Individualized sound pressure equalization in hearing devices exploiting an electro-acoustic model
This addresses sound quality improvement for hearing device users, but it is incremental as it builds on existing methods with assumptions to overcome measurement feasibility issues.
The study tackled the problem of achieving optimal individualized sound pressure equalization in hearing devices by using an electro-acoustic model to predict eardrum sound pressure and average estimates for other transfer functions, resulting in a practically feasible and close-to-optimal solution.
To improve sound quality in hearing devices, the hearing device output should be appropriately equalized. To achieve optimal individualized equalization typically requires knowledge of all transfer functions between the source, the hearing device, and the individual eardrum. However, in practice the measurement of all of these transfer functions is not feasible. This study investigates sound pressure equalization using different transfer function estimates. Specifically, an electro-acoustic model is used to predict the sound pressure at the individual eardrum, and average estimates are used to predict the remaining transfer functions. Experimental results show that using these assumptions a practically feasible and close-to-optimal individualized sound pressure equalization can be achieved.