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A tinnitus method and device for providing relief to a person suffering from the disturbing effects of tinnitus is described. The method can be implemented entirely in software to spectrally modify an audio signal in accordance with a predetermined masking algorithm which modifies the intensity of t

A tinnitus method and device for providing relief to a person suffering from the disturbing effects of tinnitus is described. The method can be implemented entirely in software to spectrally modify an audio signal in accordance with a predetermined masking algorithm which modifies the intensity of the audio signal at selected frequencies. A predetermined masking algorithm is described which provides intermittent masking of the tinnitus wherein, at a comfortable listening level, during peaks of the audio signal the tinnitus is completely obscured, whereas during troughs the perception of the tinnitus occasionally emerges. In practice it has been found that such intermittent masking provides an immediate sense of relief, control and relaxation for the person, whilst enabling sufficient perception of the tinnitus for habituation and long term treatment to occur. Advantageously the predetermined masking algorithm is specifically tailored to the audiometric configuration of the person. For example, the masking algorithm may be partly tailored to the hearing loss characteristic of the person. A tinnitus rehabilitation device used in conjunction with a personal sound reproducing system is also described.

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A tinnitus method and device for providing relief to a person suffering from the disturbing effects of tinnitus is described. The method can be implemented entirely in software to spectrally modify an audio signal in accordance with a predetermined masking algorithm which modifies the intensity of t

A tinnitus method and device for providing relief to a person suffering from the disturbing effects of tinnitus is described. The method can be implemented entirely in software to spectrally modify an audio signal in accordance with a predetermined masking algorithm which modifies the intensity of the audio signal at selected frequencies. A predetermined masking algorithm is described which provides intermittent masking of the tinnitus wherein, at a comfortable listening level, during peaks of the audio signal the tinnitus is completely obscured, whereas during troughs the perception of the tinnitus occasionally emerges. In practice it has been found that such intermittent masking provides an immediate sense of relief, control and relaxation for the person, whilst enabling sufficient perception of the tinnitus for habituation and long term treatment to occur. Advantageously the predetermined masking algorithm is specifically tailored to the audiometric configuration of the person. For example, the masking algorithm may be partly tailored to the hearing loss characteristic of the person. A tinnitus rehabilitation device used in conjunction with a personal sound reproducing system is also described. r and at least one of said planet pinion gears and the mesh between at least one of said planet pinion gears and said ring gear within said system; and a mesh stiffness variation reducing modification is applied to said plurality of teeth on at least one of said sun gear, said ring gear or said planet pinion gears. 13. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein said contact ratio is the same for all gear meshes within said gear system. 14. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein each of said teeth of said planet pinion gears are comprised of two flanks and the same mesh stiffness variation reducing modification is applied to both flanks of each of said teeth of at least one of said planet pinion gears. 15. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein a mesh stiffness variation reducing modification is applied to said teeth of said ring gear and said sun gear. 16. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein mesh stiffness variation reducing modifications are applied to said teeth of said ring gear, said sun gear and said planet pinion gears. 17. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein the contact ratio of each gear mesh within said epicyclic gear system is no more than 3 per cent different than the contact ratio for other gear meshes within said epicyclic gear system. 18. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein the contact ratio of each gear mesh within said epicyclic gear system is no more than 1 per cent different than the contact ratio for other gear meshes within said epicyclic system. 19. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein said mesh stiffness variation reducing modification comprises Differential Crowning. 20. The epicyclic gear system of claim 12 wherein said mesh stiffness variation reducing modification comprises Variable Face Width Gearing. 21. A plurality of interchangeable gears wherein the contact ratio of the mesh between one of said interchangeable gears and any other of said interchangeable gears is substantially the same and at least one of said gears in mesh has a mesh stiffness variation reducing modification applied to its teeth. 22. The plurality of interchangeable gears of claim 21 wherein said plurality of interchangeable gears comprise stock gears. 23. The plurality of interchangeable gears of claim 21 wherein said contact ratio does not vary more than 3 per cent between meshes between said interchangeable gears. 24. The plurality of interchangeable gears of claim 21 wherein said mesh stiffness variation reducing modification comprises Differential Crowning. 25. The plurality of interchangeable gears of claim 21 wherein said mesh stiffness variation reducing modification comprises Variable Face Width Gearing. 26. A method for designing a gear system comprising at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, said method comprising: (a) determining the required operating conditions of said gear system and the desired stress and contact pressure characteristics of said gear system; (b) determining the configuration of the system and specifying the number of gears, the number of teeth for all of said gears, and the spacing of said gears within said system to achieve the required operating characteristics; (c) selecting a contact ratio such that it can be substantially achieved on all gear meshes within said gear system; (d) calculating and iterating the gear tooth dimensions for each of said gear meshes such that the contact ratio is maintained; (e) selecting a system of mesh stiffness variation reducing modifications such that the mesh stiffness variation is substantially reduced for each of said meshes over the range of operating loads of said gear system; and (e) iterating and modifying further said gears and said gear system as necessary to achieve said desired stress and contact pressure characteristics. 27. A method as in claim 26 wherein a contact ratio is chosen that can be maintained within 3 p er cent on all gear meshes within said gear system. 28. A method as in claim 26 wherein a contact ratio is chosen that can be maintained within 1 per cent on all gear meshes within said gear system. 29. A method as in claim 26 wherein a system of mesh stiffness variation reducing modifications comprising Differential Crowning is selected. 30. A method as in claim 26 wherein a system of mesh stiffness variation reducing modifications comprising Variable Face Width Gearing is selected. 31. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein; each of said gears comprises a plurality of teeth; the contact ratio is substantially equal for each gear mesh within said system; and at least one of said gears has at least one of its said plurality of teeth modified such that the mesh stiffness does not substantially vary. 32. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein; each of said gears comprises a plurality of teeth; the contact ratio is substantially equal for each gear mesh within said system; and at least one of said gears has at least one of its said plurality of teeth modified such that the elastic tooth pair stiffness characteristic is modified. 33. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein; each of said gears comprises a plurality of teeth; the contact ratio is substantially equal for each gear mesh within said system; and at least one of said gears has at least one of its said teeth modified such that the elastic tooth pair stiffness characteristic is modified and the mesh stiffness does not substantially vary. 34. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein the dynamic increment of load for each gear mesh within said gear system is reduced by making the contact ratio for each of said gear meshes substantially equal and by making mesh stiffness variation reduction modifications to at least one of said gears. 35. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein: each of said gears comprises a plurality of teeth; the contact ratio is substantially equal for at least two gear meshes within said gear system; and at least one of said gears has a mesh stiffness variation reducing modification applied to at least one of its said teeth such that noise from meshing of the gears is reduced due to a reduction of mesh stiffness variation. 36. A multi-mesh gear system comprising. at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein: each of said gears comprises a plurality of teeth; the contact ratio is substantially equal for at least two gear meshes within said gear system; and at least one of said gears has a mesh stiffness variation reducing modification applied to at least one of its said teeth such that torque capacity of said gear system is increased. 37. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears, wherein at least one of said gears is in mesh with at least two other of said gears, wherein: each of said gears comprises a plurality of teeth; the contact ratio is substantially equal for at least two gear meshes within said gear system; and at least one of said gears has a mesh stiffness variation reducing modification applied to at least one system is increased. 38. A multi-mesh gear system comprising: at least three gears in which one gear is in mesh with at least two other gears; wherein each of said gears has a plurality or teeth; and in which noise due to the meshing of said gears has been reduced due to application of mess stiffness variation reduction modifications to at least one of said teeth of at least one of said gears and the contact ratios of at least two of gear meshes within said gear system are made to be substantially equal. 19, wherein at least some of the powdery fillers comprise carbon. 28. The roll of claim 19, wherein the powdery fillers comprise a material that has a higher thermal conductivity than that of the elastic matrix material. 29. The roll of claim 19, wherein the powdery fillers are uniformly distributed in the elastic matrix material. 30. A method of making a roll for smoothing a web which includes a hard roll core, an elastic covering layer arranged on an outside surface of the hard roll core, the elastic covering layer comprising an elastic matrix material and fibers embedded in the elastic matrix material, and at least some of the fibers comprising a diameter which is less than 800 nm, the method comprising: introducing the fibers into the elastic matrix material to form the elastic covering layer; introducing powdery fillers into the elastic matrix material; and coupling the elastic covering layer with the hard roll core, wherein a surface of the elastic covering layer has an extremely high smoothness defined by an Ra value of less than around 0.6 μm. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein at least some of the powdery fillers comprise at least one outer dimension which is smaller than 1 μm. 32. The method of claim 30, further comprising forming the elastic covering layer with a thickness of between 3 mm and 20 mm. 33. The method of claim 30, further comprising forming the elastic covering layer on the hard roll core by one of an injection method, a casting method and a winding method. 34. The method of claim 30, further comprising forming the elastic covering layer on the hard roll core by one of an injection method, a casting method and a winding method. 35. The method of claim 30, further comprising applying the fibers and the elastic matrix material onto the hard roll core. 36. The method of claims 30, further comprising applying the fibers, the powdery fillers, and the elastic matrix material onto the hard roll core. 37. The method of claim 30, wherein the roll comprises a length of between 3 meters and 12 meters. 38. The method of claim 30, wherein the roll comprises a diameter of between 450 millimeters and 1500 millimeters. 39. The method of claim 30, wherein the roll can withstand line forces of up to 600 N/mm and compressive stresses of up to 130 N/mm2. 40. A roll for smoothing a web comprising: a hard roll core; an elastic covering layer arranged on an outside surface of the hard roll core; the elastic covering layer comprising an elastic matrix material and each of fibers and fillers embedded in the elastic matrix material; at least some of the fibers comprising a diameter which is less than 800 nm; and at least some of the fillers comprising at least one outer dimension which is less than 1 μm, wherein a surface of the elastic covering layer has an Ra value of less than around 0.6 μm. 41. The roll of claim 40, wherein the roll comprises a length of between 3 meters and 12 meters. 42. The roll of claim 40, wherein the roll comprises a diameter of between 450 millimeters and 1500 millimeters. 43. The roll of claim 40, wherein the roll can withstand line forces of up to 600 N/mm and compressive stresses of up to 130 N/mm2.