A hearing device comprises a) at least one input transducer configured to pick up sound from an acoustic environment around the user when the user is wearing the hearing device, the at least one input transducer providing at least one electric input signal representative of said sound, b) at least one analysis filter bank configured to provide said at least one electric input signal as a multitude of frequency sub-band signals, the at least one analysis filter bank comprising b1) a plurality of M first filters h.sub.m(n), whose impulse responses are modulated from a first prototype filter h(n), where m=0, 1, . . . , M−1 is a frequency band index, and n is a time index, c) a processor for processing said at least one electric input signal provided by said at least one analysis filter bank, or a signal originating therefrom, and providing a processed signal, d) an output transducer configured to provide stimuli perceivable as sound to the user in dependence of said processed signal, and e) a controller for controlling said analysis filter bank by applying a different first prototype filter to said at least one filter bank in dependence of said current acoustic environment. A method of operating a hearing device is further disclosed.

A system and method for differentially locating and modifying audio sources that includes receiving multiple audio inputs from a set of distinct locations; determining a multi-dimensional audio map from the audio inputs; acquiring a set of positional audio control inputs applied to the audio map, each audio control input comprising a location and audio processing property; and generating an audio output according to the audio control inputs and the audio inputs. The audio control inputs capable of configuration through manual, automatic, computer vision analysis, and other configuration modes.

A hearing device adapted for being located at or in an ear of a user, or for being fully or partially implanted in the head of a user comprises a) an input unit for providing at least one electric input signal representing sound in an environment of the user, said electric input signal comprising a target speech signal from a target sound source and additional signal components, termed noise signal components, from one or more other sound sources, b) a noise reduction system for providing an estimate of said target speech signal, wherein said noise signal components are at least partially attenuated, and c) an own voice detector for repeatedly estimating whether or not, or with what probability, said at least one electric input signal, or a signal derived therefrom, comprises speech originating from the voice of the user. The noise signal components are identified during time segments wherein the own voice detector indicates that the at least one electric input signal, or a signal derived therefrom, originates from the voice of the user, or originates from the voice of the user with a probability above an own voice presence probability (OVPP) threshold value. A method of operating a hearing device is further disclosed.

A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, comprises a) an input unit configured to provide at least one time-variant electric input signal representing sound, the at least one electric input signal comprising target signal components and optionally noise signal components, the target signal components originating from a target sound source; b) a signal processing unit for processing the at least one electric input signal and providing a processed signal; c) an output unit for creating output stimuli configured to be perceivable by the user as sound based on the processed signal from the signal processing unit; d) a speech presence probability prediction unit for repeatedly providing a measure of a predicted speech presence probability of the at least one electric input signal, or of a signal originating therefrom; and e) a speech intelligibility prediction unit for repeatedly providing a current measure of a predicted speech intelligibility of the at least one electric input signal, or of a signal originating therefrom. The speech intelligibility prediction unit is configured to determine said current measure of the predicted speech intelligibility in dependence of said measure of the predicted speech presence probability. A method of operating a hearing device is further disclosed. The invention may e.g. be used in hearing aids, headsets, earpieces (ear buds), etc.

A device and method for improving hearing devices by using computer recognition of words and substituting either computer generated words or pre-recorded words in streaming conversation received from a distant speaker. The system may operate in multiple modes such as a first mode being amplification and conditioning of the voice sounds; a second mode having said microphone pickup up the voice sounds from a speaker, a processor configured to convert voice sounds to discrete words corresponding to words spoken by said speaker, generating a synthesized voice speaking said words and outputting said synthesized voice to said sound reproducing element, which is hearable by the user. Other modes include translation of foreign languages into a user's ear and using a heads up display to project the text version of words which the computer had deciphered or translated. The system may be triggered by eye moment, spoken command, hand movement or similar.

The invention relates to a method for processing an acoustic input signal, preferably a speech signal, said method comprising the following steps: a) receiving a digital representation (S.sub.in) of an acoustic input signal, b) calculating at least one statistical parameter (P) of the digital representation (S.sub.in) of the acoustic input signal, c) calculating a compression ratio function (CR.sub.f) based—on a prescribed constant compression ratio (CR.sub.pr), said prescribed constant compression ratio (CR.sub.pr) uniformly mapping acoustic input signals of a selected magnitude to acoustic output signals of a selected magnitude, and—on at least one statistical parameter (P) calculated in step b), and d) applying the non-uniform compression ratio function (CR.sub.f) according to step c) on the digital representation (S.sub.in) of the acoustic input signal delivering a digital representation (S.sub.out) of an enhanced acoustic output signal.

Methods and devices to deliver a tactile speech analog to a person's skin providing a silent, invisible, hands-free, eyes-free, and ears-free way to receive and directly comprehend electronic communications. Embodiments include an alternative to hearing aids that will enable people with hearing loss to better understand speech. A device, worn like watch or bracelet, supplements a person's remaining hearing to help identify and disambiguate those sounds he or she can not hear properly. Embodiments for hearing aids and hearing prosthetics are also described.

A system comprising a plurality of processing devices is arranged for performing an algorithm having a plurality of computational tasks. The plurality of processing devices are interconnected with each other. A control logic module is adapted to select an implementation of the algorithm among a plurality of implementations. At least a part of the control logic module resides in one of the processing devices and the implementation is selected according to at least one criterion of (latency requirements, computational power, resource availability, data locality, privacy requirements, precision requirements, hardware capabilities, distance, location, acoustical performance requirements, energy efficiency, orientation) and in the selected implementation the plurality of computational tasks of the algorithm is distributed over at least two of the processing devices.

Audio content captured by a plurality of microphones associated with a device, such as a hearing device, may be received. It may be determined that a first portion of the audio content is associated with a first microphone of the plurality of microphones. The first microphone may be a unidirectional microphone. Audio indicative of the first portion may be generated and sent to the device for output. It may be determined that a second portion of the audio content is associated with a second, different microphone of the plurality of microphones. The second microphone may be an omnidirectional microphone. Audio indicative of the second portion may be generated and sent to the device for output.

A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, configured to be worn by a user, comprises a) two or more input transducers (e.g. microphones) wherein said two or more input transducers during use of the hearing device are arranged with a distance between them; b) a directional system comprising a directional algorithm configured to provide a directional pattern in dependence of said distance. The hearing device is configured to estimate a current value of said distance, or an equivalent acoustic delay, or beamformer weights of said directional system, thereby the directional performance can be optimized to the individual user.