18 Sep Back to Basics: Transient Noise Reduction
What is Transient Noise Reduction?
We’ve already discussed digital noise reduction, which helps reduce ongoing, droning-type noises such as fans. However, the digital noise reduciton system is not fast enough to handle certain transient sounds. For example, if someone drops a fork on the floor, that sound started and finished before the noise reduction system had time to process it. The handling of transient noise signals – such as glass breaking, newspaper rustling, or rattling silverware – however, exceeds the capacities of most systems.
Transient Noise Reduction applies sophisticated algorithms to identify transient noise as it surfaces only to then immediately suppress it; critical speech information is preserved.
What does it mean for the user?
Transient noise reduction helps the patient continue to hear important speech information despite the presence of sharp/loud sounds in the environment. For example, if the hearing aid user’s spouse was washing the dishes, the patient would be able to continue to hear the conversation and be comfortable listening to the dish noises. Or, if the user was sitting in a coffeeshop, the rustling of their neighbour’s newspaper would not be distracting.