Realistic hearing aid evaluation using virtual acoustics (AHEVA)
Funded by: german federal ministry for education and research
duration: 01.10.2023 - 31.03.2028
partner: Technische hochschule lübeck
The main goal of the project is evaluation testing of hearing aids in typical everyday situations both technically and perceptively in a reproducible way. This is enabled by using a virtual acoustic environment reproduced through a multichannel loudspeaker array. In contrast to existing procedures we pursue a novel approach, focussing on the ecological validity of the scenes and deriving technical and perceptualevaluation metrics from the scene itself. This provides new benchmarks for testing commercial hearing aids.
The DHI is a corporate partner within the project.
Evaluation of optimized earmolds designs
Funded by: Forschungsgemeinschaft deutscher Hörakustiker
Duration: 01.10.2022 - 30.09.2023
We evaluate specialized earmold designs that aim at reducing the occlusion effect im spite of a closed coupling. Such earmolds could avoid the usual compromise between comfort and natural own voice perception (usually achieved with open fits) and device performance (requiring a closed coupling) in hearing aid fitting.
Optical Hearing Enhancement
Funded by: German ministry of education and research
Duration: 01.10.2022 - 31.03.2025
Partners: medical laser centre Lübeck
In our project, the possibility of optical stimulation directly from the ear canal – as in classical hearing aids – is being investigated. Advantages over classical hearing aids with electromagnetic transducer are a higher, achievable bandwidth and the lack of need to close the ear canal. The project takes place in cooperation with Medical Laser Centre Lübeck GmbH and the Department of Otolaryngology of the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH). The DHI is embedded in the project as a subcontractor.
Hearing Acoustics at the Belt (HABelt)
Funded by: European Union – Interreg 5a (Germany-Denmark), Network project
Duration: 01.07.2022 - 30.06.2022
Partners: University of Southern Denmark - Research Unit of Oto-Laryngology, Technische Hochschule Lübeck
We extend the international collaboration within the area of hearing acoustics and audiology between Germany (Lübeck) and Denmark (Odense) in a network project. The first goal is the development of a hearing aid demonstrator protptype, with the long-term goal to make the benefits of hearing aids more experiencable and contribute to better hearing support in both countries. Further details can be found on the project page
Direction-dependent Reference Curves for the Freiburg Monosyllabic Speech Test (RIBREFREI)
Funded By: BMWi WIPANO - Transfer of Knowledge and Technology by Patents and Standards
Duration: 01.09.2021 - 30.08.2023
Partners: Jade University of Applied Sciences Oldenburg
The main goal is to record standard reference curves for the Freiburg monosyllabic speech test in noise for different spatial arrangements of speech and noise. A special focus is the assessment of the influence of room acoustics on speech intelligibility in conditions where speech and noise are spatially separated.
Occlusion effect with variations of hearing aid coupling
Funded by: KIND Hörstiftung
duration: 01.10.2020 - 30.06.2021
For various individual earmold designs, the subjective and objective occlusion effect and further tramsmission parameters of a coupled hearing aid are determined. This allows to assess the compromise between the perception of the own voice and functionality of the hearing aid for different earmold designs, and to identify (non-) optimal designs for practical use.