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Welcome to Advanced Wireless Processing for Enhanced Binaural Hearing Presenter: Leanne Powers, AuD Educational Specialist Sivantos, Inc. IHS Organizers: Ted Annis Senior Marketing Specialist Carrie Pedersen Member Services Supervisor Housekeeping This presentation is being recorded CE credit is available! Visit ihsinfo.org for details Note taking handouts are available at ihsinfo.org on the webinar page. Feel free to download now! Agenda Overview of wireless technology e2e wireless™ & e2e wireless 2.0 Bluetooth® and Near Field Magnetic Induction Functionality and benefits Introducing e2e wireless 3.0 and binaural processing Binaural processing and features Virtual 8-microphone network 4-mic network for CIC and IIC Narrow Directionality Spatial SpeechFocus eWindscreen binaural Research, benefits and application of features Q&A (enter your questions in the Question Box any time) OVERVIEW OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY Overview of Wireless Technology e2e Wireless Siemens Hearing Instruments binaural hearing system e2e wireless Creates a Personal Area Network (PAN) with NFMI Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) transmission allows for ear to ear communication while streaming Lower battery consumption than RF transmission No effect on hearing instrument battery consumption German Future Award 2012 Overview of Wireless Technology Siemens Use of Wireless Technology e2e wireless Two hearing instruments work together as one hearing system using NFMI Couples signal processing & ensures that volume level, listening programs, and microphone modes are always in sync Simplifies wearer operation: “touch one, control both” Research Results Revisited HINT scores improved 1.5 dB nearly a 20% improvement in sentence recognition (Hornsby & Ricketts, Vanderbilt Study, 2005) Research Results Revisited The case for e2e wireless: Left/Right localization error is largest when an omni-directional microphone mode is used for one side and a directional on the other. Keidser, et al, 2006 After being First-Fitted to prescriptive targets, some wearers make gain adjustments between ears resulting in relatively large gain “mismatches” Hornsby and Mueller, 2008 Two-thirds of wearers preferred linked instruments and a highly significant positive correlation for linked associated with “sound quality” Smith, et al, 2008 Research Results Revisited For wireless transmission of telephone, bilateral presentation resulted in significantly improved speech recognition over unilateral Bilateral wireless conditions allowed for significantly better recognition than the acoustic or telecoil condition Picou and Ricketts, 2010 Benefits Ease of use Sync of volume and program control reduces patient effort by 50% Splitting of controls allows more discrete, precise adjustments Improved localization due to directional Localization errors are reduced by 50% Improved speech intelligibility with matched directional mic modes Improved speech understanding Binaural advantage for phone calls Up to 5.7 dB SNR compared to unilateral e2e Wireless 2.0 e2e wireless 2.0 Ability for streamed signal Allows for wirelessly compatibility with Bluetooth-enabled devices Bluetooth Wireless streaming with e2e for video, audio, phone Wireless programming- ConnexxLink Bluetooth® Basics What is Bluetooth? Bluetooth is a wireless communication platform for electronic devices to share information like voice, music, and video over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency Uses frequency-hopping and changes frequencies 1600 times/second A pseudo-random sequence is utilized and is known only to the transmitter and the receiver, hence the need for pairing devices This pairing helps to ensure a secure and interference-free connection of wireless transmission History of Bluetooth In 1994, a group of engineers from Ericsson invented Bluetooth In 1998, a group of companies formed the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) The SIG is devoted to maintaining this technology The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Siemens AG is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners History of Bluetooth Bluetooth was originally intended to be a wireless replacement for cables and wires to connect devices like phones & headsets Bluetooth does much more…it allows for connectivity between TVs, music players & even home healthcare devices Bluetooth - Versions and Protocols Versions: • easyTek uses Bluetooth version 3.0 • miniTek uses Bluetooth version 2.1 easyTek & miniTek use the following profiles: • HSP/HFP for the phone (Bluetooth Phone program) • A2DP for media audio, Transmitter and VoiceLink (Streaming Audio program) Pair, Connect, Stream… Pairing = Introducing 2 Bluetooth devices to each other • Both devices must be Bluetooth-enabled to pair • Not all Bluetooth-enabled devices are designed to be paired to each other • Both devices must be supported by the same profile Connecting = After pairing, when 2 devices actively participate with each other Streaming = Sending information from one device to another • Must be within 3 meters (32 ft.) of each other • Although you may be paired and/or connected to more than one device, you can only actively stream from one device at a time Bluetooth® Multiple devices can be paired to one streamer, making it easy to switch between different devices The streamer is able to interrupt/pause the audio from a device in order to bring the audio signal from an incoming phone call Practical Benefits of Using Bluetooth® and Hearing Aids The hearing aids can become a wireless headset – stream movies, podcasts, GoogleMaps, etc. The streamed signal can be amplified and shaped to match the wearer’s amplification needs The volume of the stream signal may be controlled by the streamer or the hearing aids Stereo signals are streamed in stereo Universal Connectivity + Line-in Connection Transmits audio signal in stereo to both hearing instruments from a non-BTenabled device; some MP3 players are not BT Delivers on-the-go convenience 10 hours extended streaming time TV Transmitters Transmits audio signal in stereo to both hearing instruments Allows for comfortable listening level for wearer and companions Overcomes issues of distance, ambient noise, and reverberation 3rd Party Bluetooth® Allows for streaming from a Bluetooth enabled device, i.e. computer or tablet After 3rd party device is paired to the & the Bluetooth function is enabled, the 3rd party device will find the streamer Streams audio signal directly to the hearing instruments Watch a movie or use Skype™ to visit with a friend! Remote mics Remote Microphones are intended to improve speech understanding in background noise by taking advantage of spatial separation between the signal of interest and competing noise FM: Additional Benefits Transmitting speech from DM transmitter to DM receiver plugged into most streamers Increases the speech level while decreasing interfering background The result: better speech understanding and improved sense of self-confidence in hearing ability DAI possible with small instruments like RICs, customs, even CICs 9 hours extended FM/streaming time 2014 Battery Current Drain Benchmark Study by Siemens Siemens Pure 7mi (Mi) mA 5.5 Siemens Pure 7bx (Mi) 5.0 4.5 Microphone only 4.0 Streaming + Microphone 3.5 binaural wireless audio 3.0 2.5 2 2.0 1.5 1 1.0 0.5 0.0 1 Microphone only: binax’s current drain is not higher Streaming (to aids) + Microphone binax’s current drain is not significantly higher 2 Binaural wireless audio binax has a much lower current drain Others: binax has a higher current drain. Remember: they don’t have binaural benefits e2e Wireless 3.0 High Definition Sound Resolution “HDSR” NEW: transmission of audio signals transmission of data (e.g. volume, programs) Virtual 8 microphone network Transmission of data and audio signals Best binaural listening experience ever e2e Wireless 3.0 virtual 8 microphone network NEW: transmission of audio signals transmission of data (e.g. volume, programs) virtual 4 microphone network NEW: transmission of audio signals transmission of data (e.g. volume, programs) High Definition Sound Resolution HDSR Key Points From Abstract Definitions Binaural beamforming: Refers to transmitting audio signals from one hearing instrument to the other in a bilateral fitting system. Narrow Directionality: The name of an enhanced binaural beamforming algorithm in Siemens binax instruments. Spatial SpeechFocus: A self-steering binaural beamforming algorithm designed for situations where the targeted speech originates from the side or behind the wearer. Binax Narrow Directionality Narrow Directionality is designed to enhance the speech signal coming from a target speaker located among multiple other competing or interfering speakers around the listener. It improves the speech signal from the target speaker in two ways: 1) By quickly reducing other competing speech signals outside the beam angular range 2) By boosting the level of the target speaker signal within the beam Monaural Processing and Binaural Processing “Narrow directionality is built on top of our existing monaural directional microphone system to tackle even more challenging noisy situations.” Shown is a simplified block diagram of binax Narrow Directionality system composed of a monaural processing stage followed by a binaural processing stage, which takes as inputs the local signal (the monaural directional signal) and the contralateral signal (the monaural directional signal transmitted from the hearing instrument from the other side of the head i.e. via e2e wireless audio link) Insights of Narrow Directionality Processing Taking a closer look at our system, binaural processing is composed of three essential components: 1) The binaural beamforming 2) The binaural noise reduction 3) Head movement compensation module (+/-10 degrees) Binaural Beamforming and Binaural Noise Reduction 1) Monaural directional output characteristic 2) Binaural Beamforming output characteristic 3) Binax Narrow Directionality: Binaural Beamforming combined with Binaural Noise Reduction Narrow Directionality gives the hearing impaired wearer the perception that he is focusing on the person he is directly looking at (like a magnifying glass) as illustrated on the right. It should be noted that the adaptation of the binaural noise reduction gain is fast enough (within milliseconds) to rapidly amplify or attenuate depending on the acoustic situation and of course without any background noise increase. Automatic Control of Narrow Directionality Criteria for activation of Narrow Directionality: In quiet no directionality is used For lower levels of noise monaural directionality is activated As the noise level increases narrow directionality engages and its effects are increased accordingly until it reaches full directionality for high noise levels Classification of acoustic environment is taken into account, for example narrow directionality is not initiated for loud music Signal to noise ratio by frequency is also considered Automatic Control of Narrow Directionality An example of frequency-dependent activation of binaural Narrow Directionality effect Research Subjects: Normal hearing (better than 25 dB) Mean age of 58.1 yrs. Hearing Loss (Sloping mild-moderate) Mean age of 65.8 years Signal Target signal > HINT Competing signal > HINT sentences + speech babble at 72 dB SPL Instruments: Binaural fitting of Pure 7bx with DoubleDomes First Fit using binaxFit and default parameters Perform Better Than Normal Hearing Two clinical studies have shown that binax provides better than normal hearing in certain demanding environments (University of Northern Colorado, 2014; Oldenburg Hörzentrum, 2013) Speech Reception Thresholds (SRT) in cocktail-party situations improved up to 2.9 dB for wearers with mild to moderate hearing loss using 7bx RIC hearing instruments with Narrow Directionality, compared to people with normal hearing Hörzentrum Oldenburg HINT 1.0 0.0 -0.2 -1.0 -2.0 -3.1 2.9 dB Improvement -3.0 -4.0 -5.0 Narrow Directionality Normal Hearing Speech Reception Threshold [dB] 2.0 better Speech Reception Threshold [dB] Univ. Northern Colorado 0.0 OLSA -1.0 -2.0 -3.0 -4.3 -4.0 -5.0 -6.3 2.0 dB Improvement -6.0 -7.0 -8.0 Narrow Directionality Normal Hearing Narrow Directionality Benefit: Solution for challenging listening environments Standard Directionality Narrow Directionality Standard Directionality Attenuates noise from the sides to behind the listener, but not in the listener’s angle of focus Narrow Directionality Narrows directional microphone focus Results in better-than-normal hearing in demanding environments as found in two independent clinical studies Up to 25% better in speech understanding in noisy situations Automatic in Universal Program Promotes spatial awareness Energy efficient Value: Narrow Directionality is so effective that clinical studies have shown hearing impaired listeners using this technology can hear speech better than normal hearing individuals in demanding listening environments. Advanced Beamforming in 360 Degrees Spatial SpeechFocus True directivity to all four directions while preserving spatial cues Useful if wearer cannot turn his head Automatically adapts the focus Both interaural time difference (ITD) and interaural level difference (ILD) are utilized to create beamforming algorithm that can focus to the right and left as well as front and back, using a Wiener-filer based approach to suppressing signals coming from an undesired side. Attenuation in the non-focused area can be as much as 10 dB. Advanced Beamforming in 360 Degrees Spatial SpeechFocus Figure 8 and 9 show different types of polar plot measurements made possible with Spatial SpeechFocus. Figure 8 shows the area of focus for 500 Hz in red and 2K Hz in green when the hearing aids are in left focus. Figure 9 shows the interaural level difference at 2K Hz in omni compared to left focus mode. Notice that when in leftfocus the interaural level difference is maintained for the right ear although it is attenuated, which preserves spatial cues. Advanced Beamforming in 360 Degrees Spatial SpeechFocus Independent research recently was completed at the University of Iowa. In this research, the participants (n=25) were surrounded by background noise, and the target speech signal, the Connected Sentence Test 9 was presented from either 90°or 180°locations. Testing was conducted with the Spatial SpeechFocus algorithm “on” versus “off.” The findings revealed a significant benefit with the algorithm “on” for speech recognition for both target speech locations, with an average improvement of 22%. See more at: http://www.hearingreview.com/2015/10/speechfocus-360-10-questions/ Spatial SpeechFocus Benefit: Speech understanding from all directions True directivity to all four directions, front, back, right and left, while preserving spatial cues, Automatically activated in the Universal Program when car environment is detected Available when activating a dedicated Stroll Program Automatically focuses on the dominant speech source Situation-based wearer control via easyTek and easyTek app Energy efficient Value: Spatial SpeechFocus allows your patients to focus on speech coming from any direction, front, back, right, or left, without turning their head. Spatial Configurator – Direction Benefit: Situation-based wearer control Spatial Configurator Direction Automatic Manual Manual Manual Manual override of Spatial SpeechFocus Works in the Universal program Manual selection of four listening directions, front, back, right, or left Operation via easyTek & easyTek App and coming soon with the TouchControl App Value: Patient-based access to manually select the focus in any environment Spatial Configurator – Span Benefit: Situation-based wearer control Spatial Configurator Span manual override automatic Manual override of Narrow Directionality Works in the Universal program More-targeted or more-broad listening Access via easyTek & easyTek App or the rocker switch Value: Situation-based patient control that meets their listening needs in any environment. eWindScreen Binaural Benefit: Audibility and comfort in wind Wind noise reduction based on strategic combination of microphone signals left right microphone NEW: Replacement of poor signals receiver Responds quickly & efficiently Reduces disturbance without reducing speech intelligibility & spatial awareness Automatic in Universal Program Energy efficient Value: eWindScreen provides an effective solution for patients who seek the best possible audibility and listening comfort in windy conditions. Binaural OneMic Directionality Benefit: Enhanced performance for single-mic instruments Natural Directionality (pinna) Enhanced Natural Directionality Standard CICs Omnidirectional technology, using the natural directionality of the wearer’s pinna Binaural OneMic Directionality World’s first directionality for single-mic instruments, such as IICs & CICs Enhances natural directionality Automatic in Universal Program Promotes spatial awareness Energy efficient Value: For patients who prefer tiny CICs or IICs, binaural OneMic Directionality offers automatic, adaptive, 48-channel directionality to help them better focus on speech coming from the front. Hearing Review – May 2015 Directional Microphone Measurements Directivity Index (DI) A ratio that is derived by comparing the output of the hearing aid for a signal presented from 0 degree azimuth, to the average output of the signals presented from all other surrounding azimuths. Articulation Index-weighted Directivity Index (AI-DI) The AI-DI calculation gives greater weight to the frequencies that contribute most to speech understanding (e.g., the DI of 2000 Hz is given more weight than the DI of 500 Hz). Sequential AI-DI (sAI-DI) A modification of traditional DI measures to account for the dynamic and adaptive properties of modern hearing aids (e.g. binaural signal processing). As with the DI, the AI calculations are applied to the sDI, to obtain the sAI-DI to provide a better estimate of the directivity for speech understanding. Directional Microphone Measurements Interpreting sDI and sAI-DI measurements Allows us to quantify directional technology performance for modern adaptive hearing aids Allows us to compare directional performance of different hearing aid styles and form factors within a portfolio Allows for comparison across manufacturers with similar technology Provides a relative prediction of SNR benefit for different products Binaural OneMic Directionality sAI-DI Binaural OneMic directionality sAI-DI = 5.1 dB Narrow Directionality sAI-DI Narrow Directionality (RIC) sAI-DI = 9.2 dB Narrow Directionality (ITC) sAI-DI = 10.5 dB References Powers TA, Beilin J. True advances in hearing aid technology: what are they and where’s the proof? Hearing Review. 2013;20(1):32-39. Available at: http://www.hearingreview.com/2013/01/true-advances-in-hearing-aid-technology-what-are-they-and-where-s-the-proof-ja nuary-2013-hearing-review Mueller HG, Weber J, Bellanova M. Clinical evaluation of a new hearing aid anti-cardioid directivity pattern. Int J Audiol. 2011;50(4):249-54. Branda E, Beilin J, Powers T. Directional Steering for Special Listening Situations: Benefit Supported by Research Evidence. September 2014. Available at: http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/directional-steering-for-special-listening-12974 Kamkar-Parsi H, Fischer E, Aubreville M. New binaural strategies for enhanced hearing. Hearing Review. 2014;21(10):42-45. Available at: http://www.hearingreview.com/2014/10/new-binaural-strategies-enhanced-hearing Powers T, Froehlich M. Clinical results with a new wireless binaural directional hearing system. Hearing Review. 2014;21(11):32-34. Available at: http://www.hearingreview.com/2014/10/clinical-results-new-wireless-binaural-directional-hearing-system Froehlich M, Freels K, Powers T. Speech Recognition Benefit Obtained from Binaural Beamforming Hearing Aids: Comparison to Omnidirectional and Individuals with Normal Hearing. May 28, 2015. Available at: http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/speech-recognition-benefit-obtained-from-14338 Herbig R, Barthel R, Branda E. A history of e2e wireless technology. Hearing Review. 2014;21(2), 34-37. Available at: http://www.hearingreview.com/2014/03/wireless-hearing-aids-history-e2e-wireless-technology Varallyay G, Pape S, Meyers C. (2015, June) Automatic Steering: The Director of the binax Soundtrack. June 15, 2015. Available at: http://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/automatic-steering-director-binax-soundtrack-14353 Cox RM, Alexander GC, Gilmore C. (1987) Development of the Connected Speech Test (CST). Ear Hear. 1987 Oct;8(5 Suppl):119S-126S - See more at: http://www.hearingreview.com/2015/10/speechfocus-360-10-questions/?ref=fr-title#sthash.tGcwjD1X.dpuf Questions Enter your question in the Question Box on your webinar dashboard Contact: Leanne Powers, AuD [email protected] https://www.bestsoundtechnology.com For more info on obtaining a CE credit for this webinar, visit www.ihsinfo.org THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!