The HaH project researches and develops next generation assistive devices that allow the growing number of hearing-impaired - which predominantly includes the elderly - equal participation in communication and empowers them to play a full role in the information society.

HaH focuses on the needs of the hearing-impaired in home environments. Formerly separated devices like personal computer, hi-fi system, TV, digital camera, telephone, fax, intercom and services like internet access, VoIP, Personal

Information Management (PIM), pay TV and home automation grow together to be accessible via a TV set connected to a PC or set top box (STB) that implements interfaces to network gateways as well as to home automation services. The TV becomes the central Home Information and Communication (HIC) platform of the household in the communication society.

HaH researches and develops hearing support applications and integrates next generation assistive technologies into such a HIC-platform, connected to radio and TV antennas, a LAN network and TV screen, implemented on either PC, Embedded PC, or STB hardware. The HIC-platform will provide the hearing-impaired with easy to fit supportive audio signal processing (SASP) and visual support on the TV screen. Involving a minimum number of partners, the members of the HaH consortium completely cover the expertise to develop SASP technology with

• advanced audio preprocessing like signal classification, noise reduction, speech enhancement,
• easy to fit algorithms adequate to compensate for the hearing-impaired s individual hearing loss, and
• synthesized face expressions offering lip-reading support,
• fully integrated on the HIC-platform supporting the understanding of TV and radio programs,
• as well as Phone/VoIP conversations and in-house communication at the same time.
• Practicability of results and the consortiums proximity to the user group promise ensured and
• Europe-wide exploitation and dissemination of all outcomes.