A mobile SoC-based platform for evaluating hearing aid algorithms and architectures

Current research on audio signal processing algorithms for digital hearing aid devices is extremely pushing the performance demands. Nowadays, there is a trend of using several microphones in such systems (e.g., binaural systems) to improve the speech perception of a hearing impaired person. However, there is a lack of mobile platforms, capable of processing such algorithms in real-time. This paper presents a new mobile SoC-based evaluation and development platform (including a multi-channel audio extension board), specially thought not only for evaluating new hearing aid signal processing algorithms but also to develop new hardware co-processor architectures, that could be integrated in current hearing aid devices to improve their performance with a minimal extra energy consumption.