Wearables, Hearables and Hearing Health

Haifa Digital Health 16 Jan 2016
Wearables, Hearables and
Hearing Health
Alexander Goldin, Ph.D.
Alango Technologies, Ltd. - Founder and CEO

Since 2002
About Alango
• DSP software technologies for voice,
audio and hearing enhancement
• Offices
• 35 people
• HQ, R&D: Haifa (Israel), R&D: St. Petersburg (Russia)
• Representatives: China, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan
• Over 30 million product licenses and growing fast
• Automotive, mobile and accessories, conferencing, assistive
listening
2

Hearing health facts
About hearing loss
• 14-17% (more than 700M) people worldwide have hearing
loss (2015)
• The number of hearing impaired people is growing twice as
fast as the general population
About hearing aids
• 95% of hard of hearing people can be helped by hearing aids
• In developed countries only 15-20% of people with hearing
loss use hearing aids
• In developing countries only 1 in 40 of those who need it have
access to hearing aids
• Hearing aids sales are stagnating for the past several years
3
Q: Why ?

4 Reasons … (at least)
1. Extremely high cost due marketing & distribution
• Hearing aid makers spend (per device):
• $250 on manufacturing + $250(!) on marketing + $75 on R&D = $575
• Top-of-the-line devices are sold by audiologists for $3000-$5000
2. Hearing aid is a medical device
• Associated with elderly or handicapped people (hearing aids stigma)
• About half of people with hearing loss avoid seeking help
3. Limited functionality
• Mainly hearing amplification
• Limited connectivity
• Limited frequency range (300-7000Hz)
4. Technology (satisfaction is not guaranteed)
• 20% of people who bought hearing aids return them
• 17% users are dissatisfied, 7% keep them in the drawer
4

Hearing Enhancement Devices -
The Most Needed Wearables
In 2015 more than 700M people worldwide reported hearing loss
5
440
560
700
900
0
250
500
750
1000
1995 2005 2015 2025
Number of people with hearing loss of more than 25dB
Million
Year
More than
~10%
Hearing aid
users
~90%
Potential
users

6
Can we do something?
6
“No problem can be solved by the
same kind of thinking that created it”
“The measure of intelligence is
the ability to change”

7
Traditional hearing aid →
Bluetooth™ headset or earbud
with hearing enhancement
Medical device → Consumer Electronics device
As small as possible, better invisible, but
making you look older.
→
Stylish, fashionable device of different types
making you look …
High cost of manufacturing and
precision components
→
Low cost of manufacturing due to using high-
volume, CE components
High cost of marketing & distribution →
Distributed via Internet or consumer electronics
channels
Limited performance due to size and
power consumption limitations
→
Larger form factor allows using better components,
rechargeable batteries and powerful DSP
Limited connectivity →
May connect to everything via a Bluetooth®
protocol and smartphone
“Think different”(Apple advertising slogan, 1997)
7

Hearables Prior Art … SoundID 2006
Dr. Rodney Perkins,
Founder and Chief Medical Officer of SoundID
(Dr.Perkins also founded ReSound, one of top 6 hearing aid companies)
“At Sound ID, our mission is to break the sound barrier and provide cutting edge acoustic technology
to those who have difficulty listening in noise. With our technology, sleek, high tech design, and
superior ergonomics, we enable our consumers to enjoy mainstream listening and communication
activities with greater ease, efficiency, and effectiveness.“
• Ambient Mode - Enhances listening by amplifying sounds around you.
• Mobile Phone Mode - Improves the sound clarity of on-the-go phone conversations
• CompanionLink™ Mode :
• Conversations in noisy environments are enhanced by transmitting the sound of a conversation partner
directly to the user's ear via the CompanionLink™ microphone
• Improved sound intensity and quality from television without raising the TV volume
• Meeting and conference room listening is improved by placing the CompanionLink™ and table top holder
in front of the target speaker
• Lectures and sermons are more easily understood by placing the CompanionLink™ on the lectern
8

SoundHawk
(out of business)
SoundWorld CS50
(still around but not very successful)
SK telecom Smart [Hearing Aid]
(not actually launched)
Hearables Prior Art … Followers:
9

2016: Nuheara IQbuds
- amplification <20dB
- do not have ear fitting options
- price $299
2017: BOSE “HearPhones”
- amplification ???
- active noise cancellation
- price ~$600 (as per rumors from CES)
Hearables Prior Art … Newcomers:
10

The Time is Right to Change the World with Better Hearing
All components are available:
 Bluetooth chips integrating audio DSP
 Low-cost, powerful DSP with ultra-low
power consumption
 MEMS microphones with high SNR and
excellent matching
 Wireless charging solutions
 Smartphone applications
 Green light from FDA !
Low-cost, high-quality hearing enhancement is NOW possible!
11

The green light from
Dec. 2016:
• FDA announced
it does not intend to enforce the requirement for adults to
obtain a medical evaluation before obtaining most hearing aids.
• FDA noted
its continued commitment to the possible creation of a category
of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids.
• FDA suggests
that lower cost products are needed which will create more
consumer choice and foster greater competition and innovation
among manufacturers.
12

SALT™
Smart Assistive
Listening Transceiver
Concept
Products BeHear™
Stylish Bluetooth headset
with hearing enhancement
L3
3 Layers of Alango Solutions
L1: Technology → L2: Reference Design → L3: Product
HearPhones™
Licensable software adding hearing enhancement to
Bluetooth headsets
L2
13
PersonaSound™
Set of DSP technologies for hearing enhancement and
sound personalization L1

14
14
Adaptive Dual
Microphone
Noise
Suppression
Multi-band
compression
Feedback
canceller
Adaptive Dual
Microphone
Noise
Suppression
Multi-channel
compression
Binaural sound enhancement
Feedback
canceller
Everything you can find in the
most expensive hearing aids:
• Adaptive, binaural beamforming
• Advanced feedback canceller
• Stationary, transient and wind
noise suppression
• Multi-channel sound
compression, tunable for specific
hearing loss and environments
• And more …
L1: PersonaSound™ - DSP for Hearing Enhancement

Your device
properties
Noise around
You
Your hearing
preferences
your
EAR
one
SOUND
Noise
dependent
volume and
frequency
equalization
User
specific
sound
processing
Device
speaker
equalization
audio audio audio audio audio
General
sound
enhancement
L1: PersonaSound™ - Let’s make the music personal
15

L2: HearPhones™ - Software Reference Design
Includes PersonaSound™ technology
Choose or change your style
Licensable software solution powered by PersonaSound™ set of DSP technologies
that transforms a Bluetooth headset into a personal sound amplifier
4 microphone, sport style 2 microphone,
binaural, stylish
2 microphone,
Binaural, stylish
4 microphone, sport-style 1-2 microphone,
Monaural, compact
2 microphone,
monaural
16

17
HearPhones™:
Reference software design for
revolutionary consumer electronics
device with hearing enhancement and
assistive listening capabilities.
17
Signal processing
& Bluetooth
Microphones
Earphones
Personal
Hearing
Enhancer
Assistive
Listening
Device
Advanced
Bluetooth
Headset
3-in-1:
1. Personal Hearing Enhancer (PHE)
2. Assistive Listening Device (ALD)
3. Advanced Bluetooth Headset (BH)
L2: HearPhones™ - Smart Hearing Solution

18
18
Make your own HearPhones™ type of product based on
CSR 8670/75 – the leading SoC solution for high-end Bluetooth headsets
• Digital signal processing libraries for all modes:
hearing enhancement, music enhancement,
phone calls, assistive listening
• Example source code for CSR 8670/75 MCU
demonstrating all functionality
• Software configuration tools
• Hearing API (HAPI) libraries for Android, iOS and
Windows allowing to build custom applications
to control HearPhones
• Example applications for Android, iOS and
Windows illustrating Hearing API libraries
You will receive:
L2: HearPhones™ - What Alango Provides

19
• Alango HearPhones™ has nothing to do with the BOSE HearPhones product
• Alango introduced the HearPhones name and the licensable solution in 2015
• Alango popularized this name via its promotional materials, videos and
industry presentations
• Alango’s semiconductor partner presented the HearPhones name to its
customers
• Many liked this name, apparently BOSE as well, since they started using it
last month for their new wireless earphones…
Bet who is going to win ….
ALANGO vs. BOSE
GAME OF
HEARPHONES™

L3: Concept Products – www.WearAndHear.com
BeHear™ - Bluetooth® headset
with ambient hearing enhancement
and personalized listening
capabilities
SALT™ (Smart Assistive Listening
Transceiver) - Personal Sound Ampliﬁer,
Bluetooth® stereo headset and Assistive
Listening Device
20

L3: BeHear and SALT - the power of hearing enhancement
• Adaptive, binaural beamforming
• Advanced feedback canceller
• Stationary, transient and wind noise
suppression
• Multi-channel compression tunable
for specific environments
120MHz of DSP power running advanced, field proven, fully customizable
voice enhancement and hearing enhancement technologies
Noise
Suppression
Multi-channel
compression
Feedback
canceller
Noise
Suppression
Multi-channel
compression
Binaural adaptive beamforming
Feedback
canceller
21

L3: BeHear and SALT: Hearing Preferences Assessment
Hearing Threshold
(sound becomes audible above this level)
Most Comfortable Level
(sound is most pleasant and clear around this level)
Using your mobile device screen…
Indicate your hearing preferences with a simple
built-in assessment for multiple frequencies.
Choose two levels for each frequency:
22

Default hearing enhancement is done automatically, based
on the hearing preferences assessment.
User can intuitively modify the default hearing
enhancement by touching different parts of the screen.
Best
Hearing
Point
L3: BeHear and SALT: Personalization at Your Fingertips
“Best hearing point“ – Just find it!
23

 Personalized voice call and music sound according to:
• User hearing (based on user’s hearing preferences assessment)
• User preferences (based on real time sound customization)
 Noise dependent volume & equalization control
Sound is additionally amplified according to ambient noise level
and spectrum
 ListenThrough™
Stay aware of ambient sound while enjoying your music content
 EasyListen™
Slows down the incoming, far end speech for
better understanding
 Advanced noise cancellation
• Beamforming (Binaural case)
• Static and transient noise reduction
• Wind noise reduction
Understand voice, enjoy music
L3: BeHear and SALT: Advanced Bluetooth Stereo Headset
Powered by
HearPhones™ technology
24

L3: SALT - “Swiss army knife” for the Hearing Impaired
BLUETOOTH HEADSET
Enables voice communication
and music listening with
personal sound
TV LISTENING SYSTEM
Directly transmits TV sound
to user’s SALT device
PERSONAL SOUND AMPLIFIER
Multi-channel sound amplification
with advanced noise and
feedback cancellation
REMOTE MICROPHONE
Virtually decreases the distance
between the user and other people
T-COIL RECEIVER
Directly receives sound of
interest in places fitted
with induction loop
SAFETY AND HEALTHCARE
Emergency call button
Intelligent fall detector
Vibration and sound alerts
BLUETOOTH INTERCOM
Communicates with
another SALT user directly
Headphones or
induction loop
PersonaSound™, HearPhones™ and much more…
25

L3: SALT Teardown
DSP
120Mhz
Microcontroller
Motion &
orientation
sensor
Amplifier
Vibration
motor
To a neck-loop or
standard headphones
Bluetooth module
(CSR 8675)
Line in
4built-indigital
microphones
Bluetooth
Buttons &
LEDs
M1
SALT
HearPhones
M2
M3
M4
USB,
charge
A powerful hardware platform for hearing enhancement
and assistive listening applications
26

L3: SALT: Remote Microphone
SALT can be switched into transmitter (auxiliary) mode and used
as a remote microphone
Sound before transmission is enhanced by 4 microphone
adaptive beamforming and noise suppression technologies
Direct, wireless, low latency
Bluetooth link
Auxiliary SALT
(remote microphone)
to SALT HearPhones,
neckloop or earphones
27

L3: SALT: TV Listening System
Personalized TV stereo sound directly to your ears
SALT can be switched into transmitter (auxiliary) mode
and connected to TV audio output
Auxiliary SALT
(transmitter)
Direct, wireless, low latency
Bluetooth link
to SALT HearPhones,
neckloop or earphones
28

L3: SALT: Two-way Wireless Intercom
Direct, wireless communication wherever necessary
Up to 30 meters, person-to-person, direct
voice communication with personalized
sound, acoustic and wind noise reduction
29

L3: SALT: Telecoil Receiver
Built-in telecoil, amplifier and sound
personalization
When you need help occasionally and it is at hand…
SALT
sound
processing
SALT
Can be used with SALT HearPhones™
or any high quality earphones
30

L3: SALT: Even More…
 Intelligent fall detector:
• Automatic fall detection
• User response inquiry with vibration and loudspeaker
• Automatic call to preprogrammed numbers(s)
 Wireless leash for you smartphone
With vibration and loudspeaker alert
 Emergency call button for help request
 Talking organizer with vibration alarm
 More… You name it
31

When and How Much?
• HearPhones™ - licensable
Reference design is available now
• BeHear™ - $129
Bluetooth headset with personal hearing enhancement
technology
• Currently in alpha testing
• First deliveries: May 2017
• SALT™ - $199
Smart Assistive Listening Transceiver
• Currently in alpha testing
• First deliveries: Q3/2017
32

Future Thoughts: Personal Hearing Assistant
• Incorporate voice recognition capability for spoken
commands to the system
• Interface with cloud-based voice recognition
services, such as:
o Siri
o Google Now
o Cortana
o Amazon Echo
o Blackberry Assistant
o …
• Enable social sharing via users groups for additional
support
33

Future Thoughts: Cooperation with Audiologists
34
• Establish tele-audiology network
• Limit deep personalization to “professionals only”
• Provide audiologists with tools to perform
customization and support services:
• Face-to-face
• Remote

35
Download this presentation from
www.WearAndHear.com/resources/
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Wearables, Hearables and Hearing Health

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