By performing both noise cancellation and echo cancellation, a high-quality main voice signal is generated. A voice input/output apparatus includes a noise acquirer that is arranged toward an outside of a body of a user and acquires external noise arriving from the outside of the user, a voice output unit that accepts an input of a voice signal and outputs a voice to an ear canal of the user, a main voice acquirer that acquires a mixed voice, in which the external noise, the output voice, and a main voice of the user transmitted from a vocal cord of the user through the ear canal are mixed, and outputs a mixed voice signal, a noise canceler that processes the mixed voice signal using a noise signal based on the external noise, and an echo canceler that processes the mixed voice signal using the voice signal.

An active medical device, including an input receiver configured to receive a frequency-varying input signal, and a functional component that reacts to the input signal and consumes power at a rate dependant on the frequency of portions of the input signal to which the functional component reacts, wherein the active medical device is configured to adjust one or more portions of the input signal corresponding to portions of the input signal where the functional component consumes power at a rate that is greater than that of other portions of the input signal.

A hearing device includes a processor and a wireless transceiver operatively connected with the processor and configured to connect via a wireless link with a remote device and to exchange bi-directional audio packets with the remote device. The transmit power of the remote device is larger than the transmit power of the hearing device. The processor is configured to estimate the audio link packet error rate of the transmission via the wireless link, and generate a notification when the audio link packet error rate exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

A method for operating a hearing aid includes providing the hearing aid with an ANC unit having a feedforward unit outputting a feedforward signal for suppressing external interference noises penetrating from the outside into an auditory canal of a user of the hearing aid. The ANC unit has a feedback unit outputting a feedback signal for suppressing internal interference noises present inside the auditory canal. The hearing aid has a signal processing unit which has a settable amplification and which amplifies an input signal of the hearing aid and outputs it as an amplified signal. The feedback signal is used as a measure of the user's own voice, and the amplification of the signal processing unit is set depending on the feedback signal and thus also depending on the user's own voice. A hearing aid having a control unit for executing the method is also provided.

A hearing-aid apparatus includes an audio collector, an audio processor, a speaker and an inner-ear implant device. The audio collector collects audio information. The speaker generates a sound wave by reference to the audio information. The sound wave is transmitted to an inner ear of a user. The inner-ear implant device is implanted aside a round window of the user for generating an electrical signal encoded by the audio processor based on the audio information to stimulate high frequency auditory nerve cells of the user with an electrode of the inner-ear implant device. The audio wave sent to the inner ear of and the electrical signal stimulating the auditory nerve cells together form an integrated auditory recognition corresponding to the audio information.

The disclosed technology relates to a hearing device that can determine whether a client device is implementing rich and/or simple volume control. Based on if the client device implementing rich and/or simple volume control, the hearing device can locally adjust the volume, levels, or amplification of output signals at the hearing device. In some implementations, the hearing device determines that the client device is implementing a rich volume control, and the hearing device only adjust master volume amplification for output signals of the hearing device. In other implementations, the hearing device determines that the client device is implementing simple volume control and the hearing device adjusts a balance of ambient and external sound levels for the output signal of the hearing device.

A hearing device includes a processor and a wireless transceiver operatively connected with the processor and configured to connect via a wireless link with a remote device and to exchange bi-directional audio packets with the remote device. The transmit power of the remote device is larger than the transmit power of the hearing device. The processor is configured to estimate the audio link packet error rate of the transmission via the wireless link, and generate a notification when the audio link packet error rate exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

A hearing aid and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the hearing includes a body that at least partially conforms to the contours of an external ear and is sized to engage therewith. Various electronic components are contained within the body, including an electronic signal processor that is programmed with a respective left ear qualified sound range and a right ear qualified sound range. Each of the left ear qualified sound range and the right ear qualified sound range may be a range of sound corresponding to a preferred hearing range of an ear of the patient modified with a subjective assessment of sound quality according to the patient. Sound received at the hearing aid is converted to the qualified sound range prior to output.

A hearing aid and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the hearing includes a body that at least partially conforms to the contours of an external ear and is sized to engage therewith. Various electronic components are contained within the body, including an electronic signal processor that is programmed with a respective left ear qualified sound range and a right ear qualified sound range. Each of the left ear qualified sound range and the right ear qualified sound range may be a range of sound corresponding to a preferred hearing range of an ear of the patient modified with a subjective assessment of sound quality according to the patient. Sound received at the hearing aid is converted to the qualified sound range prior to output.

A smart hearing method in which an external processor is used in order to reduce the cost of a hearing aid, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: determining an operation mode of a hearing aid; and when it is determined that the operation mode of the hearing aid corresponds to a test mode among a normal mode and the test mode, transmitting a received audio signal to a terminal other than the hearing aid.