Multiband sound source localization algorithm for directional enhancement in hearing aids

In order to improve speech comprehension for hearing-impaired patients under complex scenarios, directional enhancement algorithm based on the sound location will be one of the future research directions. A multiband sound localization algorithm based on auditory bionics is proposed in this paper. First, according to the property of cochlear frequency-division and hearing-masking characteristic, the sound is divided into multiband signals. Then, the interaural time differences (ITDs) of the sensitive frequency bands are taken as the localization cues. To improve the location precision, the real ITD is extracted based on the Haas effect. Finally, the HRTF (head-related transfer function) model is used to convert the ITD to the sound position. To improve the robustness of the algorithm, a multiband weighted strategy is adopted. In addition, a parameter adjustment method is proposed to effectively fit the hearing aid. Simulation and scenario experiments show that the algorithm has strong anti-interference and high location accuracy. Furthermore, it is designed based on the existing algorithms for hearing aids and has low computation, so it is very suitable for hearing aids and other low-power real-time devices. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.