Wireless connections for hearing aids

1. ITU Workshop on “Making Media Accessible to all:The options and the economics” (Geneva, Switzerland, 24 (p.m.) – 25 October 2013) Wireless connections for hearing aids Dr. Marcel Vlaming, Technical Coordinator European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA) mv@ehima.com

2. Topics of presentation • Hearing loss and hearing aids • Hearing aid connectivity: Today • Hearing aid connectivity • Today • Requirements for near future wireless • Market drivers • Scenario/Roadmap • Summary

3. Prevalence of hearing loss / use of hearing aids • Eurotrak: http://www.anovum.com/en/case-studies • Hearing impairment is loss of auditive communication: • Soft sounds not audible • High frequency sounds not audible • High sensitivity to background noises reducing speech understanding • About 10% of population have hearing problems • Demographic with age • 15-40% of people with hearing loss in developed countries have hearing aids 1) • depending on prosperity and funding schemes • about 50 million hearing aid users world-wide

4. What hearing aids do • Main hearing aid functions: • Amplification • Soft sounds; • Sound compression for restoring loudness of sounds • (soft, normal, loud) • Spectral compensation • In relation to audiogram: upto 8 kHz (in future up to 12 kHz) • Suppression of background noise • Speech enhancement • Direct connectivity to media sources: • cable, T-coil, FM, infra-red, hubs, ….. • Offered as needed…….

5. Types of hearing aids

6. Hearing aid connectivity • Direct connectivity to audio source • Avoids interference from background noises • Hearing impaired persons are extra vulnerable to noise • Older people are extra vulnerable to loss of attention and concentration • Use cases: • Private: Phone, TV, Audio, Tablet/PC, ….. • Education: schools • Public: theatres, churches, points of sale ………….. • Public announcements: stations, airports, public events, etc • Solutions • T-coil, FM, media gateways • Future technologies: wireless

7. Hearing aid connectivity: Today - 1 Magnetic induction loop (T-coil) • Pros • Exists since hearing aids are available • Promoted in some countries • Mostly found at: churches and points of sales • Sometimes also used at home for TV and audio • Hearing Aid Compliance for mobile phones to implement magentic coil (USA: FCC) • Cons • Magnetic interferences from electrical devices • Limited sound quality (BW < 3500 Hz, mono) • High installation costs in buildings • Limited range (inside loop only) • Limited availability: some countries, some places,…..

8. Hearing aid connectivity: Today - 2 FM systems (Assisting Listening Devices, ALDs): • Pros • Mostly found at schools (professional equipment) • Also used at homes: TV and wireless microphone • Cons • No worldwide frequencies (will not work in other countries) • Radio interferences (limited # channels, no hopping, etc.) • FM transmitters not found at public places • Therefore: low acceptance

9. Hearing aid connectivity: Today - 3 Wireless media gateways: • Hub to connect with phone through Bluetooth • Acts as a bridge of HA radio system to Bluetooth radio • Pros • Good quality sound • Bluetooth gives standard connectivity to mobile phones and other sound devices • Cons • Must be worn around neck or at body • Interferences on Bluetooth link possible • 2.4 GHz ISM band: WiFi, other Bluetooth devices, other devices • No public access defined so far • Short range (5-15 m) • No universal standard agreed for bridge HA radio system (inductive radios) • Is a temporary solution

10. Wireless media gateway

11. Problems for hearing aid connectivity • Todays pitfalls • T-coil systems have limited quality, very limited range, limited availability, high installation costs • FM systems have no worldwide fequencies, have problems on radio interference. • Hub based systems with Bluetooth need extra body device and have limited range. Is a temporary solution.

12. Requirements future wireless connectivity for hearing aids • Need to be integrated in HAs, no extra body device • High demands on hearing aid battery and size • Can be used worldwide • Worldwide spectrum for global use required • Have no or low radio interference • Low in/out band interferences • Can be used personally, at home, at schools, at public places (church, theatre, station, shops, ..) • Range: 1 m to 50 m. • Good acceptance: • Worldwide standard, worldwide spectrum • easy installation, easy use, low costs.

13. Market Drivers • Increasing legislation requires accessibility for hearing aids: • mobile phone: need to find an alternative to T-Coil in mobile phones for cost and size reasons • public places: Churches, theatres, points of sale, …… • What about: stations, airports……. • Growing number of potential users, because of: • Aging population • Increased expectations • Increased spending power • Greater familiarity with technology • Increasing percentage of population requiring integration with their existing mobile and music technology • Desire from many sectors not to disadvantage the hearing impaired • Because of social concerns • Because of market opportunity

14. Scenario / Roadmap

15. Summary • Fifty million hearing aid users • Need for wireless connectivity • For speech understanding without background noise • Domestic, Public places, Schools, Entertainment (music), … • Currently different technologies • T-coil, FM-systems, multi-media hubs • Issues: quality, interference, costs, size in hearing aid • Availability: From domestic to (all) public places • Required: • Worldwide availability: one standard • Worldwide radio spectrum: ITU/CEPT/FCC/WWRC • Very small size: chips, antenna, battery: technology • Reducing costs: installation, hearing aids (chip integration)

16. Questions?