Virtual Acoustics - Virtual acoustics for the design and evaluation of auditory prostheses.

From 01-01-2006 to 31-12-2009

Description

Hearing aids mostly use several microphones. However, signal processing algorithms do not take advantage of this multimicrophone configuration. Microphone mismatch is also not taken into account in these devices. Directional hearing is very important for acoustical orientation (e.g. in traffic) and for speech intelligibility (e.g. in cocktail parties). Non hearing impaired persons use the monaural spectral and binaural cues. Up to now, these cues are not used in the design of hearing aids. In the design and valorisation of new signal processing algorithms for hearing aids and cochlear implants the use of advanced acoustical models is very important. This allows the testing of algorithms in complex, virtual acoustical scenario's, without the need to build these in reality, reducing cost and time needed to test these with hearing impaired patients. Furthermore, this way of working allows a theoretical and generic evaluation of environmental parameters that influence the performance of the algorithms.

Team

• Marc Moonen, Co-promoter
• Samuel Corveleyn, Team member

Financing

Funding: FWO - Research Foundation - Flanders

Program/Grant Type: FWO Research Grant - FWO Research Grant