WO2013057880A1

WO2013057880A1 - Hearing aid fitting device

Info

Publication number: WO2013057880A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/006126
Authority: WO
Inventors: 誠西崎; 良明高木; 野口　栄治
Original assignee: パナソニック株式会社
Priority date: 2011-10-20
Filing date: 2012-09-26
Publication date: 2013-04-25
Also published as: JPWO2013057880A1; JP6172462B2

Abstract

This hearing aid fitting device is provided with a wizard adjustment input unit (6), a control unit (13) connected to the wizard adjustment input unit (6), an adjustment value memory (14) connected to the control unit (13), and a wizard database (16). A hearing impairment determination unit (15) is connected to the control unit (13). On the basis of the degree of hearing impairment determined by the hearing impairment determination unit (15), the control unit (13) changes the value of a parameter selected from the wizard database (16).

Description

Hearing aid fitting device

The present invention relates to a hearing aid fitting device that performs fitting processing of a hearing aid.

A conventional hearing aid fitting device includes an input unit, a control unit connected to the input unit, an adjustment value memory connected to the control unit, and a display unit.
When fitting a hearing aid with a conventional hearing aid fitting device, first measure the hearing ability of the hearing impaired person, then input the fitting data calculated based on this hearing ability into the hearing aid, and then the hearing person wears this hearing aid In this state, fine adjustment of the fitting data was gradually performed while confirming the hearing. In this fine adjustment, fitting data is finely adjusted so that a hearing-impaired person wearing a hearing aid can hear evaluation sounds and sounds and dissatisfaction with the hearing. However, since this work requires specialized knowledge and experience, it is difficult for the coordinator who has little experience in adjustment work.

As an approach for facilitating such fine adjustment of hearing aid fitting, there is automation of hearing aid fitting using a genetic algorithm (see Patent Document 1). However, this method has a problem that it takes a lot of time for listening comparison.
In addition, since it is considered that psychological factors due to communication between the adjuster and the deaf person are important for fitting, automation of the fitting process has not progressed.

Therefore, wizard adjustment is widely used as a method for making adjustments easily while taking communication about how the adjuster and the hearing-impaired person hear, rather than automating the hearing aid fitting process.
In this wizard adjustment, hearing problems appealed from hearing-impaired people at the time of fitting are hierarchized in advance, and the adjustment method for each problem is made into a database. By this, just searching the database from the complaints obtained at the time of fitting Can be adjusted easily.

JP 2001-186598 A

In general, there is no significant difference in sound pressure level that is felt unbearable, regardless of whether it is a normal hearing person or a hearing-impaired person. It is known that a person has a narrow dynamic range compared to a normal hearing person.
This tendency is considered to increase because the lowest sound pressure level at which sound can be heard increases as the hearing level decreases. Therefore, there is a relationship that when the degree of hearing loss increases, a slight change in sound feels greater at the perception level than a normal hearing person.

By performing the wizard adjustment described above, even those who have little experience in fitting can easily perform the adjustment work. However, the wizard adjustment does not consider the hearing ability of the hearing impaired person using the hearing aid, that is, the degree of hearing loss.
For this reason, when the change in the parameter due to the wizard adjustment is set to an appropriate state for a person with mild hearing loss, it becomes too dramatic for an advanced hearing impaired person and cannot be adjusted appropriately.

On the other hand, when an appropriate amount of change is set for a highly deaf person, the effect cannot be felt by a mildly deaf person. For this reason, it was necessary to repeat adjustment until the effect was understood.
In the conventional hearing aid fitting method, as described above, it is difficult to make an appropriate adjustment for all the deaf people due to the relationship between the change in physical sound pressure that changes according to the degree of hearing loss and the change in perception level. In addition, it may be difficult to adjust efficiently.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object thereof is to provide a hearing aid fitting device that can efficiently perform a fitting process regardless of the degree of hearing loss.
The hearing aid fitting apparatus of the present invention includes a wizard adjustment input unit, a control unit, an adjustment value memory, a wizard database, and a hearing loss determination unit. The wizard adjustment input unit receives the hearing instruction of the deaf person and an adjustment instruction using the wizard adjustment. The control unit is connected to the wizard adjustment input unit. The adjustment value memory is connected to the control unit and stores hearing data and adjustment values. The wizard database is connected to the control unit and stores parameter information used when performing wizard adjustment corresponding to a plurality of hierarchies. The hearing loss determination unit is connected to the control unit and determines the hearing loss based on the hearing data. Then, the control unit changes the value of the parameter information selected from the wizard database based on the hearing loss determined by the hearing loss determination unit.
(The invention's effect)
According to the present invention, since an appropriate parameter can be changed in accordance with the degree of hearing loss of a user who uses a hearing aid, the fitting process can be shortened.

The perspective view explaining the fitting process by the hearing aid fitting apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. The control block diagram of the hearing aid fitting apparatus of FIG. Explanatory drawing of the wizard of the hearing aid fitting apparatus of FIG. The figure which shows wizard DB of the hearing aid fitting apparatus of FIG. The operation | movement flowchart of the hearing aid fitting apparatus of FIG. Explanatory drawing of average hearing ability calculation by the hearing aid fitting apparatus of FIG.

Hereinafter, a hearing aid fitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIG. 1, the fitting device (hearing aid fitting device) 4 of the present embodiment is a device that performs fitting processing of the hearing aid 1, and includes an input unit (wizard adjustment input unit) 6 and a display unit 5. Yes. The fitting device 4 is connected to the hearing aid 1 via the connection box 3.

The hearing aid 1 is prepared separately for the left ear and the right ear of the user 2, but FIG. 1 shows a hearing aid for the right ear as one of them.
The adjuster performs operations such as changing parameters through the input unit 6 to set the hearing aid 1.
FIG. 2 shows a control block in a state in which the fitting device 4 and the hearing aid 1 are connected via the connection box 3.

(Hearing aid 1)
As shown in FIG. 2, the hearing aid 1 includes a microphone 7, an A / D converter 8, a hearing aid processing unit 9, a D / A converter 10, a receiver 11, and an adjustment value data storage unit 12.
The microphone 7 acquires sound information.

The A / D converter 8 converts the sound information acquired by the microphone 7 from an analog signal to a digital signal and transmits the converted signal to the hearing aid processing unit 9.
The hearing aid processing unit 9 performs hearing aid processing on the digital signal received from the A / D converter 8.
The D / A converter 10 converts the digital signal received from the hearing aid processing unit 9 into an analog signal and outputs the analog signal.

The receiver 11 outputs the analog signal output from the D / A converter 10 to the ear of the user 2.
The adjustment value data storage unit 12 stores information on hearing aid parameters used in the hearing aid processing unit 9.
(Hearing aid fitting device 4)
As shown in FIG. 2, the hearing aid fitting device 4 includes a display unit 5, an input unit 6, a control unit 13, an adjustment value memory 14, a hearing loss determination unit 15, and a wizard DB 16.

The input unit 6 receives the hearing ability of the hearing impaired person, adjustment instructions using wizard adjustment, and the like.
The display unit 5 displays an adjustment screen of the hearing aid 1 as shown in FIG.
The adjustment value memory 14 stores hearing data and adjustment values.
The hearing loss determination unit 15 determines the hearing loss level of the deaf person determined based on the hearing data.
The wizard DB 16 stores parameter information used when performing wizard adjustment.

Here, FIG. 4 shows an example of the wizard DB 16.
In the wizard DB 16, menus displayed in the first layer, menus displayed in the second layer, menus displayed in the third layer, adjustment parameters corresponding to the menu selected in the third layer, and the respective items are attached. Management number is stored.
The adjustment parameter defines the frequency region to be adjusted and whether to increase or decrease the gain in the frequency region, and the adjustment range is not stored (the adjustment parameter column in FIG. 5 is marked with a circle). ing).

(Connection box 3)
As shown in FIG. 2, the connection box 3 has a hearing aid writing unit 17 and a hearing aid reading unit 18.
When the hearing aid writing unit 17 receives an instruction to write a new parameter to the hearing aid 1 via the input unit 6, the hearing aid writing unit 17 stores the new parameter in the adjustment value data storage unit 12 of the hearing aid 1 via the control unit 13. When a new parameter is written in the adjustment value data storage unit 12, the hearing aid 1 uses the A / D converter 8, the hearing aid processing unit 9, the D / A converter 10, the sound information obtained by the microphone 7 based on the parameter, By supplying to the receiver 11, it is provided to the user 2.

The hearing aid reading unit 18 reads the parameters stored in the adjustment value data storage unit 12 when the user 2 visits the store where the fitting device 4 is installed for readjustment and the like. Has the function to provide.
<Wizard function>
Here, the wizard function employed by the hearing aid fitting device 4 of the present embodiment will be described.

As is well known, the wizard function has a hierarchy of tasks that are appealed from the hearing-impaired person at the time of fitting and adjustment methods for each task, and the database is based on dissatisfaction with the hearing that is obtained from the hearing-impaired person at the time of fitting the hearing aid 1. This is an adjustment method that can easily identify a problem and make adjustments by simply following the hierarchy.
In wizard adjustment for hearing aid fitting, for example, a solution for an appeal such as “sound is low” is not uniquely determined, and a plurality of solutions can be considered. For this reason, as a result of tracing the database, the coordinator needs to select and use an appropriate adjustment method from the plurality of solutions presented in the last hierarchy according to the time.

Specifically, based on evaluations such as “sound is heard small” obtained after hearing the test sound from the hearing impaired person, the problem and its solution are identified by following the hierarchical menu presented by the hearing aid fitting device. To go.
First, the coordinator should select the appropriate one from the choices of hearing, such as “large”, “small”, “unclear”, “kinky”, and “unnatural sound” presented as the first hierarchy. select.

In this first hierarchy, for example, when “Small” is selected, the second hierarchy is “Sound is low”, “Small female voice”, “Small male voice”, “ More detailed options such as “voice is low” and “small sound is low” are presented, and the coordinator selects an appropriate option.
Furthermore, when “sound is low” is selected here, adjustment contents such as “increase the gain of the audio band”, “increase the gain of all frequencies”, “increase the frequency of the low frequency” as the third layer The choices are presented.

When “increase the gain of the voice band” is selected in the third layer, adjustment is performed to increase the gain of the frequency band corresponding to the voice band.
By repeating the series of hearing aid wizard steps from the first layer to the third layer while listening to the test sound, the final fitting data can be determined while gradually improving the adjustment parameters. it can.

<Operation of fitting device 4>
The operation of the fitting device 4 of this embodiment will be described below using the operation flow shown in FIG.
In STEP1, the process is started.
Next, the hearing ability of the hearing-impaired person is measured in STEP 2, and hearing data is input to the fitting device 4 through the input unit 6. The input hearing data is stored in the adjustment value memory 14 of the hearing aid fitting device 4.

In STEP 3, as described above, the hearing loss determination unit 15 specifies the hearing loss based on the obtained hearing data.
There are several methods for classifying the degree of hearing loss. For example, in the paper of the Journal of the Japan Medical Association, March 15, 2000 (Vol. 123, No. 6) “Adaptation and conformity check of hearing aids” Minor hearing loss (average hearing level is 26 to 39 dB), moderate hearing loss (average hearing level is 40 to 69 dB), and advanced hearing loss (average hearing level is 70 dB or more).

As a method of calculating the degree of hearing loss, there are methods such as a three-minute method and a four-minute method. For example, in the three-minute method, the hearing level perceived at a frequency band of 500 Hz is set to A, and the hearing level perceived at 1 KHz is set. If the hearing level perceived at B and 2 KHz is C, the average hearing level is calculated by the following formula (1).
Average hearing level = (A + B + C) / 3 (1)
If the average hearing level calculated by the relational expression (1) is in the range of 26 to 39 dB, it is specified as mild hearing loss, if it is in the range of 40 to 69 dB, it is specified as moderate hearing loss, and if it is 70 dB or more, it is specified as high hearing loss.

Here, for the specified hearing loss, the adjustment range of the adjustment parameter stored in the wizard DB 16 is, for example, 5 dB for mild hearing loss, 3 dB for moderate hearing loss, and 1 dB for high hearing loss. It is.
Because a normal hearing person notices a change in sound, a difference of about 5 dB is empirically required, and in the case of a highly deaf person, a change in sound of 1 dB may be said to have changed greatly. It is desirable to set as described above.

FIG. 6 shows the hearing characteristic of the user 2 obtained by the initial fitting.
In this embodiment, 500 Hz is 30 dBHL, 1 KHz is 35 dBHL, and 2 KHz is 40 dBHL. Using the above formula,
(30 + 35 + 40) / 3 = 35 dBHL
It becomes.

That is, for the user 2 of this embodiment, since the average hearing level is 35 dB, it falls within the range of 26 to 39 dB and is determined to be mildly deaf.
Next, in STEP4, based on the hearing data input in STEP2, NAL-NL1, DSL, FIG. 6, an initial fitting parameter is obtained by a well-known fitting theory such as IHAFF and stored in the adjustment value memory 14.

In STEP5, the user 2 confirms the audibility. If the user 2 is satisfied with the adjustment, the process moves to STEP8 and the adjustment is finished. On the other hand, if the user 2 is not satisfied with the adjustment, the process proceeds to STEP 6 wizard adjustment.
The wizard adjustment step further includes STEP 6-1 to STEP 6-4.

In STEP 6-1 to STEP 6-3, problems and solutions to be solved from the wizard DB based on the complaint of the user 2 with respect to the hearing such as “sound is heard small” obtained by confirming the hearing of STEP 5, for example. Identify the method.
FIG. 3 shows the situation at this time.
In STEP 6-1, the coordinator selects an appropriate one from the first hierarchy (first hierarchy input 19 in FIG. 3) based on the appeal of the user 2 that “sound can be heard small”.

As shown in FIG. 3, when “small” is selected, “sound is low”, “female” corresponding to “small” in the first hierarchy is displayed in the second hierarchy (second hierarchy input 20 in FIG. 3). “Small voice”, “Small male voice”, “Small voice”, “Small small sound”, etc. are presented.
Here, when “sound is low” is selected based on the appeal of the user 2 that “sound can be heard”, the problem that “sound is low” in the third layer (third layer input 21 in FIG. 3). As an adjustment method for solving the problem, options such as “increase gain of voice band”, “increase gain of all frequencies”, “increase frequency of low frequency” are presented.

In the third layer, when the adjuster selects “increase the gain of the voice band”, in STEP 6-4, the parameter is written into the hearing aid, and the adjuster asks the user 2 to confirm it. The apply button 22 is pressed.
As a result, adjustment is performed to increase the gain of the frequency band corresponding to the audio band, and the adjustment is written to the hearing aid.

Specifically, it is stored in the adjustment parameter of No. 6-1 shown in FIG. 4 which is an item corresponding to the solution “increase the gain of the voice band” in the wizard DB 16 as “the voice is low”. Increase the gain of 500Hz, 1KHz, and 2KHz.
Here, the adjustment width is controlled by the control unit 13 in accordance with the hearing loss calculated in the step of calculating the hearing loss of SETP3, and the gains of 500 Hz, 1 KHz, and 2 KHz are increased by 5 dB, respectively.

In the hearing aid fitting device 4 of the present embodiment, as described above, the adjustment range is determined according to the degree of hearing loss and the parameter is changed.
Thereby, compared with the case where the gain is changed uniformly regardless of the degree of hearing loss as in the past, for example, in the case of mild hearing loss, the effect can be appropriately recognized by changing about 5 dB.

If a similar range of change is applied to a highly deaf person, the change may be too large and an excessively loud sound may be input. On the other hand, if a change of about 1 dB is selected for a highly deaf person, the same wizard adjustment operation must be performed five times in order to feel the effect in the case of a mild deaf person. Don't be. Therefore, there is a problem that the working efficiency of the fitting is significantly different.

Subsequently, in step 7, the wizard adjustment is confirmed. On the other hand, if the adjustment is sufficient, the process ends at STEP 8, and if not, the wizard adjustment of STEP 6 is performed again.
As described above, by adopting the wizard adjustment method provided in the hearing aid fitting device 4 of the present embodiment, in the case of a mildly deaf person who is difficult to perceive the difference with a small adjustment width, the adjustment width is increased, In the case of a highly deaf person who is perceived as a large change with a small adjustment range, the adjustment effect can be effectively confirmed by reducing the adjustment range.

As a result, the efficiency of the fitting work can be improved and the fitting time can be shortened.
Moreover, it has a suitable effect | action also in the psychological side of the user 2 important in fitting work.
In the present embodiment, the method of not storing the parameter adjustment width in the wizard DB 16 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, a plurality of wizard databases storing parameter adjustment ranges may be stored in advance according to the degree of hearing loss.

According to the present invention, the fitting work can be made more efficient and the fitting work time can be shortened regardless of the degree of hearing loss of the user. The

1 Hearing Aid 2 User 3 Connection Box 4 Fitting Device (Hearing Aid Fitting Device)
5 Display section 6 Input section (wizard adjustment input section)
7 Microphone 8 A / D Converter 9 Hearing Aid Processing Unit 10 D / A Converter 11 Receiver 12 Adjustment Value Data Storage Unit 13 Control Unit 14 Adjustment Value Memory 15 Deafness Determining Unit 16 Wizard DB (Wizard Database)
17 Writing unit 18 Reading unit 19 First layer input 20 Second layer input 21 Third layer input 22 Apply button

Claims

Wizard adjustment input part where adjustment instructions using hearing loss and wizard adjustment of the hearing impaired are input,
A control unit connected to the wizard adjustment input unit;
An adjustment value memory connected to the control unit and storing hearing data and adjustment values;
A wizard database that is connected to the control unit and stores parameter information used when performing wizard adjustment corresponding to a plurality of layers;
A deafness determining unit connected to the control unit for determining a deafness based on the hearing data;
With
The control unit changes the value of the parameter information selected from the wizard database based on the hearing loss determined by the hearing loss determination unit.
Hearing aid fitting device.
The wizard database stores at least a mild parameter, a moderate parameter for adjustment having a higher hearing loss than the mild parameter, and an altitude parameter for adjustment having a higher hearing loss than the moderate parameter. Yes,
The hearing aid fitting device according to claim 1.
The control unit changes gains of a plurality of frequency bands selected from the wizard database based on the hearing loss determined by the hearing loss determination unit.
The hearing aid fitting device according to claim 1 or 2.
A display unit for displaying the contents of hearing aid fitting processing by the control unit;
In addition,
The hearing aid fitting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.