Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a local assistant system responding to voice input using an ear-wearable device. The system detects a wake-up signal and receives a first voice input communicating a first query content. The system includes speech recognition circuitry to determine the first query content, speech generation circuitry, and an input database of locally-handled user inputs. If the first audio input matches one of the locally-handled user inputs, then the system takes a local responsive action. If the first audio input does not match one of the locally-handled user inputs, then the system transmits at least a portion of the first query content over a wireless network to a network resource.

Abstract: A method, comprising receiving at least one sound at an electronic device. The at least one sound is enhanced for the at least one user based on a compound metric. The compound metric is calculated using at least two sound metrics selected from an engineering metric, a perceptual metric, and a physiological metric. The engineering metric comprises a difference between an output signal and a desired signal. At least one of the perceptual metric and the physiological metric is based at least in part on input sensed from the at least one user in response to the received at least one sound.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to devices and related systems and methods for motion sickness prevention and mitigation. In an embodiment, a method of preventing or mitigating motion sickness in a subject is included, the method tracking motion of the subject using a first motion sensor; estimating a vestibular system input based on tracked motion of the subject; tracking head position of the subject using the first motion sensor; estimating a visual system input based on tracked head position of the subject; estimating consistency between the vestibular system input and the visual system input; and initiating a responsive measure if the estimated consistency crosses a threshold value. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: A hearing system performs nonlinear processing of signals received from a plurality of microphones using a neural network to enhance a target signal in a noisy environment. In various embodiments, the neural network can be trained to improve a signal-to-noise ratio without causing substantial distortion of the target signal. An example of the target sound includes speech, and the neural network is used to improve speech intelligibility.

Abstract: A set of one or more processing circuits obtains eye movement-related eardrum oscillation (EMREO)-related measurements from one or more EMREO sensors of a hearing instrument. The EMREO sensors are located in an ear canal of a user of the hearing instrument and are configured to detect environmental signals of EMREOs of an eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument. The one or more processing circuits may perform an action based on the EMREO-related measurements.

Abstract: An antenna system for a wearable device comprises an antenna that includes a plurality of elements. The elements include an antenna element that comprises an electrically conductive material. The antenna also includes one or more feed points configured for operable coupling to a wireless transceiver. Additionally, the antenna includes a set of one or more switch units. For each respective switch unit of the set of switch units: the respective switch unit is connected to one or more elements of the respective switch unit in the plurality of elements, a flow of electrical current to the one or more elements connected to the respective switch unit is dependent on a switch state of the respective switch unit. A radiation characteristic of the antenna is dependent on the switch states of the switch units.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for artifact detection and tuning of a feedback canceller. A method includes detecting an artifact of a feedback canceller during operation of a hearing device. Artifact data associated with the detected artifact is stored in a memory of the hearing device, the artifact data including information related to the detected artifact and information related to the hearing device during occurrence of the detected artifact. Artifact statistics are computed based on the stored artifact data, and the artifact data and the artifact statistics are transmitted to an external device. Comparison data is received from the external device, including results of a comparison of artifact data or artifact statistics of the hearing device to artifact data or artifact statistics of other devices. Parameters of the hearing device are automatically adjusted based on the comparison data to improve performance of the feedback canceller.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatic correction of real ear measurements (REMs). A sound signal is produced through a receiver of a hearing device, and a sound pressure signal is sensed using a microphone placed inside the ear canal. The sound pressure signal is transformed to obtain a frequency response signal, a local minimum of the frequency response signal is detected above a programmable frequency level, and a spectral flatness of the frequency response signal is calculated in a selected frequency band surrounding the local minimum. If the spectral flatness is greater than a selected threshold value, acoustic correction is applied to the frequency response in the selected frequency band using an estimated transfer function to obtain a corrected sound pressure frequency response. The corrected sound pressure frequency response is used to modify, or make a recommendation to modify, a physical or operational characteristic of the hearing device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for providing a time-stamp based controller for synchronization of sink or source sampling rate with external packet rate. A method for wireless communications includes receiving a transmission of a packet using a wireless transceiver of an electronic device, and using a processor of the electronic device to read a first value of a system timer and store the first value as an arrival time-stamp. The packet is decoded and processed by the processor, and sent to an output. When the processed packet is sent, a second value of the system timer is read, adjusted and stored as a departure time-stamp. The arrival time-stamp and the departure time-stamp are used to calculate an adjustment stimulus for a sample rate actuator of the electronic device. The sample rate actuator is configured to maintain synchronization of sampling rate with an external packet rate.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable devices. In an embodiment, a hearing aid assembly is included having a housing with a top case and a bottom case. The housing defines an electronics cavity between the top case and the bottom case and a housing inlet between the bottom case and the top case. The hearing aid assembly can include an electronics assembly positioned within the electronics cavity, the electronics assembly defining a microphone inlet, wherein an acoustic passageway extends inward from the housing inlet to the microphone inlet. The electronics assembly includes a microphone, and the acoustic passageway includes a front trap portion located below the front microphone inlet. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: A system, such as an ear-wearable device or a hearing aid, can receive multiple audio signals representing a same audio content, can cross-correlate the multiple audio signals to determine relative delays between the audio signals, can apply the determined delays to at least one of the audio signals to form multiple synchronized audio signals, and can mix at least two of the synchronized audio signals in time-varying proportions to form an output audio signal. The system can optionally adjust the mix proportions, in real time, to increase or optimize the signal-to-noise ratio of the output audio signal. The system can optionally perform the cross-correlation repeatedly, at regular or irregular time intervals, to update the relative delays. The system can optionally divide the audio signals into frequency bands, and apply these operations to each frequency band, independent of the other frequency bands.

Abstract: An ear-worn electronic hearing device comprises an enclosure configured to be supported by, at, in or on an ear of the wearer. Electronic circuitry is disposed in the enclosure and comprises a wireless transceiver. An antenna is disposed in or on the enclosure and operably coupled to the wireless transceiver. The antenna has a physical size and comprises a plurality of cutouts disposed along a periphery of the antenna. The cutouts are configured to increase an electrical length of the antenna without an increase in the physical size of the antenna. The antenna can comprise at least one interior window having a window periphery. A plurality of window cutouts are disposed along the window periphery. The window cutouts are configured to increase a path length of current distribution along the window periphery.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a fall prediction system and method of using such system are disclosed. The system includes a hearing device for a user, a sensor operatively connected to the hearing device and adapted to detect a characteristic of the user and generate a sensor signal based on the characteristic, an accessory operatively connected to the hearing device, and a controller operatively connected to the hearing device. The controller is adapted to determine a fall risk value based on the sensor signal, compare the fall risk value to a fall risk threshold, and generate a fall prevention output if the fall risk value exceeds the fall risk threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-worn devices that can be used to locate other devices such as mobile electronic devices. In a first aspect, an ear-worn device is included having a control circuit, a microphone in electrical communication with the control circuit, an electroacoustic transducer for generating sound in electrical communication with the control circuit, a motion sensor in electrical communication with the control circuit, and a power supply circuit in electrical communication with the control circuit, wherein the ear-worn device is configured to issue a location command to a mobile electronic device and wherein the location command triggers the mobile electronic device to emit a locating signal. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Abstract: An ear-worn electronic device is configured to be worn by a wearer and comprises a wireless transceiver operably coupled to an antenna. The device is configured to transmit, from the transceiver to the antenna, signals at a plurality of different frequencies in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence. The device is configured collect two-dimensional (2-D) reflection coefficient data comprising a reflection coefficient of the antenna as a function of frequency and of time in response to transmission of the signals. The device is configured to detect a particular input gesture of a plurality of input gestures of the wearer using the 2-D reflection coefficient data, and implement a predetermined function of the ear-worn electronic device in response to detecting the particular input gesture.

Abstract: A system and method of automatic transcription using a visual display device and an ear-wearable device. The system is configured to process an input audio signal at the display device to identify a first voice signal and a second voice signal from the input audio signal. A representation of the first voice signal and the second voice signal can be displayed on the display device and input can be received comprising the user selecting one of the first voice signal and the second voice signal as a selected voice signal. The system is configured to convert the selected voice signal to text data and display a transcript on the display device. The system can further generate an output signal sound at the first transducer of the ear-wearable device based on the input audio signal.

Abstract: A hearing aid comprising a microphone, a receiver, hearing aid electronics coupled to the microphone and the receiver, and conductive traces overlaying an insulator, the conductive traces configured to interconnect the hearing aid electronics and to follow non-planar contours of the insulator. Examples are provided wherein the insulator includes a hearing aid housing.

Abstract: An ear-worn electronic device comprises a housing configured to be supported by, at, in or on an ear of a wearer. Electronic circuitry is disposed in the housing and comprises a processor. A power source and a receiver or a speaker are respectively disposed in or on the housing. A microphone array is disposed in or on the housing and operatively coupled to the electronic circuitry. The microphone array comprises a plurality of microphones. The processor is configured to operate a set of two or more of the microphones in a directional mode, detect degradation in performance of any microphone of the microphone set, and switch microphone operation from the directional mode to a safe mode using at least one non-degraded microphone of the microphone set in response to detecting the microphone performance degradation.

Abstract: An ear-wearable electronic device includes aa shell having a uniquely-shaped outer surface that corresponds uniquely to an ear geometry of a user of the ear-wearable device. The device includes a mounting structure that is formed contiguously with the shell and intersects an inner surface of the shell. The mounting structure includes a mounting surface operable to fixably mount an interchangeable device to the shell. The mounting structure defines a void that extends from the inner surface to the outer surface of the shell. The mounting structure has a reference feature that is positioned relative to the outer surface of the shell such that the interchangeable device is located at a target orientation relative to the outer surface.