WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES TO ENHANCE TELEPHONE USE WITH HEARING INSTRUMENTS

Chalupper J (1), Ricketts T (2), Picou E (2).

(1) Siemens Audiologische Technik, Germany; (2) Vanderbilt University, USA

Background: Recently, hearing aid manufacturers have introduced wireless technologies that enable the right and left hearing instruments to be linked and work together in a synchronised system.  The input obtained from both hearing aids is shared so that important decisions concerning signal processing are based on this combined processing.  In addition, this wireless technology is used to connect to external audio devices such as mobile phones. This is accomplished by using a relay station (e.g. remote control) which transmits and receives Bluetooth signals from external audio devices. Ultra-low power, short range wireless technology is employed to transmit signals between remote control and hearing instruments. Such a system allows listening to phone signals bilaterally.

Research is presented that investigates perceptual advantages of wireless technology in hearing instruments when using the telephone through a wireless audio link.

Methods: Participants were 20 hearing-impaired adults fitted with RIC devices, using either occluding or non-occluding ear tips. Speech recognition scores and subjective ratings were collected in a noisy environment with six wireless speech transmission conditions and one acoustic telephone condition. In the wireless conditions, speech was transmitted to both ears simultaneously (diotic) or to one ear only (monotic).

Results & Conclusions: Diotic speech transmission allowed for significantly better speech recognition than monotic transmission. Diotic and monotic wireless conditions resulted in significantly better speech recognition than the acoustic telephone for subjects with occluding domes. In conclusion, wireless technologies can help to improve the satisfaction of hearing aid wearers when using telephones.

E-mail: josef.chalupper@siemens.com