title: A new asymmetric directional microphone algorithm with automatic mode-switching ability for binaural hearing support devices.
abstract: For hearing support devices, it is important to minimize the negative effect of ambient noises for speech recognition but also, at the same time, supply natural ambient sounds to the hearing-impaired person. However, conventional fixed bilateral asymmetric directional microphone (DM) algorithms cannot perform in such a way when the DM-mode device and a dominant noise (DN) source are placed on the same lateral hemisphere. In this study, a new binaural asymmetric DM algorithm that can overcome the defects of conventional algorithms is proposed. The proposed algorithm can estimate the position of a specific DN in the 90°-270° range and switch directional- and omnidirectional-mode devices automatically if the DM-mode device and the DN are placed in opposite lateral hemispheres. Computer simulation and KEMAR mannequin recording tests demonstrated that the performance of the conventional algorithm deteriorated when the DM-mode device and the DN were placed in the opposite hemisphere; in contrast, the performance of the proposed algorithm was consistently maintained regardless of directional variations in the DN. Based on these experimental results, the proposed algorithm may be able to improve speech quality and intelligibility for hearing-impaired persons who have similar degrees of hearing impairment in both ears.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jinryoul
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sunhyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yook
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Pyo
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Young
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss; D006801:Humans
keywords: Asymmetric directional microphone; Hearing aid; Objective measurement; Spatial noise reduction