Abstract: A method for collecting and storing sensor data (56, 64) of a hearing system (10) comprises: receiving the sensor data (56, 64) of at least one sensor (20, 32, 34) of a hearing device (12) of the hearing system (10), wherein the hearing device (12) is worn by a user; detecting a situation (72) of interest by classifying at least a part of the sensor data (56, 64) with a classifier (61) implemented in the hearing system (10); collecting the sensor data (56, 64), when the hearing system (10) is in a situation (72) of interest; and sending the collected sensor data (76) to a storage system (54) in data communication with the hearing system (10).

Abstract: An illustrative method is disclosed for determining potential partner devices for a hearing device worn by a user, wherein the hearing device is adapted for establishing a data communication connection with other devices with a data communication interface and for receiving an audio data stream from the other devices via the data communication interface. The method includes generating context data from sensor data recorded by the hearing device; inputting the context data into a machine learning algorithm, which has been trained with historical context data to classify potential partner devices; and outputting at least one classification by the machine learning algorithm, the classification classifying the potential partner devices and indicating whether the user expects a data communication connection with the potential partner devices.

Abstract: A hearing device including a shell to be worn at least in part in the ear canal and having an outer opening; a faceplate covering the outer opening of the shell and facing outwardly of the ear canal when the hearing device is worn in the ear canal; a transceiver configured to operate in an operating frequency range which is located within 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz; and a dipole antenna. The dipole antenna is integrated within the faceplate or at an outer surface of the faceplate in a manner so as to follow the contour of the outer surface of the faceplate to maximize radiation gain of the dipole antenna.

Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling access of a client to a service of a hearing instrument, the method comprising the steps of: requesting access of the client to the service of the hearing instrument by providing a client authenticator to the hearing instrument; authenticating the client based on a validation of the provided client authenticator by the hearing instrument; upon successful authentication, comparing a security level associated with the service requested by the client with a highest security level assigned to the client by the hearing instrument, wherein the security level is selected from a plurality of hierarchically structured security levels, and granting access of the client to the service of the hearing instrument, if the requested security level is below or equal to the highest security level assigned to the client.

Abstract: A cable for a hearing device is provided. The hearing device may have an in-the-canal part with a receiver and a behind-the-ear part with an electronic module. The cable may be adapted to connect the in-the-canal part and the behind-the-ear part. The cable may be a flexible printed circuit board having a plurality of conductor tracks. An end of the flexible printed circuit board is populated with at least one of a sensor, an LED and a push button.

Abstract: A hearing device includes a processor and a wireless transceiver operatively connected with the processor and configured to connect via a wireless link with a remote device and to exchange bi-directional audio packets with the remote device. The transmit power of the remote device is larger than the transmit power of the hearing device. The processor is configured to estimate the audio link packet error rate of the transmission via the wireless link, and generate a notification when the audio link packet error rate exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: An acoustic filter (100) comprises a filter housing (10) with an acoustic channel (11) and acoustic valve (20) in the channel. The acoustic valve (20) can be moved to along a trajectory (S) between positions (P1, P2). An actuator (30) is configured to actuate the acoustic valve (20) along the trajectory (S). The actuator (30) comprises one or more mechanical elements (31,32). The mechanical elements can move the acoustic valve (20) along at least an initial part of the trajectory. The actuator (30) comprises one or more magnetic elements (41, 42) with a magnetic field (M1,M2) configured to exert a magnetic force (Fm) on the acoustic valve (20). This may help to move the acoustic valve (20) to the second position (P2) along a final part of the trajectory and keep the acoustic valve (20) at the second position (P2). Accordingly the stroke of the valve can be enhanced.

Abstract: An exemplary system comprises a first and second hearing device associated with a first and second ear of a user, respectively. The first hearing device is configured to detect a first audio signal representative of audio content, generate a first intermediate signal representation (ISR) corresponding to the first audio signal, the first ISR comprising a sparsely-encoded non-audio signal having a complexity measure that is below a threshold, and transmit the first ISR to the second hearing device. The second hearing device is configured to detect a second audio signal representative of the audio content, generate a second ISR corresponding to the second audio signal, and transmit the second ISR to the first hearing device. The first hearing device is further configured to generate, based on the first and second ISRs, an output audio signal, and provide the output audio signal to the first ear of the user.

Abstract: Hearing device housing blanks and methods of making hearing device housings that store energy.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for avoidance of user discomfort due to pressure differences by vent valve. In one embodiment, a method for equalizing air pressure in ear canal includes sensing a pressure difference between a pressure in ear canal (PEC) and an ambient pressure (PAMB) by a sensor of a hearing device. Based on sensing the pressure difference, an active valve is set to a first position to open a vent through the hearing device or to a second position to close the vent through the hearing device.

Abstract: An illustrative method for estimating a direct-to-reverberant ratio of a sound signal is described, wherein the direct-to-reverberant ratio is indicative of a ratio between direct sound received from a sound source and reverberated sound received from reflections in an environment of the sound source. The method includes determining a first energy value of a sound signal for a first time frame; assigning to an onset value of the first time frame a positive value, if the difference of the first energy value of the first time frame and a second energy value of a preceding second time frame is greater than a threshold, and a zero value otherwise; and determining the direct-to-reverberant ratio by providing an onset signal comprising the onset value to a machine learning algorithm, which has been trained to determine the direct-to-reverberant ratio based on the onset signal.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to broadcasting encrypted data to multiple receiver devices, where some receiver devices have long-term access to the encrypted data and some receiver devices have a temporary access to the encrypted data. Receivers having long-term access are part of a “member group” because these member group devices have a master key and the master key enables the member group devices to derive the necessary information to decrypt the encrypted broadcast. In contrast, devices with temporary access possess only a guest key and not master key, without a master key the devices need to receive the guest key from another device to decrypt the broadcast. Access to the encrypted stream can also be based on broadcasting multiple or single diversifiers, where a diversifier can include group identification information to assist in restricting access to the encrypted stream.

Abstract: An automatic audio transcription method comprises: sending an audio stream and an identifier of the audio stream from a microphone device to an audio support server and to at least one hearing aid system comprising a hearing aid and a portable device connected to the hearing aid; playing the audio stream with the hearing aid; registering the at least one hearing aid system at the audio support server by sending the identifier from the hearing aid system to the audio support server; transcribing the audio stream into a text stream; sending the text stream from the audio support server to the portable device associated with the identifier of the audio stream; and displaying the text stream with the portable device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a hearing device housing including at least one opening. The method includes the steps of: designing a pre-model of the hearing device housing by 3D-modelling software, the pre-model including a protective structure covering the opening, the protective structure being prepared for removal; producing a preform of the hearing device housing based on the pre-model; and removing the protective structure thus providing the hearing device housing with the opening.

Abstract: There is provided a method of wirelessly connecting a communication device to other devices using a communication protocol, wherein the communication device searches for external devices known to the communication device by executing a search activity in which the search effort to be spent by the communication device increases with the number of known external devices to be searched, wherein the communication device adjusts the search effort spent on the search activity for each one of the external devices according to the relevance of that external device, with a higher relevance of the external device resulting in a higher search effort, and wherein the search effort is determined by at least one of the following parameters of the search activity: scheduling frequency, duty cycle and transmission power.

Abstract: An exemplary hearing device configured to be worn by a user includes a microphone and a processor. The microphone detects an audio signal. The processor is configured to determine that the audio signal includes own voice content representative of a voice of the user and determine that an environmental noise level within the audio signal is below a threshold The processor is further configured to apply, based on the environmental noise level being below the threshold, a biomarker feature analysis heuristic to the own voice content.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a volume modifier value; when the volume modifier value is in a soft sound emphasizer range, modifying a volume control curve by increasing a value of the volume control curve in a range below a reference value, the volume control curve defining how much a sound signal with a specific volume is amplified to a desired volume; when the volume modifier value is in a loud sound limiter range, modifying the volume control curve by increasing a value of the volume control curve in a range above a reference value; and applying the modified volume control curve to a sound processor of a hearing device, such that a sound signal processed by the hearing device and output by the hearing device to the user is amplified according to the modified volume control curve.

Abstract: A body-worn electronic device, including a loop antenna and a transmitter. The overall physical length of the loop antenna is less than 75% of the vacuum wavelength of a lower limit frequency of the operating frequency range of the transmitter, while the electrical length of the antenna is from 0.9 to 1.1 times the guided wavelength of the lower limit frequency of the operating frequency range of the transmitter. The loop antenna includes a plurality of conductors which are connected in series by inductors so as to increase the electrical length of the loop antenna.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for avoidance of user discomfort due to pressure differences by vent valve. In one embodiment, a method for equalizing air pressure in ear canal includes sensing a pressure difference between a pressure in ear canal (PEC) and an ambient pressure (PAMB) by a sensor of a hearing device. Based on sensing the pressure difference, an active valve is set to a first position to open a vent through the hearing device or to a second position to close the vent through the hearing device.