Perl Annotated Archives

Apparatus is described for restoring the original comprehension of sounds reaching a human ear, including direction, elevation and frequency. An enclosure surrounds the pinna of the ear to substantially exclude exterior sounds. First and second speakers are placed in a chamber, within the enclosure, anterior to the pinna, such that each transducer radiates to the entire pinna. The speakers are mounted on the inner surface of the anterior wall of the enclosure along a vertical line which is generally parallel to the vertical axis of the pinna. First and second microphones are mounted on the anterior surface of the enclosure also along a vertical line and are connected respectively to the first and second speakers through amplifying means. The speakers reproduce the received sounds and through the dissimilarities in the sound provide the hearer with the sense of the angular elevation of the source. In a further embodiment an external sound source is connected to provide dissimilar sounds to the first and second speakers, thus also providing a sense of elevation to the user. The amplifier includes electronic filter elements supplementing those parts of the tonal and volume sensitivity required to restore normal hearing. When the apparatus is provided for each ear, total sound discrimination is restored to the user.