Audio Spatial Awareness Device

One in eight people in the United States (aged 12 and older) has hearing loss in both ears. This population has no way of being alerted to outside sirens such as ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars, which can be hazardous when in public spaces. This can lead to decreased safety in outdoor environments. We have set out to create a device that will help these individuals experience day-to-day activities more safely.

To find a solution to this issue, this device will utilize a computational-based algorithm to detect sound recognition patterns in the three sounds. The incoming sound source will be recognized by the device via computational template matching, and will then recognize directionality based on loudness per each microphone. The user will then be notified via vibrational and visual alerts so they can find the sound source in a safe manner.

[1] 14 Hearing Loss Facts [Infographic]. CapTel, CapTel, 12 July 2019, https://www.captel.com/2018/08/hearing-loss-facts-infographic/.