• Educational Technology International
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.49-71
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• 2017

The purpose of the study was to identify key design features of virtual reality with head-mounted displays (HMD) and touchless interface for the hearing-impaired and hard-of-hearing learners. The virtual reality based training program was aimed to help hearing-impaired learners in machine operating learning, which requires spatial understanding to operate. We developed an immersive virtual learning environment prototype with an HMD (Oculus Rift) and a touchless natural user interface (Leap Motion) to identify the key design features required to enhance virtual reality for the hearing-impaired and hard-of-hearing learners. Two usability tests of the prototype were conducted, which revealed that several features in the system need revision and that the technology presents an enormous potential to help hearing-impaired learners by providing realistic and immersive learning experiences. After the usability tests of hearing-impaired students' exploring the 3D virtual space, interviews were conducted, which also established that further revision of the system is needed, which would take into account the learners' physical as well as cognitive characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.105-111
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• 2014

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) refer to various types of amplification equipment designed to improve the communication of individuals with hard of hearing to enhance the accessibility to speech signal when individual hearing instruments are not sufficient. There are many types of ALDs to overcome a triangle of speech to noise ratio (SNR) problems, noise, distance, and reverberation. ALDs vary in their internal electronic mechanisms ranging from simple hard-wire microphone-amplifier units to more sophisticated broadcasting systems. They usually use microphones to capture an audio source and broadcast it wirelessly over a frequency modulation (FM), infra-red, induction loop, or other transmission techniques. The seven types of ALDs are introduced including hardwire devices, FM sound system, infra-red sound system, induction loop system, telephone listening devices, television, and alert/alarm system. Further development of digital wireless technology in hearing instruments will make possible direct communication with ALDs without any accessories in the near future. There are two technology solutions for digital wireless hearing instruments improving SNR and convenience. One is near-field magnetic induction combined with Bluetooth radio frequency (RF) transmission or proprietary RF transmission and the other is proprietary RF transmission alone. Recently launched digital wireless hearing aid applying this new technology can communicate from the hearing instrument to personal computer, phones, Wi-Fi, alert systems, and ALDs via iPhone, iPad, and iPod. However, it comes with its own iOS application offering a range of features but there is no option for Android users as of this moment.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.359-367
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• 2022

Arabic skills are the tools by which children are prepared for the educational procedures on which their life depends. Deaf and hard of hearing students (DHH), must be able to grasp the same Arabic terms as hearing students and their different meanings in a context of different sentences less than what they are supposed to be due to their inability. However, problems arise in the same Arabic word and their different meanings in a context for (DHH) students since the way of comprehending such words does not meet the needs and circumstances of (DHH) students. Therefore, researchers introduce web-based method for Arabic words and their meanings in a context prototype that can overcome those problems. Methodology: The study sample consists of 30 (DHH) students at Al Amal City of Palestine, Gaza Region (GR). Those participants that agreed to take part in this study were recruited using a purposeful sampling method. Additionally, to examine the survey information descriptively, the Statistical Packages for social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 was used. A sign language teaching movie is utilized in the prototype to standardize the process and verify that Arabic vocabulary and their implications are comprehended. The Evolutionary Process Model of Prototype technique was utilized to create this system. Finding: The findings of this study show that the prototype built is workable and has the ability to help DHHS differentiate between phrases that have the same letters but distinct meanings. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to a better understanding and application of Development of Web-based Arabic Assessments for (DHH) Students in developing countries, which will help to increase the use of Development of Web-based Arabic for (HDD) students in those countries. The empirical models of Web-based Arabic for (DHH) students are established as a proof of concept for the proposed model. The results of this study are predicted to have a significant impact to the information system practitioners and to the body of knowledge.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2017

The sound we hear is transmitted through the atmosphere. However, both the sound we want to hear and the surrounding sound are mixed, and noise is generated, and the sound is not clearly transmitted due to factors such as distance. In particular, in closed spaces like buildings, it is often difficult to hear sounds from outside because of the sound of reflection. People with hearing impairments, such as the elderly and the deaf, have a hard time hearing the sounds they want to hear. Thus, we are developing a hearing aid that can detect radio waves. To this end, we propose the development of a hearing aid that uses FM radio and Bluetooth. These devices are expected to be useful not only for the elderly and the deaf but also in situations where information is transmitted to a large number of people, such as students and tourists, in a large space. The main purpose of this device is to enable users to hear sound correctly without blind spots.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.04a
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• pp.141-142
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• 2008

Hearing loss is the most common birth defect among infants. Yet most hearing-impaired children are not identified until 1 to 3 years of age - which is well beyond the critical period(6 month) for healthy speech and language development. However, if a hearing-impairment is identified and treated in its early stages, child's speech and language skills will be comparable to his or her normal- hearing peers. For these reasons, hearing screening at birth and routinely throughout childhood is extremely important. Auditory brain-stem response(ABR) is nowadays one of the most reliable diagnostic tools in the early detection of hard of hearing. In this study, we developed the system that detects auditory evoked potential using micro-processor. Furthermore, it is required to develop a portable system to measure in not only soundproof room but also nursery for infants.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.376-383
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• 2006

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHS), the well-known occupational disease, is caused by continuous excessive noise. The prevention of NIHS is very important, because it is unrecoverable. There are some kinds of hearing protection device (HPD), and those are effective in preventing NIHS. But workers in noisy environment often resist to wearing them. Because they are ready - made products, so workers feel uncomfortable to wear. Also, they didn't maintain the conversation frequency range, so workers are hard to communicate in wearing them. To prevent hearing loss effectively, it is important that workers keep wearing HPD. Therefore, a HPD is needed to be comfortable to wear and be effective not only in hearing protection but also in preserving communication ability. So we proposed a custom - made hearing protection device in which a small acoustic filter is inserted. We designed several kinds of small acoustic filters and carried out some acoustic experiments for measuring characteristics of filters. We confirmed that acoustic transmission characteristic can be adjusted from experimental results using designed small acoustic filters. And we researched for the actual efficiency of a new developed custom - made hearing protection device using a small size acoustic filter. Also, we found out that workers are more satisfied with the new development than a former protection device from a workers' response.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2016

The purpose of the study is to identify the accessibility of OpenCouresWare(OCW) from the perspective of college students with visual and hearing impairments. Six students with visual impairments(3 blind and 3 low vision) and four students with hearing impairments(2 deaf, 2 hard of hearing) implemented usability testing. Two modules in KOCW were selected for testing. Students implemented usability testing and then each individual case was analyzed through quantitative and qualitative methods. As results, the degree of usability and accessibility in two modules indicated low level. Implications and recommendations for designing OCW module based on the results were suggested.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.47-55
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• 1999

Recently, noise from personal cassette players (PCP) poses growing concerns together with occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Eighteen male and female volunteer subjects participated to determine preferred noise levels for PCP usage before, during, and after 2-hour subway riding according to sources (types) of PCP listening (language/news, soft music, and hard music). Audiometric tests were conducted before and after the 2-hour exposure of PCP noise under subway riding. Statistical analyses showed some significant hearing losses with the greatest loss of more than 6 dB at 4000 Hz for both ears, indicating that serious noise-induced hearing loss would potentially occurred due to prolonged use of PCPs. Practical safety countermeasures against PCP noise are further discussed.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 2022

This study attempted to analyze the consonant perception ability and errors and to verify compatibility items for hearing impaired children wearing hearing aids and cochlear implants using the Phoneme Perception Test for School-Aged children (PPT-S). As a result of the study, it was found that children with hearing impairments have more difficulty in perceiving final consonants than initial consonants. The hard type of PPT-S, in which the articulation method and articulation place of the target and foil words are similar, felt more difficult than the easy type. Among the initial consonants, the incorrect response rate for aspiration sound was higher. In the case of final consonants, the incorrect answer rate for 'ㄷ' and 'ㅁ' was relatively higher. There was no significant difference in the percentage of correct response rate according to the gender of the speaker. The above results can be usefully used as basic data for standardizing of PPT-S and evaluating the intervention effects before and after hearing rehabilitation with hearing impaired children.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.62-71
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• 2009

In this study, we developed a wireless CROS(contralateral routing of signal) hearing aid for unilateral impaired people. CROS hearing aid takes sound from an ear with poorer hearing and transmit to another ear with better hearing. Generally, the self-voice delivered through the receiver of CROS hearing aid can be very loud. It is hard to perceive target speech because of loud self-voice. To compensate it, a self-voice suppression algorithm has been developed. we performed SDT(speech discrimination test) for evaluation of the self-voice suppression algorithm. One-syllable words was used as test speech and recorded with self-voice at a 1m distance. As the results, SDT score was improved about 11% when the self-voice suppression algorithm was processed. It is verified that the self-voice suppression algorithm helps speech perception at a time to communicate with others.