Tom Weidner

Programmable hearing aid device and method for operating a programmable hearing aid device

In a programmable hearing aid device, keys are provided for enabling and/or disenabling functions, performance features or programmable adjustments. Hardware keys and software keys are used in order to prevent an inexpert, defective or unauthorized usage of the hearing aid device.

Method for feedback recognition in a hearing aid and a hearing aid operating according to the method

In a method for feedback recognition in a hearing aid and a hearing aid operating according to the method, a frequency band is defined, a first signal level in the frequency band is determined, the signal on a signal transmission path of the hearing aid is attenuated, and a second signal level of the attenuated signal in the frequency band is determined, and feedback is recognized on the basis of the identified first and second signal levels.

Head-worn hearing aid with suppression of oscillations affecting the amplifier and transmission stage

A head-worn hearing aid has a housing composed of two mating shells which contain components including at least one signal receiver, an amplifier and transmission stage, an earphone and a battery. The hearing aid also has formed parts of elastic material disposed in the housing shells, these formed parts lying against the amplifier and transmission stage at both sides when the housing equipped with the device parts is closed, and filling the interspace between the amplifier and transmission stage and the interior surfaces of the housing shells, and holding the amplifier and transmission state in place in the housing.

OPDIMA: large-area CCD-based x-ray image sensor for spot imaging and biopsy control in mammography

The detection characteristics of digital x-ray and film-screen mammography systems are different and thus current film-screen techniques are not ideal for digital mammography. Therefore optimum technical parameters required for digital mammography are likely to be different compared with film-screen mammography. The goal of this study is to evaluate the optimum technical parameters for full-field digital mammography by experimental and computer simulation methods. A General Electric Full Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) prototype unit using Cesium Iodide (CsI) on an amorphous Silicon photodiode array was used for the experimental measurements. Using breast equivalent phantoms, images were acquired for a set of x-ray target-filters for a range of peak kilovoltage, varying breast composition and thickness, with and without an anti-scatter grid. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and figure-of-merit (FOM) were determined for simulated calcification and mass targets, independently by the two methods. The results for noise, contrast, SNR and FOM were compared and agree within 5% and 6% respectively. Combined results are presented for the case of 50% glandular - 50% adipose tissue breast composition using the grid and for the calcification target. Based on the FOM approach, preliminary results suggest that a Rhodium target-filter combination will be beneficial for higher breast thickness and for denser breasts.

Hearing aid with an oscillation detector, and method for detecting feedback in a hearing aid

In a hearing aid having an oscillation detector and a method for establishing the presence of oscillations in a hearing aid, sinusoidal input signals of the microphone can be detected, and so oscillations that are present can also be detected. To this end, the number of digitized sample values in consecutive periods of the input signal is determined, and a long-term average value NL and a short-term average value NK are formed from these numbers. When NL and NK are essentially identical, the presence of oscillations is detected.