This technology comprises a pair of advanced cochlear devices that work in unison to capture and process sound with enhanced precision. Each unit features microphones, dedicated signal processors with built-in memories, transmitters, receivers, electrode arrays, and short-range wireless modules that enable seamless inter-device communication. The system digitizes audio signals and divides them into several frequency bands, applying a windowed sliding cross-correlation algorithm to estimate precise interaural time differences (ITDs) in the lower frequencies. These ITDs are then mapped to interaural level differences (ILDs) which adjust the energy levels delivered to each ear before converting the summed signals into electrical impulses that stimulate the auditory nerve.
Description
The innovator has developed a software that would compute interaural time differences (ITDs) and convert them into interaural level differences (ILDs). This would then improve the signal-to-noise ratio of a talker in the presence of another, spatially separated, talker, and improve speech intelligibility.
Applications
Cochlear implant binaural enhancement
Advanced bilateral hearing aids
Noise-adaptive auditory devices
Enhanced speech intelligibility systems
Advantages
Enhanced binaural representation with consistent cues across frequencies
Improved speech intelligibility in noisy environments
Support for selective auditory attention in complex sound scenes
Versatility for integration in various hearing enhancement devices
Broader applicability for different degrees of hearing impairment
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US11020593B2
