Examples described herein relate to methods and systems of hearing aid fitting, and particularly for rapidly fitting a hearing aid by a non-expert person or for self-fitting. This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 8,467,556, titled, “CANAL HEARING DEVICE WITH DISPOSABLE BATTERY MODULE,” and pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/424,242, titled, “BATTERY MODULE FOR PERPENDICULAR DOCKING INTO A CANAL HEARING DEVICE,” filed on Mar. 19, 2013; and Ser. No. 13/787,659, titled, “RECHARGEABLE CANAL HEARING DEVICE AND SYSTEMS,” filed on Mar. 6, 2013; all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for any purpose. This application is also related to the following concurrently filed U.S. Patent Applications: Company Docket No. IH13, titled, “HEARING AID FITTING SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING SOUND SEGMENTS REPRESENTING RELEVANT SOUNDSCAPE,” listing Adnan Shennib as the sole inventor; Company Docket No. IH14, titled, “HEARING PROFILE TEST SYSTEM AND METHOD,” listing Adnan Shennib as the sole inventor; and Company Docket No. IH17, titled, “ONLINE HEARING AID FITTING SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR NON-EXPERT USER,” listing Adnan Shennib as the sole inventor; all of which are also incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for any purpose.
Current hearing aid fitting systems and processes are generally complex, relying on specialized instruments for operation by hearing professionals in clinical settings. For example, a typical fitting process may include an audiometer for conducting a hearing evaluation, a program for computing prescriptive formulae, a hearing aid programming instrument to program computed fitting parameters, a real ear measurement instrument, a hearing aid analyzer, calibrated acoustic transducers, sound proof room, etc. These systems, with methods and processes associated thereto, are generally not suitable for administration by a hearing impaired consumer in home settings.
Characterization and verification of a hearing aid generally requires presenting sound stimuli to the microphone of the hearing device, referred to herein generically as a microphonic or acoustic input. The hearing aid may be worn in the ear during the fitting process, for what is referred to as “real ear measurements” (REM), or it may be placed in a test chamber for characterization by a hearing aid analyzer. Tonal sound is typically used as the primary test stimuli, but other sounds such as a synthesized speech spectrum noise, or “digital speech,” may be applied to the hearing aid microphone. Real life sounds are generally not considered for determination of fitting parameters which are typically computed by a prescriptive formula. Hearing aid users are generally asked to return to the dispensing office following real-life listening experiences to make the necessary fitting adjustments for the fitting parameters. When real life sounds are used for evaluation or fitting, calibration of test sounds at the microphone of the hearing aid is generally required, involving probe tube measurements by REM instruments, or a sound level meter (SLM). Regardless of the particular method used, conventional fittings generally require clinical settings to employ specialized instruments for administration by trained professionals. The term “hearing device”, is used herein to refer to all types of hearing enhancement devices, including hearing aids prescribed for the hearing impaired, and personal sound amplification products (PSAP) generally not requiring a prescription or a medical waiver.
Programmable hearing aids rely on adjustments of programmable electroacoustic settings, referred to herein generally as fitting parameters. Similar to hearing assessments and hearing aid prescriptions, the programming of a hearing aid generally requires specialized instruments and involvement of a hearing professional in a clinical setting to deal with a range of complexities related to hearing aid parameter adjustment and programming, particularly for an advanced hearing aid which may incorporate a large number of adjustable and inter-related fitting parameters.
Resorting to consumer computing devices, such as Windows-based personal computers, smartphones, and tablet computers, to produce test stimuli (sounds) for hearing evaluation is generally problematic for many reasons, including the variability in sound characteristics of output produced by consumer quality audio components. Furthermore, the internal speakers or headphone speakers used are not easily calibrated and/or simply do not meet audio specifications and standards of audiometric and hearing aid evaluations. For example total harmonic distortion (THD), accuracy of amplitudes, noise levels, frequency response, etc.
Conventional fitting processes are generally too technical and cumbersome for administration by a non-expert person. For the aforementioned reasons among others, the fitting process for a programmable hearing device is generally not available to consumers for self-administration at home. A hearing aid dispensing professional is typically required for conducting one or more steps of the fitting process, from calibrated hearing evaluation and hearing aid recommendation and selection to prescription computation and programming of the hearing device. This process often requires multiple visits to incorporate the user's subjective assessment from real life listening experiences after the initial fitting. As a result of the above, the cost of professionally dispensed hearing aids can easily reach thousands of dollars, and almost double that for a pair of advanced hearing aids. The unaffordability of programmable hearing aids represents a major barrier to potential consumers for an electronic hearing device often costing under $100 to manufacture.
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for interactive fitting of a hearing device by a non-expert user, without resorting to clinical settings and instrumentation. The fitting system comprises an audio generator for delivering calibrated test audio signals at predetermined levels to a non-acoustic input of a programmable hearing device in-situ. The test audio signals correspond to sound segments of varied sound levels and frequency characteristics. The fitting system also comprises programming interface for interactively delivering programming signals to program the hearing device in-situ. The fitting method generally involves instructing the hearing device consumer to listen to the output of the hearing device in-situ and to adjust fitting parameters by interactively delivering the test audio signal and programming signals according to the subjective assessment of the consumer to the output delivered by the hearing device in-situ. The user interface of the fitting method may be configured to allow the consumer to respond and adjust hearing aid parameters in perceptual lay terms, such as volume, loudness, audibility, clarity, and the like, rather than technical terms and complex graphical tools conventionally used by hearing professionals in clinical settings.
In some embodiments, the interactive fitting system includes a fitting device for operation with a standard personal computer configured to execute a fitting software application. The fitting device includes an audio generator configured to generate calibrated test audio signals to deliver to a non-acoustic input of a programmable hearing device in-situ. The fitting device is generally handheld-sized and may be worn on the body of the consumer or placed within the vicinity of the consumer's ear to deliver the test audio signal and programming signal to the in-situ hearing device. The fitting device also comprises programming circuitry configured to deliver programming signals to the hearing device in-situ. The fitting device in one embodiment is provided with USB connectivity for interfacing with a broad range of general personal computing devices, including smartphones and tablet computers.
In one embodiment, the fitting system further comprises an earphone configured to conduct a hearing evaluation. In another embodiment, the hearing evaluation may be conducted by delivering test acoustic signals from the hearing device, with test audio signals delivered to a non-acoustic input of the in-situ hearing device. The fitting system may include a calibrated microphone, configured to sense sound in the vicinity of the consumer.
The fitting systems and methods disclosed herein allow consumers to inexpensively and interactively test their own hearing ability, develop their own “prescription,” fine tune the fitting parameters and program them into a hearing device, without resorting to specialized fitting instruments and software in a clinical setting. By delivering test audio signals directly to a non-microphonic input of the hearing device, calibration processes associated with the microphonic input of hearing aids may be eliminated. In the preferred embodiments, test audio signals and programming signals may be delivered to the input of the hearing device electrically or wirelessly.
The disclosed systems and methods allow consumers to manipulate hearing aid fitting parameters indirectly based on their audibility of hearing aid output with a predetermined level of non-acoustic input without resorting to in-situ calibration. In one embodiment, test audio signals corresponding to test audio segments are sequentially presented until all corresponding fitting parameters are adjusted according to the consumer's subjective assessment. Subsequent adjustments may be readily made to refine the fitting prescription. In the preferred embodiments, the test audio segments are substantially non-overlapping in amplitude and frequency characteristics to minimize overlap in fitting parameter control and to result in a convergent and expedited fitting process when administered by a non-expert user.
In one embodiment, the fitting system and method of use thereof enable interactive home hearing aid dispensing, reducing costs associated with professional services in clinical settings. In one embodiment, the fitting process is conducted online with hearing test and fitting applications hosted by a remote server and executed by the client computer.
The above and still further objectives, features, aspects and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments, including the best mode presently contemplated of practicing the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Certain details are set forth below to provide a sufficient understanding of various embodiments. Some embodiments, however, may not include all details described. In some instances, well-known structures, hearing aid components, circuits, and controls, have not been shown, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments.
The present disclosure describes example systems and methods, shown in
In one embodiment, the fitting system 100 includes a personal computer 10, a handheld fitting device 20 communicatively coupled to the personal computer 10, and a fitting software application 12. The fitting device 20 incorporates the audio generator 22, which may be a single chip audio system. The audio generator 22 may be configured to convert digital audio files streamed from the personal computer 10 to calibrated test audio signals 21 and to deliver the calibrated test audio signals 21 to a non-acoustic input 51 (
The delivery of programming signals 24, and test audio signals 21 to the non-acoustic input of the hearing device 50, may be to the electrical input 51 as shown in
In one embodiment, the fitting system 100 includes an earphone 60 (also shown separate from the ear for the sake of clarity) coupled to the fitting device 20 via an earphone connector 62. The earphone 60 may be configured to deliver calibrated test sounds 61 at suprathreshold levels to the ear 2 for administering a hearing evaluation. The earphone 60 may comprise removable eartips (not shown) selected from an assortment according to the size or shape of the consumer's ear 2. The hearing evaluation may alternatively be conducted by delivering test audio signal 21 to the input 51 of the hearing device, as described above, and then delivering acoustic output 55 from the hearing device 50 to the consumer's ear. The delivery of the test audio input signal 21 to a non-microphonic input of the hearing device 50 may also be achieved by a wireless signal 29 to a wireless input 52. Similarly, the programming signal may be delivered wirelessly, as known in the art of wireless hearing aid programming.
Wired (e.g. electrical) and wireless non-acoustic input options may not co-exist in a typical hearing aid, but they are depicted as such in
In some embodiments, a microphone 25 may be incorporated into the fitting system 100, such as on the handheld fitting device 20 as depicted in
Systems and methods disclosed herein generally allow consumers to inexpensively and interactively test their own hearing ability, develop their own “prescription” including hearing aid parameters 80 into their hearing device 50, and fine tune the prescription, all without resorting to conventional methods with specialized fitting instruments and software in a clinical setting. The consumer may self-administer the fitting process from the convenience of a home or office. However, it should be understood that assistance may be provided for certain individuals, for example those with limitations related to aging, heath condition, or mental capacity.
The disclosed system and methods thereof, allow adjustment of fitting parameters 80 by the consumer 1 in response to the perceptual assessment of hearing aid output 55 within the ear canal, without resorting to specialized instruments, such as a probe tube microphone inside the ear, which generally utilizes REM instrumentation to obtain an objective assessment of acoustic signals outside and within the ear canal. For example, the perceptual assessment of “Volume” (loudness) of hearing aid output 55 with “Loud Male Voice” as depicted in
The disclosed fitting system 100 may allow consumers to manipulate complex hearing aid parameters 80 based on their subjective audibility of hearing aid output 55 with test audio segments 30 sequentially presented, for example S1-S8 in
The interactive fitting system according to the aforementioned examples of hearing aid fitting process 71, including the hearing evaluation process 72, initial tuning process 73, and follow up tuning processes 74-76, may be implemented to allow the consumer 1 to be dispensed with a hearing device outside clinical settings, for example at home or work settings. Furthermore, the entire fitting process 71 may be self-administered by the consumer 1 using a consumer's personal computer 10, a fitting application that can be downloaded or executed from a generic browser, and a low-cost handheld device fitting device 20 that delivers calibrated test signals and programming signals to the input of a hearing device 50 configured to receive the test audio signals directly to a non-acoustic input thereof. This arrangement allows for eliminating the cost and process complexities associated with professional instrumentations and services in clinical settings. In one embodiment, the fitting process 71 is substantially conducted online, with hearing fitting applications hosted by a remote server and executed by a personal computer 10.
Although examples of the invention have been described herein, variations and modifications of the described embodiments may be made, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the above-described embodiments of the invention should not be viewed as exhaustive or as limiting the invention to the precise configurations or techniques disclosed. Rather, it is intended that the invention shall be limited only by the appended claims and the rules and principles of applicable law.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Application 61/847,029 entitled “HEARING AID FITTING SYSTEM AND METHODS,” filed Jul. 16, 2013. The aforementioned provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, for any purpose.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61847029 | Jul 2013 | US |