A mixed analog-digital hybrid for speech enhancement purposes

Abstract— This paper presents and evaluates a hybrid implementation of a low complexity algorithm for speech enhancement, the Adaptive Gain Equalizer (AGE). The AGE is a subband based time domain method for instantaneous boosting of speech. By combination of digital analysis and analog synthesis, main advantages of the digital domain and the analog domain are utilized. The hybrid solution is implemented on a printed circuit board and evaluated in real–time. The development time of the proposed solution was very short, the solution is flexible, robust, has high signal bandwidth in the signal chain and does not require a Voice Activity Detector (VAD). Furthermore, the solution is not restricted by quantization errors in the signal chain and does not require a high speed Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for analysis. Informal listening tests and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) measures verify excellent speech enhancement performance and quality.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: ISCAS
• Authors: Benny Sallberg, Mattias Dahl, Henrik Akesson, Ingvar Claesson
• Keywords: ISCAS 2005, Signal Chain, Solution, Speech Enhancement