Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!optilink!elliott
From: elliott@optilink.UUCP (Paul Elliott x225)
Newsgroups: comp.dsp
Subject: Re: DSP Hearing Aids?
Summary: Scientific American (November 1990) Hearing Aid Article
Message-ID: <4713@optilink.UUCP>
Date: 25 Oct 90 17:39:12 GMT
References: <952@eplunix.UUCP> <10810@goofy.Apple.COM> <15797@rasp.eng.cam.ac.uk> <3559@idunno.Princeton.EDU>
Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA
Lines: 35

For those who haven't already seen it, the latest (November?  the cover
story is about electron traps) issue of Scientific American has a brief 
article (near the back, I forget which section) on cochlear implants.  
It mentions their history and features some newer DSP multi-channel efforts.  
Interesting stuff!

Allow me to encourage the continuation of this discussion.  I used
to design hearing aids (not DSP though), and find the subject fascinating.

One huge problem with DSP techniques is the pragmatic matter of operating
power requirements (high power => big, heavy, short battery life).  People 
with profound hearing losses will usually (but not always) accept any help 
available, no matter how bulky.  These cases are also where DSP methods 
may be appropriate.  

Has anyone managed to develop a competetive (or at least promising) DSP 
design that could be implemented in an on-the-ear or in-the-ear aid?  It 
seems to me that the lessons learned with DSP in the lab could be best 
implemented in a commercial (and cosmetically acceptable) aid using analog 
techniques.

One research project I was working on (about 10 years ago) was the 
implementation of multi-frequency-channel amplification and  dynamic range 
compression in a hearing aid using DSP methods.  Not surprisingly, the
technology wasn't really ready for us to turn it into a commercially
acceptable product.  How much progress has been made in the intervening
years?

Comments?


-- 
      Paul M. Elliott      Optilink Corporation     (707) 795-9444
               {uunet, pyramid, tekbspa}!optilink!elliott
"an archetypal entity..., superimposed on our culture by a cosmic template."