October 31, 2024
The Future of Hearing Devices: Deep Neural Networks & Artificial Intelligence
Hearing technology has come a long way over the years; however, one aspect of hearing loss that many hearing aids have difficulty addressing is trouble understanding speech in noise. Fortunately, some of today’s state-of-the-art devices can solve this problem by utilizing deep neural networks (DNNs) and artificial intelligence (AI).
Sensorineural hearing loss makes it difficult to understand speech in background noise. This type of hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells of the inner ear that convert sound waves into electrical energy, which are then interpreted by the brain. This causes the quality and quantity of the signal sent from the ears to the brain to diminish over time, resulting in the brain expending more energy and effort to make sense of it.
DNNs may help improve the transmission of the neural code, making hearing easier on the brain.1
What Are DNNs?
DNNs are a subset of AI that rapidly analyzes large data sets to teach hearing aids and other technological devices how to respond to data like a human would, all while verifying accuracy and making corrections.
DNNs are beneficial in hearing technology because they can help enhance speech. They can be applied as “time-frequency masks,” meaning select sounds—like speech—are allowed while other sounds are suppressed. DNNs can also identify and separate multiple voices, selecting a primary voice to emphasize and secondary voices to suppress.
This feature can help hearing device wearers in several settings. For example, at a restaurant or party, the hearing device can emphasize a conversation partner, allow other nearby voices at a reduced volume and suppress background noises such as dishes clinking.
How We Can Help
Schedule an appointment with Fort HealthCare Audiology at 920.563.6667 in Fort Atkinson or 262.473.8920 in Whitewater to talk about our vast state-of-the-art hearing solutions today.