Objectif The OSCAR project aims to develop and evaluate a novel acoustic and vibrotactile speech analysing hearing aid that is adaptable to the needs and sensory abilities of a wide range of the severely, profoundly and totally hearing disabled population.Modern technological support will be provided for the severely, profoundly and totally hearing disabled population in Europe in three vital areas. First, by the development of a family of innovative wearable DSP-based [digital signal processing] demonstrator prostheses which optimally meet the communication needs of the disabled individual by the best use of uni- or bi-modal stimulation of the auditory and tactile senses. Second, in building on the progress of the TIDE project STRIDE, by the utilisation of new speech selective analysis methods to extract essential speech information in noisy, and reverberant, environments combined with psychophysically determined methods for the matching of information to residual sensory ability. Third, by the introduction of an integrated set of poly-language and language independent tools for assessment and training designed to be implemented via a common workstation.Technical Approach : The main technical elements relate to a process of selective information reduction and the matching of key speech elements to residual auditory and tactile sensory ability. The OSCAR demonstrator comprises a speech processor using state-of-art digital signal processing technology, with interfaces to both acoustic and multiple tactile transducers. The inherent flexibility of the demonstrator allows the choice of analysis and matching approaches according to the individual needs and abilities of a range of hearing disabled users.Impact and Expected Results : The work addresses a core population of 200,000 severely and profoundly deafened people in Europe who do not benefit substantially from current aids. World-wide, the potential size of the market is disproportionately greater since more than half the globe's inhabitants are tone language speakers who in the case of extreme deafness are even more difficult to understand. This inherently heterogeneous population is currently served by a diversity of specialised aids. The OSCAR demonstrator is planned as the fore-runner of a truly versatile product which can meet the needs of many, and so allow economies of scale in both manufacture and individual fitting. The availability of common tools for quantitative assessment which can be used across languages is also important in the development of a single market for the severely and profoundly hearing disabled. Such tools will lead to a reduction of the present fragmentation and support for a more unified approach to aid provision. Programme(s) HS-TIDE 1 - Technology initiative (EEC) for disabled and elderly people (TIDE), 1993-1994 Thème(s) 5.5 - Hearing enhancement Appel à propositions Data not available Régime de financement CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinateur University College London Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Wolfson House 4 Stephenson Way NW1 2HE London Royaume-Uni Voir sur la carte Liens Site web Opens in new window Coût total Aucune donnée Participants (7) Trier par ordre alphabétique Trier par contribution de l’UE Tout développer Tout réduire CCA France Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) France Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Aix Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Instituut voor Doven Pays-Bas Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse St. Michielsgestel Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée KTH Suède Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Laryngograph Ltd Royaume-Uni Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse 1 Foudry Mews Tomers Square NW1 2PE London Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée Oticon A/S Danemark Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée University Hospital Utrecht Pays-Bas Contribution de l’UE Aucune donnée Adresse Voir sur la carte Coût total Aucune donnée
