Affiliations: Division for the Hearing Impaired, Tsukuba College of Technology, 4-3-15, Amakubo, Tsukuba, 305, Japan. Tel.: + 81 0298 58 9407; E-mail: ohnuma@a.tsukuba-tech.ac.jp
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author.
Abstract: We have newly developed a compact (38 cm width) and directivity controlled loudspeaker system, which can be placed on a TV set. It amplifies sounds in the 2000 to 6000 Hz range up to 15 dB in a horizontal direction angle of at least thirty degrees. A speech intelligibility test was administered to 28 people with slight hearing impairments. The enhanced speaker system improved the sound receptivity of those persons who have slight difficulty hearing sound in the 2000 to 6000 Hz range. The sound field amplification system effectively compensates for the hearing impairments of persons who do not yet need hearing aids but tend to turn up the TV volume for better sound receptivity.
Keywords: TV sound field amplification, directivity controlled loudspeaker system, hearing impairment, hearing compensation, older adults
