An audio customization system responsive to one or more audio profiles to define a transformation to apply to audio information. The system allows users to select the profiles that dictate the nature of the customization of the audio delivered to an audio output devise such as a headphones. The system is set up to be able to lessen the influence of undesirable audio and enhance desirable audio. The system may specify aspects of audio to be modified by specification of filtering algorithm, characterization of audio samples, monitored distortion, user selection, location specification or environmental specification and may be used in a social networking system.

A method (500) of testing microphone performance of a hearing aid system, based on a determined correspondence between a hearing aid microphone signal and a test signal provided by the hearing aid system, as well as a hearing aid system adapted to carry out such a method.

A method (400) of operating a hearing aid system, wherein the sensitivity of an input transducer is reduced in response to a trigger event, whereby clipping due to limited dynamic range of the input transducer can be avoided and wherein the sensitivity of the input transducer is controlled using a digital pulse train whereby a high resolution control is obtained and a hearing aid system adapted to carry out the method.

A method (300) of operating a hearing aid system (100), wherein the dynamic range of input signal levels is improved by reducing the sensitivity of an input transducer in response to a trigger event while at the same time applying a gain adapted to compensate the reduced sensitivity and a hearing aid system (100, 200) adapted to carry out the method.

The present disclosure relates to a method for reducing a listener's task-irrelevant auditory perception, the method comprising providing a measuring device or system configured for measuring the listener's alpha, beta gamma and/or theta activity and providing a generation device or system configured for generating an alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity boosting signal that, when provided to the listener will increase the listener's ongoing alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity. The listener's alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity is measured and if the measured alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity is below a predefined threshold, the listener's ongoing alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity is increased by the provision of the alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity boosting signal to the listener. This results in the listener's ongoing alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity being increased, resulting in facilitating reduction of task-irrelevant auditory perception, such as the auditory perception of noise or tinnitus, and thereby also increasing the listener's ability to understand speech under adverse listening conditions. The present disclosure further suggests using the listener's measured alpha, beta, gamma and/or theta activity to judge if the listener is ready to understand speech, and if this is not the case to delay a speech signal until a sufficiently high activity is present.

A hearing aid and related systems and methods are disclosed. In one implementation, a hearing aid system may include a wearable camera; a microphone; and a processor. The processor may be programmed to receive images captured by the camera; receive audio signals representative of sounds received by the at least one microphone; determine a look direction of the user based on analysis of the images; determine an amplitude of a first audio signal associated with an individual or object in a region associated with the look direction of the user; determine an amplitude of a second audio signal from a region other than the look direction of the user; adjust the second amplitude in accordance with the first amplitude; and cause transmission of the second audio signal at the adjusted amplitude to a hearing interface device configured to provide sound to an ear of the user.

An apparatus for a hearing instrument, the hearing instrument being configured to be at least partially placed in an ear canal of a wearer of the hearing instrument, the apparatus comprising: a sealing element configured to seal off the ear canal when the hearing instrument with the apparatus is at least partially positioned in the ear canal, wherein operation of the sealing element is controlled by an electric control signal, the sealing element being at least partially made from an electroactive material.

A method (400) of testing microphone performance of a hearing aid system, based on a determined correlation measure between a first and a second microphone signal, as well as a hearing aid system adapted to carry out such a method.

A hearing aid includes an input unit, an output unit, a signal processing unit connected to said input unit and output unit, where the input unit, the signal processing unit and the output unit are forming part of a forward path of the hearing aid, where the signal processing unit is configured to apply a forward gain to the at least one electric input signal or a signal originating therefrom. The hearing aid further includes a feedback control unit configured to reduce a risk of howl due to acoustic, electrical, and/or mechanical feedback of an external feedback path from the output unit to the input unit of said hearing aid, where the hearing aid is configured to receive motion data characterising movement and/or acceleration and/or orientation and/or position of the hearing aid to control processing.

A method of automatic switching between omnidirectional (OMNI) and directional (DIR) microphone modes in a binaural hearing aid comprising a first microphone system, a second microphone system, where the first microphone system is adapted to be placed in or at a first ear of a user, the second microphone system is adapted to be placed in or at a second ear of said user, the method includes a measurement step, where the spectral and temporal modulations of first and second input signals are monitored, an evaluation step, where the spectral and temporal modulations of the first and second input signal are evaluated by the calculation of an evaluation index of speech intelligibility for each of said signals, and an operational step, where the microphone mode of the first and the second microphone systems of the binaural hearing aid are selected in dependence of the calculated evaluation indexes.