Non-linear signal processing in digital hearing aids

Abstract

Three different non-linear digital signal processing algorithms were developed: LinEar, DynEar and RangeEar. All three provided individual frequency shaping via a seven-band low-power filterbank and compression in two channels. RangeEar and DynEar used wide dynamic range syllabic compression in the low-frequency (LF) channel, while LinEar used compression limiting. In the high-frequency (HF) channel, RangeEar used a slow-acting automatic volume control, while DynEar and LinEar used compression limiting. Wearable digital signal processing-based experimental instruments were used to evaluate the fitting algorithms under real world conditions with experienced hearing aid users. Evaluation included laboratory testing of speech recognition in noise and questionnaires on sound quality ratings. Results did not indicate one general good-for-all algorithm, but different algorithms resulting in preference and performance depending on the hearing loss configuration. Preference for any of the new algorithms could be predicted based on auditory dynamic range measurements. It was hypothesized that the different preferences were affected by different susceptibility to masking of HF sounds by amplified LF sounds.