The concept addresses the challenges faced by many people with hearing impairment in social situations where conventional hearing aids may fall short. With the solution integrated into a charging case, AudioTelligence believes it can help remove the stereotype of cumbersome and obvious hearing devices, aligning with the form factor of popular wireless earbud cases.
While many hearing companies have longed explored the concept of remote assistive microphone devices, AudioTelligence hopes that a discreet and modern design will encourage wider adoption of hearing technology integrated into consumer products. Users will no longer need additional hardware or accessories: help with hearing better becomes available in a device which they already carry with them. Combining this practical solution with its own advanced blind source separation technology, AudioTelligence aims to disrupt the assistive technology market.
Hearing aids undoubtedly offer numerous benefits, particularly in one-on-one conversations. However, they may not fully address the challenges faced in bustling environments such as restaurants or cafes, where background noise can hinder clear communication. Accessories like remote microphones paired with hearing aids or earbuds have proven beneficial in these situations, but carrying additional devices can be cumbersome and they are easy to forget.
By integrating AudioTelligence’s advanced source separation algorithms into true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds or hearing aids, and respective charging case, manufacturers can offer a multi-functional device that seamlessly complements users' existing solutions. The Cambridge, UK-based company has been pioneering also the development of Bluetooth LE Audio solutions that can benefit from the lower latency enabled by the LC3 codec that is a fundamental part of the updated wireless specification.
"We are excited to introduce the earbud assistive listening case which allows our customers to offer hearing enhancement solutions for every environment without the need for extra accessories," says Sue Handley-Jones, CEO at AudioTelligence. “AudioTelligence’s mission is to empower individuals to engage fully in social interactions, overcome communication barriers and enhance their overall quality of life. The earbud assistive listening case represents a significant step towards a more inclusive society, by integrating hearing accessibility into everyday devices."
This concept capitalizes on the growing popularity of TWS earbuds as cutting-edge consumer accessories and takes advantage of the blurring lines between consumer tech and professional hearing devices. Powered by AudoTelligence's AISO software solution, the assistive listening devices within the earbud charging case use blind source separation (BSS) to process audio signals from multiple microphones. This innovative technology separates each source of sound with a consistent spatial location into its own distinct channel of audio. The result is a remarkable capability for individuals with hearing loss to seamlessly follow the conversation.
The BSS technology improves the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) by up to 30dB, with added benefits in situations with overlapping speech signals where noise suppression alone is insufficient. By enhancing the clarity of speech, AudioTelligence technology ensures that individuals with hearing loss can communicate more effectively in various listening environments.
AudioTelligence technology is available on a royalty licensing basis, offering low-cost, high-quality solutions for personal assistive listening devices and other consumer electronics products.
www.audiotelligence.com
