Configuration of hearing prosthesis sound processor based on visual interaction with external device

A hearing prosthesis comprising:

• at least one microphone for receiving audio input;
• a sound processor for processing the audio input and generating corresponding hearing stimulation signals to stimulate hearing in a human recipient of the hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a wireless communication interface,
• wherein the hearing prosthesis is configured to receive from an external device associated with the recipient, via the wireless communication interface, a control signal indicating that the recipient is focused at least visually on an output of the external device, and to respond to the received control signal by automatically configuring the sound processor in a manner based at least in part on the control signal indicating that the recipient is focused at least visually on the output of the external device,
• whereby the automatic configuring of the sound processor accommodates processing of the audio input when the audio input comprises audio content output from the external device.

A system comprising:

• a hearing prosthesis including a wireless communication interface, a microphone for receiving sound and a sound processor for processing received audio input, including audio input from the microphone, and generating hearing stimulation signals for a recipient of the hearing prosthesis;
• and
• a computing device associated with the recipient,
• wherein, the computing device is configured to output visual content viewable by the recipient, and wherein the computing device is configured to transmit to the hearing prosthesis a control signal indicating that the recipient is looking in a direction of the computing device, and
• wherein, the hearing prosthesis is configured to receive, via the wireless communication interface, the signal and in response, automatically configure the sound processor in a manner based at least in part on the control signal indicating that the recipient is looking in the direction of computing device so that a resulting hearing percept evoked by the hearing prosthesis based on sound originating from a location other than the computing device is different relative to that which would be the case in the absence of receipt of the signal.