Cog Av Hearing - Project Vision
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Research Hypothesis and Objectives
Our hypothesis is that it is possible to combine visual and acoustic input to produce a multimodal hearing
device that is able to significantly boost speech intelligibility in the everyday listening environments in
which audio-only hearing aids prove ineffective. To test this we aim to develop and clinically validate a
next-generation cognitively-inspired, AV hearing device. We will achieve this aim by combining contrasting
approaches to speech enhancement developed respectively at Stirling and Sheffield in a novel AV enhancement
framework. Five objectives will be met in the process:
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To combine signal processing from the enhancement framework pioneered at Stirling with scene
analysis models developed at Sheffield to produce perceptually meaningful acoustic features suitable
as input to AV enhancement algorithms.
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To further develop and evaluate novel approaches to visual tracking and feature extraction in the
context of the AV enhancement framework. These approaches will be built on the 'bar-code' model of
human facial feature processing developed at Stirling.
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To integrate two different approaches to enhancement, namely noise-filtering (Stirling) and
speech-resynthesis (Sheffield) in a common AV framework that takes advantage of their complementary
strengths. Integration will be considered at multiple (coarse and fine) scales.
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To design intelligent multi-modality selection mechanisms that weight AV input and select the most
appropriate enhancement mechanism matched to environmental conditions.
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Finally, to evaluate and optimise a real-time software prototype using a new AV corpus based on real
speech-in-noise scenarios. The prototype will be clinically evaluated using speech quality and
intelligibility tests with hearing-impaired volunteers.