Parametric loudspeakers are able to generate a highly-directional sound, and recently it has also been used to help the hearing impaired to hear TV programs better. However, there are incidents that particular hearing aid users have reported audible interferences in the path of directional sound beams during the clinical trials. The interference varies from buzzing noise to static noise for various commercialized behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids. To investigate the audible interference, hearing aid output measurements were carried out using B&K Head and Torso Simulators (HATS) inside an anechoic room at various distances for four types of parametric loudspeakers. This paper also investigates its possible cause of interference and raises awareness to professionals on potential audible interference on hearing aids using parametric loudspeakers.

Authors: Peksi, Santi; Gan, Woon-Seng; Shi, Dong-Yuan; Medapati, Satya Vijay Reddy; Ho, Eu-Chin
Affiliations: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore(See document for exact affiliation information.)
AES Convention: 141 (September 2016) Paper Number: 9611
Publication Date: September 20, 2016 Import into BibTeX
Subject: Acoustics, Transducers, and Audio
Permalink: https://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=18415

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