Neurofuzzy based device for programmable hearing aids

An external programming device for use with a separate programmable hearing prosthesis that sets the operational characteristics of said prosthesis, said device comprising:

• audible output circuitry for generating different prestored sound stimuli for the in situ evaluation of the performance of the hearing prosthesis;
• input circuitry for receiving audiological and other relevant data that characterize aspects of the impairment and of the user, and user responses to the different sound stimuli;
• neural network circuitry for generating initial operational characteristic values, based upon at least one aspect of the hearing impairment and at least one listening environment;
• fuzzy logic circuitry incorporating rules generating commands for modifying said initial operational characteristic values based upon the user provided responses while listening to the different sound stimuli corresponding to the different sound environments;
• a data processor optimizing the full set of operational characteristics for the separate programmable hearing prosthesis as a group;
• coupling circuitry for downloading said operational characteristics to the separate hearing prosthesis;
• neural network retraining circuitry for retraining on-line the neural network after successful fittings, and for retraining off-line the neural network from data collected for successful off site fittings;
• and
• updating circuitry for updating the fuzzy processing rules of the fuzzy logic circuitry.

A fitting system for establishing a set of performance defining parameters for a separate, programmable hearing aid comprising:

• a programmable processor;
• neural network software, executable by the processor, for receiving patient information, including audiometric data and for implementing a neural network for producing a current set of parameters for the hearing aid;
• circuitry, coupled to the programmed processor, for downloading the parameters to and programming the hearing aid;
• circuitry for presenting pre-stored sound stimuli to the hearing aid for user evaluation of the performance of the hearing aid using the programmed parameters;
• fuzzy logic software for receiving user feedback of the pre-stored sound stimuli and for modifying the current set of parameters forming an updated set of parameters that are downloaded to the hearing aid.

A fitting system for programming a separate hearing aid comprising:

• software executable by a processor for implementing neural network processing of user audiological data to produce a set of parameters for a predetermined programmable hearing aid;
• circuitry for coupling the set of parameters to a programmable hearing aid to specify the performance thereof;
• second software, executable by the processor for presenting pre-stored audio stimuli to the hearing aid circuitry for receipt of real-time feedback from the hearing aid user relative to the presented pre-stored audio stimuli;
• third software executable by the processor for implementing fuzzy logic processing for responding to the user feedback to modify the parameters;
• and
• software for downloading the modified parameters to the hearing aid thereby altering the characteristics thereof.