An examination of the effects of broadband air-conduction masker on the speech intelligibility of speech-modulated bone-conduction ultrasound

The use of multiple spatially distributed microphones allows performing spatial filtering along with conventional temporal filtering, which can better reject the interference signals, leading to an overall improvement of the speech quality. In this paper, we propose a novel dual-microphone generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) algorithm assisted by a bone-conduction (BC) sensor for speech enhancement, which is named BC-assisted GSC (BCA-GSC) algorithm. The BC sensor is relatively insensitive to the ambient noise compared to the conventional air-conduction (AC) microphone. Hence, BC speech can be analyzed to generate very accurate voice activity detection (VAD), even in a high noise environment. The proposed algorithm incorporates the VAD information obtained by the BC speech into the adaptive blocking matrix (ABM) and adaptive noise canceller (ANC) in GSC. By using VAD to control ABM and combining VAD with signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) to control ANC, the proposed method could suppress interferences and improve the overall performance of GSC significantly. It is verified by experiments that the proposed GSC system not only improves speech quality remarkably but also boosts speech intelligibility.

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High-Frequency Air-Conduction and Electric Bone-Conduction Audiometry: Age and Sex Variations

Scandinavian Audiology ◽

10.3109/01050399109074951 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 181-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Heikki Löppönen ◽

Martti Sorri ◽

Risto Bloigu

Keyword(s):

High Frequency ◽

Bone Conduction ◽

Air Conduction ◽

Age And Sex

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Mutual cancellation between tones presented by air conduction, by bone conduction and by non-osseous (soft tissue) bone conduction

Hearing Research ◽

10.1016/j.heares.2011.10.004 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 283 (1-2) ◽

pp. 180-184 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Shai Chordekar ◽

Leonid Kriksunov ◽

Liat Kishon-Rabin ◽

Cahtia Adelman ◽

Haim Sohmer

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Bone Conduction ◽

Air Conduction

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Vibrational and Acoustical Characteristics of Ear Pinna Simulators That Differ in Hardness

Audiology Research ◽

10.3390/audiolres11030030 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 327-334

Author(s):

Ryota Shimokura ◽

Tadashi Nishimura ◽

Hiroshi Hosoi

Keyword(s):

External Auditory Canal ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Bone Conduction ◽

Calibration Method ◽

Vibration Acceleration ◽

Spectral Peaks ◽

Ear Cartilage ◽

A Current ◽

Air Conduction ◽

Dominant Frequencies

Because cartilage conduction—the transmission of sound via the aural cartilage—has different auditory pathways from well-known air and bone conduction, how the output volume in the external auditory canal is stimulated remains unknown. To develop a simulator approximating the conduction of sound in ear cartilage, the vibrations of the pinna and sound in the external auditory canal were measured using pinna simulators made of silicon rubbers of different hardness (A40, A20, A10, A5, A0) as measured by a durometer. The same procedure, as well as a current calibration method for air conduction devices, was applied to an existing pinna simulator, the Head and Torso Simulator (hardness A5). The levels for vibration acceleration and sound pressure from these pinna simulators show spectral peaks at dominant frequencies (below 1.5 kHz) for the conduction of sound in cartilage. These peaks were likely to move to lower frequencies as hardness decreases. On approaching the hardness of actual aural cartilage (A10 to A20), the simulated levels for vibration acceleration and sound pressure approximated the measurements of human ears. The adjustment of the hardness used in pinna simulators is an important factor in simulating accurately the conduction of sound in cartilage.

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Using the Callsign Acquisition Test (CAT) to compare the speech intelligibility of air versus bone conduction

International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics ◽

10.1016/j.ergon.2007.04.003 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (7) ◽

pp. 631-641 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

M. Gripper ◽

M. McBride ◽

B. Osafo-Yeboah ◽

X. Jiang

Keyword(s):

Speech Intelligibility ◽

Bone Conduction

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S254 – Bone Conduction Noise Exposure via Ventilators in the NICU

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1016/j.otohns.2008.05.430 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 139 (2_suppl) ◽

pp. P160-P160

Author(s):

Angela P Black ◽

James D Sidman

Keyword(s):

Ambient Noise ◽

Noise Exposure ◽

Bone Conduction ◽

Sound Level ◽

Noise Levels ◽

High Noise ◽

Endotracheal Tubes ◽

Level Meter ◽

Hearing Damage ◽

Air Conduction

Objectives To demonstrate that neonatal ventilators produce high noise levels through bone conduction (BC) via endotracheal tubes, as well as air conduction (AC) from ambient noise. Methods A sound level meter was used to measure the noise levels 4 feet from the ventilator and in direct contact at the end of a balloon attached to the ETT to simulate the noise presented to the infant. 3 commonly used neonatal ventilators (Sensormedics 3100A, VIP Bird and Bunnell Jet) were examined. Results Noise levels were significantly higher (6 – 14 dB) at the end of the ETT than 4 ft from the ventilator for all ventilators studied. Conclusions Previous studies have shown high ambient noise levels in NICUs, but have failed to address the actual noise presented to the infant. ETT transmission of noise as a direct bone stimulus through the skull has been overlooked. This study has shown that high noise intensities are being presented not only as AC, but as BC to the infants though the ETT. This study demonstrates, therefore, that ear protection alone will not save these at-risk infants from hearing damage. More must be done to decrease noise exposure and develop quieter machines.

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Improvement of Hearing After Myringoplasty: A Study on 50 Cases at HFRCMCH

Journal of Medical Science & Research ◽

10.47648/jmsr.2010.v1502.02 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 15 (Number 2) ◽

pp. 9-14

Author(s):

Md. A Sikder ◽

Md. Daulatuzzaman ◽

SM K A Mazumder ◽

N U Khan ◽

Md. S Alam

Keyword(s):

Tympanic Membrane ◽

General Anaesthesia ◽

Bone Conduction ◽

Hearing Improvement ◽

Hearing Gain ◽

Study Population ◽

Air Conduction

The aim of this study was to assess hearing improvement after myringoplasty within ten weeks following surgery. The study population consisted of 30 patients who were suffering from CSOM-77". Pre-operative and post-operative eraminations of the patients were conducted clinically as well as audiologically. Pre-and post-operative air-bone (A-B) gap were calculated by raking the averages of bone conduction and air conduction at the frequencies of 300. 1000 and 2000 Hz. Myringoplasty was done with underlay technique under general anaesthesia by postaural approach. Temporal 'muck fascia was used as grafting material for reconstruction of the tympanic membrane. Pre-operatively, air-bone gap of 30 db or more was observed in 39 (78%) patients whereas post-operatively A-B gap of 30 db or mare was observed in only one patient. Using hearings gain exceeding 15 dB as the criterion. 39 (78%) patients had their hearing gain exceeding 15 dB. Using post-operative A-B gap within 20 dB as the criterion. 42 (84%) patients had their A-8 gap within 20 dB. Myringoplasty is a beneficial procedure for hearing improvement. Using the proportion of patients with a post-operative A-B gap of 30 dB as the criterion, in this study. 98% of patients achieved their A-B gap closer within 30 dB. Using hearing gain exceeding 15 dB as the criterion, 78% patient had their hearing gain exceeding 15 dB.

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