Helping people with hearing impairment hear better using haptics
Hundreds of thousands of people depend on implanted electronic devices to hear. These devices, known as cochlear implants, have revolutionised the treatment of hearing impairment. However, they aren't perfect. Implant users often have difficulty knowing where sounds are, are commonly unable to enjoy music, and find it difficult to understand speech when there is background noise (for example, in a busy workplace, crowded restaurant or chaotic classroom).
Furthermore, globally it is estimated that 99% of potential CI candidates cannot access CI technology. This includes many millions of children with unmanaged hearing loss, who often have large language deficits and struggle significantly at school. It also includes millions of adults, who tend to have a much lower employment rates and, when employed, to work in lower-grade occupations.
We have a new approach to solve these problems by transferring crucial sound information through vibrations on the wrists. We have proven this works in the lab and we're now building a low-cost wrist-worn device so that people can benefit from this approach in their everyday lives.
For more information the haptics for hearing project please contact Dr Mark Fletcher at: [email protected]
You can also follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ElectroHaptics
Furthermore, globally it is estimated that 99% of potential CI candidates cannot access CI technology. This includes many millions of children with unmanaged hearing loss, who often have large language deficits and struggle significantly at school. It also includes millions of adults, who tend to have a much lower employment rates and, when employed, to work in lower-grade occupations.
We have a new approach to solve these problems by transferring crucial sound information through vibrations on the wrists. We have proven this works in the lab and we're now building a low-cost wrist-worn device so that people can benefit from this approach in their everyday lives.
For more information the haptics for hearing project please contact Dr Mark Fletcher at: [email protected]
You can also follow us on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/ElectroHaptics
Cochlear implants in noise
Cochlear implant users struggle to understand speech in noisy environments.
People with cochlear implants hear the world in a very different way to people with healthy hearing. In an implant user, the sound that is usually transmitted to the brain by thousands of extraordinarily sensitive cells in the ear is instead transmitted by just 22 micro-electrodes. This means that the information transmitted to the brain is severely limited. We've made a quick demo that simulates how hard it can be for cochlear implant users to understand speech in complex sound environments. It's available to use for free as a teaching or demonstrating tool (YouTube or Download). |
Note: these are just simulations based on models of how cochlear implants work with the brain. Cochlear implant users experience their device in different ways depending on a range of factors.
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Cochlear implants & music
Music sounds very different to implant users. They can struggle to distinguish different pitches, and they have poor access to the quality, or "timbre", of sounds.
This short demo that simulates what it is like to hear music as a cochlear implant user. Like the demo above, it's available to use for free as a teaching or demonstrating tool (YouTube or Download). |
Note: these are just simulations based on models of how cochlear implants work with the brain. Cochlear implant users experience their device in different ways depending on a range of factors.
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The mosaic haptic device
Haptics for speech and sound awareness
We've shown in the lab that vibration on the wrists can substantially improve speech perception and sound localisation. We're now building a wrist-worn device to allow people to get those benefits in the real world.
We're refining our existing prototypes using the latest 3D printing, haptic motor, microprocessor, battery, and wireless technology. Our priorities in the design process are:
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Haptics for music
In addition to our work refining haptics for improving speech perception and spatial awareness, we've recent received research funding to explore using haptics to improve music perception.
We're using the latest artificial intelligence techniques to separate out different instruments in a musical piece so we can give the best possible experience of music through haptics. |
This short video shows people reacting when listening to music and feeling it through the first prototype of our mosaicOne_A haptic device.
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