System and method of improving audio signals for the hearing impaired
A system and method for using an audiogram and audio filters to provide improved audio characteristics for hearing impaired listeners by equalizing the received sound level of the signal across the frequency spectrum. The system and method further provide for modifying an audio signal based on the personal hearing characteristics of a listener to compensate for hearing loss.
1. A system for altering an audio signal to compensate for a listener's hearing loss, the system comprising:
a computer program for accepting frequency hearing response data representing the listener's hearing loss;
an equalizer for accepting an input audio signal and providing a first modified audio signal, the equalizer being configured by the computer program to modify the input audio signal by boosting or attenuating a decibel level of one or more frequency bands in which the hearing response data indicates a hearing loss in proportion to the hearing loss in that frequency band contained in the hearing response data;
a first audio signal output device electrically connected to the equalizer for accepting the first modified audio signal and providing a second modified audio signal;
a second audio signal output device for audio playback; and
a coil element disposed between the first and second audio signal output devices for accepting the second modified audio signal from the first audio signal output device and providing a third modified audio signal to the second audio signal output device.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hearing response data comprises hearing loss data for person on a plurality of frequency bands.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the equalizer increases the relative sound level of frequency bands that show hearing loss in the frequency response data.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second audio signal output devices and the coil constitute a home theater or home audio system.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the equalizer is a computer program executing on a general purpose computer.
6. A method of altering an audio signal to compensate for a listener's hearing loss, comprising:
measuring a frequency response data for a hearing-impaired person;
receiving the frequency response data into a computer program;
configuring an equalizer to boost or attenuate a decibel level of one or more frequency bands based on the frequency response data;
receiving an input audio signal from an audio playback system into the equalizer;
producing a first modified audio signal by altering the input audio signal by boosting or attenuating a level of each frequency band of the input audio signal in proportion to the hearing loss in that frequency band contained in the hearing response data;
processing the first modified audio signal through a coil element to add harmonics for producing a second modified audio signal; and
providing the second modified audio signal to an audio device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the frequency response data is measured by an audiometer.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the audio device is a home theater system or a home audio system.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising recording the second modified audio signal.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the providing includes transmitting the second modified audio signal.