An amplitude-bandwidth expansion method for hearing-aid adjustment

The basic concept for a technique that facilitates the adjustment of a hearing aid by a person of normal hearing is proposed. The technique involves processing using an amplitude-bandwidth expansion method to expand the hearing-aid output to fit to the user's hearing requirements and loudness recruitment. The expansion is a reversal of the cochlear compression model. As the expansion method introduces distortion of the waveform and a reduction of the expansion rate, the support technique presented here includes solutions to these problems. The difference between the original speech signal and the expanded output generated from the compressed output of the original signal is virtually inaudible. This technique, which effectively simulates a patient's hearing characteristics in order to allow an audiologist to set up a patient's hearing aid, is worth further investigation.