Virtual Acoustics in Hearing Aid Research Seminar

Abstract
The current approach to evaluating spatial hearing outcomes of hearing aid and cochlear implant users in clinic relies on a costly and large speaker array system.

A low-cost, low-channel count, and small-footprint virtual acoustics (VA) system is proposed as an alternative. The VA system is based on the principles of crosstalk cancellation and thus has the potential to provide real-world pressure signals at the BTE microphones in a clinic environment. Furthermore, in contrast to the current approach, the VA system is inherently designed to adapt to different room acoustics.

A first step towards evaluating the VA system’s efficacy in clinic is to observe its basic physical performance in an exemplary real-world environment. To this end, a KEMAR binaural microphone was fitted with prototype BTEs and used to evaluate the in-situ performance of a two-channel VA system in two spaces: a small clinic booth used for Audiology tests and the large anechoic chamber at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR).

This talk will highlight some of the results so far and discuss future challenges that VA systems must overcome in clinic.

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