Implementation of a binaural localization algorithm in hearing aids: Specifications and achievable solutions

This article introduces the constraints and issues related to the implementation of a binaural localization algorithm on a pair of hearing aids. The algorithm should improve the rendering of the spatial information available in the audio signals, which are usually distorted by the signal processing algorithms in the hearing devices, thus degrading localization cues. First, several reported algorithms achieving binaural sound localization in the frontal horizontal plane are reviewed. The way in which the standard methods and processes could be used within the context of hearing aids is then discussed. Finally, a solution that is suitable for a certain type of systems is proposed.