Understanding speech is one of the biggest challenges people with hearing loss face. While hearing aids significantly help in this area, there is still room for improvement. Researchers are looking to new technology, such as machine learning, to enhance listening ability for those with hearing problems.
Hearing Loss and Speech
Hearing loss can affect your ability to understand speech in a variety of ways. It can make it harder to:
- Hear higher-pitched voices, consonants and other high-frequency speech sounds
- Locate where a voice or multiple voices are coming from
- Distinguish between different voices when multiple people are talking at once
- Follow conversations in places with lots of background noise or reverberations
Hearing Aid Algorithms Can Improve Listening Experience
Hearing aid algorithms work by digitizing and processing sounds before delivering an amplified version into your ears, improving your ability to hear sounds in all environments. However, they currently face several obstacles.
- Current evaluation methods for the effectiveness of these algorithms are both expensive and time-consuming.
- They cannot adjust for different acoustic environments or users with different severities of hearing loss.
- They can still struggle to tell the difference between speech and background noise. This can make it harder to follow conversations when out to dinner at Herb & Wood.
New Hearing Aid Research Uses Machine Learning
Researchers in Germany may have found an answer to these issues by developing a human speech recognition model based on deep machine learning. This means it uses data and algorithms to imitate the way humans learn.
They trained their algorithm by using recordings of basic sentences and then masked the speech using eight different noise signals to mimic background noise or multiple speakers. They also degraded the voices to match best the sound quality experienced by those with hearing loss.
Afterward, they played the masked recordings to listeners with normal hearing and those with different degrees of hearing loss and had them write down all the words they heard. They found that their machine-learning model was very accurate in predicting speech recognition for different hearing abilities in different environments.
This technology offers the promise that it could eventually be used to enhance and personalize the hearing aid user experience.
Treat Your Hearing Loss Now
While the promise of improved treatments is always exciting, the best thing you can do for your hearing health is treat any hearing loss you have now.
The right pair of hearing aids keeps you connected to others and lets you navigate the world with confidence in your communication abilities. Contact San Diego Hearing Center today to discuss your treatment options with one of our specialists.