title: A novel model-based hearing compensation design using a gradient-free optimization method.
abstract: We propose a novel model-based hearing compensation strategy and gradient-free optimization procedure for a learning-based hearing aid design. Motivated by physiological data and normal and impaired auditory nerve models, a hearing compensation strategy is cast as a neural coding problem, and a Neurocompensator is designed to compensate for the hearing loss and enhance the speech. With the goal of learning the Neurocompensator parameters, we use a gradient-free optimization procedure, an improved version of the ALOPEX that we have developed, to learn the unknown parameters of the Neurocompensator. We present our methodology, learning procedure, and experimental results in detail; discussion is also given regarding the unsupervised learning and optimization methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L85 4k1, Canada. zhechen@soma.ece.mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Suzanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bondy
authors.forename: Ian C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haykin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003056:Cochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer