In one embodiment, a MEMS microphone can be coupled to an acoustic horn to provide various benefits and improvements including, but not limited to, at-a-distance acoustic signal reception with improvements in signal-to-noise ratio and directional preference.

A hearing aid includes at least two microphones, providing respective at least two electric input signals representing sound around the user; a filter bank converting the electric input signals into signals as a function of time and frequency; a directional system connected to the microphones and being configured to provide a filtered signal in dependence of the electric input signals and fixed or adaptively updated beamformer weights. At least one direction to a target sound source is defined as a target direction. For each frequency band, one of the microphones is selected as a reference microphone, thereby providing a reference input signal for each frequency band. The reference microphone may be selected in dependence of directional data related to directional characteristics of the microphones. The reference microphone may be different for at least two frequency bands. The reference microphone may be adaptively selected based on a logic criterion.

A hearing device includes: a first housing; a second housing; first and second primary microphones for provision of first and second primary microphone input signals; a secondary microphone in the second housing for provision of a secondary microphone input signal; a mixing module for provision of a mixer output based on a primary mixer input and a secondary mixer input, wherein the primary mixer input is based on the first primary microphone input signal and the second primary microphone input signal, and the secondary mixer input is based on the secondary microphone input signal; a processing unit configured to process the mixer output and to provide an electrical output signal; and a receiver for converting the electrical output signal to an audio output signal; wherein the mixing module is configured to mix a first component of the primary mixer input and a first component of the secondary mixer input.

A method for directional signal processing for an acoustic system, wherein first and second input transducers generate a first and a second input signal from an ambient sound. First and second intermediate signals are generated from the first and second input signal, wherein a preliminary superposition parameter is obtained for a first superposition of the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal in such a way that for the first superposition an attenuation in a first target direction has a maximum. A superposition parameter is formed from the preliminary superposition parameter so that a second superposition of the first and second intermediate signals, formed in the first target direction with the superposition parameter, has a pre-specified first value for a gain that is greater than zero. An output signal of the acoustic system is formed from the second superposition.

The present invention regards a hearing aid device at least one environment sound input, a wireless sound input, an output transducer, electric circuitry, a transmitter unit, and a dedicated beamformer-noise-reduction-system. The hearing aid device is configured to be worn in or at an ear of a user. The at least one environment sound input is configured to receive sound and to generate electrical sound signals representing sound. The wireless sound input is configured to receive wireless sound signals. The output transducer is configured to stimulate hearing of the hearing aid device user. The transmitter unit is configured to transmit signals representing sound and/or voice. The dedicated beamformer-noise-reduction-system is configured to retrieve a user voice signal representing the voice of a user from the electrical sound signals. The wireless sound input is configured to be wirelessly connected to a communication device and to receive wireless sound signals from the communication device. The transmitter unit is configured to be wirelessly connected to the communication device and to transmit the user voice signal to the communication device.

Techniques for modifying sound based on a direction of interest include determining a direction of interest associated with a user; receiving a set of audio signals associated with the direction of interest; determining one or more salient frequency bands within the set of audio signals; in response to receiving a command from the user to enhance or suppress the set of audio signals, enhancing or suppressing a portion of the set of audio signals corresponding to the one or more salient frequency bands to create a modified set of audio signals; and outputting the modified set of audio signals.

A method for operating a binaural hearing device system having hearing devices assigned or to be assigned to left and right ears of a user and having microphones, includes capturing items of acoustic information using the hearing devices. The acoustic information items are evaluated for whether they contain music. It is ascertained whether two sources are detectable for the music. A spatial angle range, in which the respective source of the music is positioned, is ascertained with respect to a user viewing direction. If the respective spatial angle range of the two sources of the music is in a front half space relative to the viewing direction, a probability is increased that a situation of intentionally listening to music by the user is present. If a specified probability limiting value is exceeded, signal processing for the hearing devices is adapted with respect to the most natural possible music reproduction.

The invention relates to a hearing aid a cochlear implant comprising a) at least one input transducer for capturing incoming sound and for generating electric audio signals which represent frequency bands of the incoming sound, b) a sound processor which is configured to analyze and to process the electric audio signals, c) a transmitter that sends the processed electric audio signals, d) a receiver/stimulator, which receives the processed electric audio signals from the transmitter and converts the processed electric audio signals into electric pulses, e) an electrode array embedded in the cochlear comprising a number of electrodes for stimulating the cochlear nerve with said electric pulses, and f) a control unit configured to control the distribution of said electric pulses to the number of said electrodes. The control unit is configured to distribute said electric pulses to the number of said electrodes by applying one out of a plurality of different coding schemes, and wherein the applied coding scheme is selected according to characteristics of the incoming sound.

The invention relates to audio transducer technology, including audio tuning systems to be utilised in personal audio devices, such as headphone, earphones, mobile phones and the like. The audio tuning system optimises the frequency response of the personal audio device by using Diffuse Field curve characteristics. The audio transducers of the personal audio device incorporate low resonance designs, including low resonance transducer and diaphragm suspensions to further optimise the sound quality of the device. The invention also relates to an audio transducer diaphragm construction that includes a three-dimensional lattice which may be utilised in any audio transducer application.

A method for a wireless personal communication using a hearing system with a hearing device comprises: monitoring and analyzing the user's acoustic environment by the hearing device to recognize one or more speaking persons based on content-independent speaker voiceprints saved in the hearing system; and presenting a user interface to the user for notifying the user about a recognized speaking person and for establishing, joining or leaving a wireless personal communication connection between the hearing device and one or more communication devices used by the one or more recognized speaking persons.