Biomimetic direction of arrival estimation for resolving front-back confusions in hearing aids

Sound sources at the same angle in front or behind a two-microphone array (e.g., bilateral hearing aids) produce the same time delay and two estimates for the direction of arrival: A front-back confusion. The auditory system can resolve this issue using head movements. To resolve front-back confusion for hearing-aid algorithms, head movement was measured using an inertial sensor. Successive time-delay estimates between the microphones are shifted clockwise and counterclockwise by the head movement between estimates and aggregated in two histograms. The histogram with the largest peak after multiple estimates predicted the correct hemifield for the source, eliminating the front-back confusions

Multichannel parametric speech enhancement

We present a parametric model-based multichannel approach for speech enhancement. By employing an autoregressive model for the speech signal and using a trained codebook of speech linear predictive coefficients, minimum mean square error estimation of the speech signal is performed. By explicitly accounting for steering errors in the signal model, robust estimates are obtained. Experiments show that the proposed method results in significant performance gains

Multichannel parametric speech enhancement

We present a parametric model-based multichannel approach for speech enhancement. By employing an autoregressive model for the speech signal and using a trained codebook of speech linear predictive coefficients, minimum mean square error estimation of the speech signal is performed. By explicitly accounting for steering errors in the signal model, robust estimates are obtained. Experiments show that the proposed method results in significant performance gains

IPPI - Integrierte Produkt- und Prozessinnovation - aktuell 3: Analysen, Instrumente, Methoden

Available from TIB Hannover: QN 290(3) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Achieving Positive Hospitality Experiences through Technology: Findings from Singapore and Malaysia

Customers’ experience is one of the most impactful factors in the tourism industry. Only by offering customers an excellent experience is it possible to build and ensure long-term customer loyalty. In today’s world, technology plays a key role in providing customers with an excellent customer experience. This study has the objective of analyzing how a positive customer experience can be achieved, and which technologies are necessary to ensure this. Results were collected through a literature review, and qualitative interviews with managers of selected hotels, as well as of attractions in Malaysia and Singapore. The analysis of these hotels and attractions is based on a set of criteria to determine the extent of the adoption of the new standards that contribute to positive online customer experiences. As a conclusion, different perspectives are compared, and positive and negative aspects of the use of modern technologies in the tourism industry are specified and discussed