System and method for validation of hearing aids for infants using a speech signal

Abstract

A system for validation of a hearing aid performance, especially in small children is disclosed. The validation of the performance of hearing aids after having being fitted to a small child who is not able to subjectively provide responses to sounds presented to the child via the hearing aids, is instead done in an objective manner, by using a naturally occurring signal, which has been modulated in order to create an ASSR evoking speech stimulus which is not considered as noise by a hearing aid.

1 . A system configured to perform at least a validation mode of a hearing test, said system comprising:
 a diagnostic device;   one or more electrodes configured to be arranged on the scalp of a person and configured to be connected to said diagnostic device; and   a sound emitting device configured to be connected to said diagnostic device and to transmit a generated sound stimulus into the ear of a person,   wherein the diagnostic device includes
 a recording processor configured to receive a response signal from said one or more electrodes arranged on the scalp of a person; 
 a control unit configured to control the mode of operation of said diagnostic device; and 
 a signal generator configured to transmit said generated stimulus to said sound emitting device, and 
   wherein, in a validation mode of operation said signal generator is configured to generate said sound stimulus and to transmit said generated sound stimulus to said sound emitting device, wherein said generated sound stimulus is speech of a human, which is amplitude and/or frequency modulated by the signal generator.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said sound emitting device is configured as a hearing aid or a plurality of hearing aids configured to be arranged on or in the ear or ears of said person in said validation mode of operation. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a hearing aid or a plurality of hearing aids configured to be arranged on or in the ear or ears of said person, 
 wherein said sound emitting device is configured as an external loudspeaker, which is connected to the diagnostic device and is arranged in the ambient surroundings to the one or more hearing aids, wherein the loudspeaker is configured to receive said generated stimulus from said signal generator and to play said generated sound stimulus to said one or more hearing aids. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein in said validation mode, said diagnostic device is configured to transmit said generated sound stimulus to said one or more hearing aids via said hearing aids and/or via said external loudspeaker, whereby said hearing aids presents said transmitted generated sound stimulus in the ear of the person; and
 wherein said diagnostic device is configured to record said response from said one or more electrodes arranged on said scalp of the person, and wherein said response is provided as auditory evoked responses (AER).   
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said diagnostic device is configured to record and/or receive a recording of said speech of a human, and said recorded speech of a human is recorded via the diagnostic device and/or is transmitted wired or wirelessly to said diagnostic device from an auxiliary device, and   the sound stimulus generator is configured to generate from said recorded speech of a human, an amplitude and/or frequency modulation of said recorded speech of a human, so as to create said sound stimulus.   
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein said recorded speech of a human is input to said sound signal generator, wherein said recorded speech of a human is configured to be processed by the diagnostic device by:
 filtering said recorded speech of a human into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; and   amplitude and/or frequency modulating each of said plurality of frequency sub-bands; and   wherein said amplitude and/or frequency modulated sub-bands are combined to form said sound stimulus.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 said recorded speech of a human is received in said sound signal generator, and   said diagnostic device is configured to process said recorded speech of a human by:
 processing said recorded speech of a human by a frequency or amplitude modulation with a plurality of modulator functions having different modulation rates; 
 subsequently filtering each of said plurality of amplitude and/or frequency modulated recorded speech of a human by one of a plurality of frequency sub-bands chosen for each of the modulations of the recorded speech of a human; and 
 combining said amplitude and/or frequency modulated sub-bands to form said sound stimulus. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said amplitude and/or frequency modulated frequency sub-bands are adjusted in magnitude to align with a predetermined value. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein said diagnostic device is configured to be adjusted to set an amplitude and/or frequency modulation factor for one or more of said plurality of sub-bands to 0, so as to leave said respective sub-band unmodified. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein in a first transmission the entire frequency band of said sound stimulus is played to said hearing aid(s), and upon detection of a response from said electrodes within a specified frequency sub-band, said specific frequency sub-band is turned off, so as to remove the specific frequency band for which a response is detected from said stimulus. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein said speech of a human is band pass filtered into at least 4 frequency bands having center frequencies of 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, and 4 kHz. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the response signal recorded from said electrodes is an auditory steady state response (ASSR). 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said sub-bands are amplitude and/or frequency modulated with modulator functions having different modulation rates for each of said sub-bands. 
     
     
         14 . A method for performing a validation mode of a hearing test for a person incapable of providing active intentional responses, said method comprising:
 arranging one or more electrodes on the scalp of the person;   transmitting a generated sound stimulus into the ear of the person by a sound emitting device   receiving a response signal from said one or more electrodes arranged on the scalp of the person, by a recording processor of a diagnostic device   controlling the mode of operation of said diagnostic device   wherein, in a validation mode of operation, generating said sound stimulus by a signal generator of said diagnostic device and transmitting said generated sound stimulus to said sound emitting device, wherein said generated sound stimulus is speech of a human, which is amplitude and/or frequency modulated by said signal generator.   
     
     
         15 . A diagnostic device configured to perform at least a validation mode of a hearing test for a person incapable of providing active intentional responses, said diagnostic device comprising:
 a signal generator configured to transmit a generated sound stimulus to a sound emitting device for transmitting said generated sound stimulus into the ear of the person,   a recording processor configured to receive a response signal from one or more electrodes arranged on the scalp of the person;   a control unit configured to control the mode of operation of said diagnostic device; and   wherein, in a validation mode of operation said signal generator is configured to generate said sound stimulus and to transmit said generated sound stimulus to said sound emitting device, wherein said generated sound stimulus is speech of a human, which is amplitude and/or frequency modulated by said signal generator.