Nonlinear Cochlear Signal Processing and Masking in Speech Perception

2008 ◽  
pp. 27-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jont B. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Signal Processing ◽  
Speech Perception

scholarly journals Listener Performance with a Novel Hearing Aid Frequency Lowering Technique

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (09) ◽  
pp. 810-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Kirby ◽  
Judy G. Kopun ◽  
Meredith Spratford ◽  
Clairissa M. Mollak ◽  
Marc A. Brennan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Signal Processing ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Sound Quality ◽  
Processing Strategy ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
At Home

AbstractSloping hearing loss imposes limits on audibility for high-frequency sounds in many hearing aid users. Signal processing algorithms that shift high-frequency sounds to lower frequencies have been introduced in hearing aids to address this challenge by improving audibility of high-frequency sounds.This study examined speech perception performance, listening effort, and subjective sound quality ratings with conventional hearing aid processing and a new frequency-lowering signal processing strategy called frequency composition (FC) in adults and children.Participants wore the study hearing aids in two signal processing conditions (conventional processing versus FC) at an initial laboratory visit and subsequently at home during two approximately six-week long trials, with the order of conditions counterbalanced across individuals in a double-blind paradigm.Children (N = 12, 7 females, mean age in years = 12.0, SD = 3.0) and adults (N = 12, 6 females, mean age in years = 56.2, SD = 17.6) with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who were full-time hearing aid users.Individual performance with each type of processing was assessed using speech perception tasks, a measure of listening effort, and subjective sound quality surveys at an initial visit. At the conclusion of each subsequent at-home trial, participants were retested in the laboratory. Linear mixed effects analyses were completed for each outcome measure with signal processing condition, age group, visit (prehome versus posthome trial), and measures of aided audibility as predictors.Overall, there were few significant differences in speech perception, listening effort, or subjective sound quality between FC and conventional processing, effects of listener age, or longitudinal changes in performance. Listeners preferred FC to conventional processing on one of six subjective sound quality metrics. Better speech perception performance was consistently related to higher aided audibility.These results indicate that when high-frequency speech sounds are made audible with conventional processing, speech recognition ability and listening effort are similar between conventional processing and FC. Despite the lack of benefit to speech perception, some listeners still preferred FC, suggesting that qualitative measures should be considered when evaluating candidacy for this signal processing strategy.

Clinical Outcomes of the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 Cochlear Implant System and SmartSound™ 2 Signal Processing

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (06) ◽  
pp. 425-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina L. Runge ◽  
Kathryn Henion ◽  
Sergey Tarima ◽  
Anne Beiter ◽  
Teresa A. Zwolan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
United States ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Signal Processing ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hearing In Noise ◽  
Noise Test ◽  
Listening In Noise

Background: While published data exist regarding cochlear implant (CI) outcomes from large academic programs, evidence of benefit based on national, multicenter clinical trials is needed for information regarding typical patient outcomes of devices implanted by U.S. centers representing larger academic to smaller hospital-based programs. Purpose: This nationwide trial evaluated outcomes in a group of newly implanted adult recipients of the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 5 CI system and SmartSound™ 2 signal processing. Unlike previous clinical trials, the AzBio sentence test was used and represents recent transition in our field to use of more challenging test materials. It was hypothesized that (1) speech perception scores in quiet with SmartSound™ 2 signal processing would not be statistically different from previous-generation devices; (2) speech perception scores in noise with SmartSound™ 2 signal processing would be better with enhanced microphone directionality; (3) speech perception scores in noise will be better with the preferred SmartSound™ 2 program for listening in noise; and (4) cochlear implantation would improve quality of life as assessed by the updated Health Utility Index Mark 3 (HUI3). A secondary purpose was to examine the relationships among the current and previously used speech perception tests of the Minimum Speech Test Battery (MSTB). It was hypothesized that speech perception scores within the same test interval would show predictive relationships. Research Design: Prospective, single-arm, repeated-measures study across 13 CI centers in the United States between February 2010 and June 2012. The participating centers ranged from larger academic to smaller hospital-based programs to accurately represent the diversity of programs in the United States. Study Sample: Participants were 38 postlingually deafened adult CI candidates. Data Collection and Analysis: Primary measures were Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) words in quiet and the AzBio Sentence Test in Quiet (AzBioQ) and in Noise (AzBioN) tested at preoperative, and 3-, 6-, and 12-mo postactivation intervals. Quality of life was measured with the HUI3. For the secondary objective, statistical analyses were performed to investigate the predictive properties between current and previously used MSTB tests. Results: Mean CNC scores were significantly higher compared to the Nucleus® 24 Contour™ at 3 mo (p < 0.05) postactivation and showed no difference compared to the Nucleus® Freedom™ at 6 mo postactivation. Both SmartSound™ 2 FOCUS and NOISE programs provided significant improvements in performance in noise over the EVERYDAY program (p < 0.001), and performance with the FOCUS program was significantly better compared to the NOISE program (p < 0.001). Speech perception in noise was not related to patients’ subjective program preferences. Quality-of-life outcomes showed significant improvements from the preoperative to 6-mo postactivation interval (p < 0.05–0.001). Strong and significant correlations were found between preoperative CNC and AzBioQ and preoperative Hearing-in-Noise Test sentences in Quiet (HINTQ) and AzBioQ. At 12-mo postactivation, there were strong and highly significant correlations between CNC and AzBioQ, HINTQ and AzBioQ, and Hearing-in-Noise Test sentences in Noise and AzBioN (all p < 0.001). Conclusions: Results of this national clinical trial showed significant improvements in speech perception and quality of life following cochlear implantation. SmartSound™ 2 signal processing features showed a significant benefit of FOCUS when listening in noise, although preference of signal processing feature did not correlate with performance. Significant correlations were observed between speech perception tests. The findings of this study can be applied in clinical assessment, programming, and follow-up for CI candidates and recipients.

Speech perception in children using advanced acoustic signal processing

2003 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Gravel ◽  
Laurie Hanin ◽  
Ellen Lafargue ◽  
Janie Chobot-Rodd ◽  
Yael Bat-Chava
Keyword(s):  
Signal Processing ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Acoustic Signal

Auditory Training to Improve Speech Perception and Self-Efficacy in Aging Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1270-1281
Author(s):  
Leah Fostick ◽  
Riki Taitelbaum-Swead ◽  
Shulamith Kreitler ◽  
Shelly Zokraut ◽  
Miriam Billig
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Temporal Order Judgment ◽  
Auditory Training ◽  
Intensity Discrimination ◽  
Training Design ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing ◽  
Temporal Properties ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Aging Adults

Purpose Difficulty in understanding spoken speech is a common complaint among aging adults, even when hearing impairment is absent. Correlational studies point to a relationship between age, auditory temporal processing (ATP), and speech perception but cannot demonstrate causality unlike training studies. In the current study, we test (a) the causal relationship between a spatial–temporal ATP task (temporal order judgment [TOJ]) and speech perception among aging adults using a training design and (b) whether improvement in aging adult speech perception is accompanied by improved self-efficacy. Method Eighty-two participants aged 60–83 years were randomly assigned to a group receiving (a) ATP training (TOJ) over 14 days, (b) non-ATP training (intensity discrimination) over 14 days, or (c) no training. Results The data showed that TOJ training elicited improvement in all speech perception tests, which was accompanied by increased self-efficacy. Neither improvement in speech perception nor self-efficacy was evident following non-ATP training or no training. Conclusions There was no generalization of the improvement resulting from TOJ training to intensity discrimination or generalization of improvement resulting from intensity discrimination training to speech perception. These findings imply that the effect of TOJ training on speech perception is specific and such improvement is not simply the product of generally improved auditory perception. It provides support for the idea that temporal properties of speech are indeed crucial for speech perception. Clinically, the findings suggest that aging adults can be trained to improve their speech perception, specifically through computer-based auditory training, and this may improve perceived self-efficacy.

Adaptation of the Connected Speech Test: Rerecording and Passage Equivalency

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan K. Saleh ◽  
Paula Folkeard ◽  
Ewan Macpherson ◽  
Susan Scollie
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
North American ◽  
First Language ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Connected Speech ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Speech Test ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Unit Standard

Purpose The original Connected Speech Test (CST; Cox et al., 1987) is a well-regarded and often utilized speech perception test. The aim of this study was to develop a new version of the CST using a neutral North American accent and to assess the use of this updated CST on participants with normal hearing. Method A female English speaker was recruited to read the original CST passages, which were recorded as the new CST stimuli. A study was designed to assess the newly recorded CST passages' equivalence and conduct normalization. The study included 19 Western University students (11 females and eight males) with normal hearing and with English as a first language. Results Raw scores for the 48 tested passages were converted to rationalized arcsine units, and average passage scores more than 1 rationalized arcsine unit standard deviation from the mean were excluded. The internal reliability of the 32 remaining passages was assessed, and the two-way random effects intraclass correlation was .944. Conclusion The aim of our study was to create new CST stimuli with a more general North American accent in order to minimize accent effects on the speech perception scores. The study resulted in 32 passages of equivalent difficulty for listeners with normal hearing.

An Eye-Tracking Study on Audiovisual Speech Perception Strategies Adopted by Normal-Hearing and Deaf Adults Under Different Language Familiarities

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 2245-2254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianrong Wang ◽  
Yumeng Zhu ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Abdilbar Mamat ◽  
Mei Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Audiovisual Speech ◽  
Audiovisual Speech Perception ◽  
Allocation Pattern ◽  
Deaf Adults ◽  
Bilingual Speaker ◽  
Primary Hypothesis ◽  
Standard Chinese

Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to explore the audiovisual speech perception strategies.80.23.47 adopted by normal-hearing and deaf people in processing familiar and unfamiliar languages. Our primary hypothesis was that they would adopt different perception strategies due to different sensory experiences at an early age, limitations of the physical device, and the developmental gap of language, and others. Method Thirty normal-hearing adults and 33 prelingually deaf adults participated in the study. They were asked to perform judgment and listening tasks while watching videos of a Uygur–Mandarin bilingual speaker in a familiar language (Standard Chinese) or an unfamiliar language (Modern Uygur) while their eye movements were recorded by eye-tracking technology. Results Task had a slight influence on the distribution of selective attention, whereas subject and language had significant influences. To be specific, the normal-hearing and the d10eaf participants mainly gazed at the speaker's eyes and mouth, respectively, in the experiment; moreover, while the normal-hearing participants had to stare longer at the speaker's mouth when they confronted with the unfamiliar language Modern Uygur, the deaf participant did not change their attention allocation pattern when perceiving the two languages. Conclusions Normal-hearing and deaf adults adopt different audiovisual speech perception strategies: Normal-hearing adults mainly look at the eyes, and deaf adults mainly look at the mouth. Additionally, language and task can also modulate the speech perception strategy.

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