Far World

The Far World  The world is going wireless  Multimedia is now a big part of our life  Professional and Personal Lives  We all need access to the far world

20 Ramsdell and WWII Veterans

21 Social Signal/Warning Primitive Disconnected from their Soundscape

22 The importance of auditory spatial resolution (or why it’s good to know where sounds come from..) Demo with lights out

23 Speech understanding in noise: De-construct the auditory scene, find the voice of interest Not just identifying components, but “following a voice” Speech events have little or no meaning in isolation – Meaning accumulates over time…

24 What is the most important mechanism to maintain a persons Soundscape?

25 Hint #1

26 Hint #2

27 Two ears are better than one Binaural hearing gives us a sense of place Binaural hearing allows us to localize

28 Localization ability:  Maintains SoundScape  Improves Speech/Noise Binauaral hearing is most important for good localization ability

29 How do Hearing Aids Currently Affect Localization ability

Video Excitement and Innovation….

Binaural Processing Spatial Sound:  Ensures that auditory system is sent and accurate representation of the spatial environment 31

32 Binaural DFC Unique - First DFC system ever to benefit from binaural processing Benefit - More precise feedback detection - Avoid “false positives” and common artifacts of conventional DFC systems. Conventional Epoq

33

34 Extreme Bandwidth Unique - Bandwidth extends up to ~10,000 Hz Benefit - Improved sound quality - Better localization - Greater naturalness and fidelity.

Extended Bandwidth & Audibility... can they hear it?

36 Life Learning Unique 1. Detailed learning of Volume Control preferences – in many different types of environments Benefit - Convenience, ease of use - Discreetness (reduce need to use VC) - Volume is automatically adjusted to match each situation - Higher acceptance and long term satisfaction

Phone and Streamer Demo video

38 Streamer

39 Streamer Benefits Mobile phone: Hassle free, wire free. Listen with both ears Connect to your IPOD - Stream music - directly into the hearing aids Easy to Use. Etc.

Summary

Questions?