Multichannel Compression, Temporal Cues, and Audibility

Although multichannel compression systems are quickly becoming integral components of programmable hearing aids, research results have not consistently demonstrated their benefit over conventional amplification. The present study examined two confounding factors that may have contributed to this inconsistency in results: alteration of temporal information and audibility of speech cues. Recognition of linearly amplified and multichannel-compressed speech was measured for listeners with mild-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss and for a control group of listeners with normal hearing. In addition to the standard speech signal, which provided both temporal and spectral information, the listener's ability to use temporal information in a multichannel compressed signal was directly tested using a signal-correlated noise (SCN) stimulus. This stimulus consisted of a time-varying speech envelope modulating a two-channel noise carrier. It preserved temporal cues but provided minimal spectral information. For each stimulus condition, short-term level measurements were used to determine the range of audible speech. Multichannel compression improved speech recognition under conditions where superior audibility was provided by the twochannel compression system over linear amplification. When audibility of both linearly amplified and multichannel-compressed speech was maximized, the multichannel compression had no significant effect on speech recognition score for speech containing both temporal and spectral cues. However, results for the SCN stimuli show that more extreme amounts of multichannel compression can reduce use of temporal information.

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Older Listeners' Use of Temporal Cues Altered by Compression Amplification

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/jslhr.4303.661 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 661-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Pamela E. Souza

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

High Frequency ◽

Dynamic Range ◽

Normal Hearing ◽

Hearing Impaired ◽

Temporal Information ◽

Spectral Information ◽

Temporal Cues ◽

Age Related

This study compared the ability of younger and older listeners to use temporal information in speech when that information was altered by compression amplification. Recognition of vowel-consonant-vowel syllables was measured for four groups of adult listeners (younger normal hearing, older normal hearing, younger hearing impaired, older hearing impaired). There were four conditions. Syllables were processed with wide-dynamic range compression (WDRC) amplification and with linear amplification. In each of those conditions, recognition was measured for syllables containing only temporal information and for syllables containing spectral and temporal information. Recognition of WDRC-amplified speech provided an estimate of the ability to use altered amplitude envelope cues. Syllables were presented with a high-frequency masker to minimize confounding differences in high-frequency sensitivity between the younger and older groups. Scores were lower for WDRC-amplified speech than for linearly amplified speech, and older listeners performed more poorly than younger listeners. When spectral information was unrestricted, the age-related decrement was similar for both amplification types. When spectral information was restricted for listeners with normal hearing, the age-related decrement was greater for WDRC-amplified speech than for linearly amplified speech. When spectral information was restricted for listeners with hearing loss, the age-related decrement was similar for both amplification types. Clinically, these results imply that when spectral cues are available (i.e., when the listener has adequate spectral resolution) older listeners can use WDRC hearing aids to the same extent as younger listeners. For older listeners without hearing loss, poorer scores for compression-amplified speech suggest an age-related deficit in temporal resolution.

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Consonant Confusions in Amplitude-Expanded Speech

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/jshr.3906.1124 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 39 (6) ◽

pp. 1124-1137 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Richard L. Freyman ◽

G. Patrick Nerbonne

Keyword(s):

Recognition Performance ◽

Amplitude Spectrum ◽

Normal Hearing ◽

Spectral Information ◽

Correlated Noise ◽

Signal To Noise ◽

Presentation Level ◽

Percentage Points ◽

Consonant Recognition ◽

Speech Envelope

The perceptual consequences of expanding the amplitude variations in speech were studied under conditions in which spectral information was obscured by signal correlated noise that had an envelope correlated with the speech envelope, but had a flat amplitude spectrum. The noise samples, created individually from 22 vowel-consonant-vowel nonsense words, were used as maskers of those words, with signal-to-noise ratios ranging from –15 to 0 dB. Amplitude expansion was by a factor of 3.0 in terms of decibels. In the first experiment, presentation level for speech peaks was 80 dB SPL. Consonant recognition performance for expanded speech by 50 listeners with normal hearing was as much as 30 percentage points poorer than for unexpanded speech and the types of errors were dramatically different, especially in the midrange of S-N ratios. In a second experiment presentation level was varied to determine whether reductions in consonant levels produced by expansion were responsible for the differences between conditions. Recognition performance for unexpanded speech at 40 dB SPL was nearly equivalent to that for expanded speech at 80 dB SPL. The error patterns obtained in these two conditions were different, suggesting that the differences between conditions in Experiment 1 were due largely to expanded amplitude envelopes rather than differences in audibility.

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Speech Fine Structure Contains Critical Temporal Cues to Support Speech Segmentation

10.1101/508358 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Xiangbin Teng ◽

Gregory Cogan ◽

David Poeppel

Keyword(s):

Fine Structure ◽

Speech Recognition ◽

Temporal Information ◽

Speech Segmentation ◽

Speech Signals ◽

Part Of Speech ◽

Temporal Cues ◽

Linguistic Analyses ◽

Synthetic View ◽

Mutual Information Analysis

Segmenting the continuous speech stream into units for further perceptual and linguistic analyses is fundamental to speech recognition. The speech amplitude envelope (SE) has long been considered a fundamental temporal cue for segmenting speech. Does the temporal fine structure (TFS), a significant part of speech signals often considered to contain primarily spectral information, contribute to speech segmentation? Using magnetoencephalography, we show that the TFS entrains cortical oscillatory responses between 3-6 Hz and demonstrate, using mutual information analysis, that (i) the temporal information in the TFS can be reconstructed from a measure of frame-to-frame spectral change and correlates with the SE and (ii) that spectral resolution is key to the extraction of such temporal information. Furthermore, we show behavioural evidence that, when the SE is temporally distorted, the TFS provides cues for speech segmentation and aids speech recognition significantly. Our findings show that it is insufficient to investigate solely the SE to understand temporal speech segmentation, as the SE and the TFS derived from a band-filtering method convey comparable, if not inseparable, temporal information. We argue for a more synthetic view of speech segmentation — the auditory system groups speech signals coherently in both temporal and spectral domains.

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Method of selection and assessment of hearing aids efficiency based on comparative speech audiometry

Science and Innovations in Medicine ◽

10.35693/2500-1388-2021-6-3-21-24 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 21-24

Author(s):

Evgeniya R. Tsygankova ◽

Vladimir E. Gaufman ◽

Irina E. Grebenyuk ◽

Elena E. Saveleva ◽

Evgenii S. Savelev

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Speech Recognition ◽

Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

Sound Field ◽

Sensorineural Hearing ◽

Speech Audiometry ◽

Average Score ◽

Control Group ◽

Modified Method

Objectives to improve the quality of hearing aids (HA) selection for patients with sensorineural hearing loss using a comparative free sound field speech audiometry according to our modified method "Delta Test". Material and methods. The study involved 56 patients aged from 18 to 62 years with bilateral chronic sensorineural hearing loss of 2-4 degrees. The study group included 32 patients, a test for speech recognition in a free sound field (speech audiometry) was conducted using the method proposed by us. The control group consisted of 24 patients who were aided without the use of comparative speech audiometry. The "Delta Test" included the use of audio files sets containing a speech material in pure form and mixed with speech noise with different signal-to-noise ratios, supplied through a speaker system connected to a personal computer. The percentage of correctly repeated words was measured without HA and with several HA having different settings. The effectiveness of using HA was defined as the difference in the percentage of speech recognition when using HA in relation to the "ear without HA". Results. According to "The International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids" the average score was 4.13 0.10 in the group where the HA were selected using the "Delta Test", which is statistically significantly higher than in the control group, where the average score was 3.720.15(p 0.05). "Delta Test" allows optimally select the HA parameters. This method is easy to perform and does not require expensive equipment.

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The Relative Importance of Amplitude, Temporal, and Spectral Cues for Cochlear Implant Processor Design

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/1059-0889(2002/013) ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 124-127 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Robert V. Shannon

Keyword(s):

Speech Recognition ◽

Cochlear Implant ◽

Speech Intelligibility ◽

Normal Hearing ◽

Spectral Information ◽

Speech Understanding ◽

Prosthetic Devices ◽

Spectral Cues ◽

Temporal Cues ◽

Types Of Information

Speech understanding with cochlear implants has improved steadily over the last 25 years, and the success of implants has provided a powerful tool for understanding speech recognition in general. Comparing speech recognition in normal-hearing listeners and in cochlear-implant listeners has revealed many important lessons about the types of information necessary for good speech recognition—and some of the lessons are surprising. This paper presents a summary of speech perception research over the last 25 years with cochlear-implant and normal-hearing listeners. As long as the speech is audible, even the relatively severe amplitude distortion has only a mild effect on intelligibility. Temporal cues appear to be useful for speech intelligibility only up to about 20 Hz. Whereas temporal information above 20 Hz may contribute to improved quality, it contributes little to speech understanding. In contrast, the quantity and quality of spectral information appear to be critical for speech understanding. Only four spectral "channels" of information can produce good speech understanding, but more channels are required for difficult listening situations. Speech understanding is sensitive to the placement of spectral information along the cochlea. In prosthetic devices, in which the spectral information can be delivered to any cochlear location, it is critical to present spectral information to the normal acoustic tonotopic location for that information. If there is a shift or distortion of 2 to 3 mm between frequency and cochlear place, speech recognition is decreased dramatically.

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Long-Term Follow-Up of Early Cochlear Implant Device Activation

Audiology and Neurotology ◽

10.1159/000512760 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Stefanie Bruschke ◽

Uwe Baumann ◽

Timo Stöver

Keyword(s):

Speech Recognition ◽

Side Effects ◽

Cochlear Implant ◽

Surgical Techniques ◽

Control Group ◽

First Year ◽

Safe Procedure ◽

Sound Processor

Background: The cochlear implant (CI) is a standard procedure for the treatment of patients with severe to profound hearing loss. In the past, a standard healing period of 3–6 weeks occurred after CI surgery before the sound processor was initially activated. Advancements of surgical techniques and instruments allow an earlier initial activation of the processor within 14 days after surgery. Objective: Evaluation of the early CI device activation after CI surgery within 14 days, comparison to the first activation after 4–6 weeks, and assessment of the feasibility and safety of the early fitting over a 12 month observation period were the objectives of this study. Method: In a prospective study, 127 patients scheduled for CI surgery were divided into early fitting group (EF, n = 67) and control group (CG, n = 60). Individual questionnaires were used to evaluate medical and technical outcomes of the EF. Medical side effects, speech recognition, and follow-up effort were compared with the CG within the first year after CI surgery. Results: The early fitting was feasible in 97% of the EF patients. In the EF, the processor was activated 25 days earlier than in the CG. No major complications were observed in either group. At the follow-up appointments, side effects such as pain and balance problems occurred with comparable frequency in both groups. At initial fitting, the EF showed a significantly higher incidence of medical minor complications (p < 0.05). When developing speech recognition within the first year of CI use, no difference was observed. Furthermore, the follow-up effort within the first year after CI surgery was comparable in both groups. Conclusions: Early fitting of the sound processor is a feasible and safe procedure with comparable follow-up effort. Although more early minor complications were observed in the EF, there were no long-term wound healing problems caused by the early fitting. Regular inspection of the magnet strength is recommended as part of the CI follow-up since postoperative wound swelling must be expected. The early fitting procedure enabled a clear reduction in the waiting time between CI surgery and initial sound processor activation.

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Maximizing Cochlear Implant Outcomes with Short-Term Aural Rehabilitation

Journal of the American Academy of Audiology ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1722987 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Claire Marcus Bernstein ◽

Diane Majerus Brewer ◽

Matthew H. Bakke ◽

Anne D. Olson ◽

Elizabeth Jackson Machmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Study ◽

Speech Recognition ◽

Cochlear Implant ◽

Active Control ◽

Analysis Of Variance ◽

Control Group ◽

Active Control Group ◽

Short Term ◽

Aural Rehabilitation ◽

Profound Deafness

Abstract Background Increasing numbers of adults are receiving cochlear implants (CIs) and many achieve high levels of speech perception and improved quality of life. However, a proportion of implant recipients still struggle due to limited speech recognition and/or greater communication demands in their daily lives. For these individuals a program of aural rehabilitation (AR) has the potential to improve outcomes. Purpose The study investigated the effects of a short-term AR intervention on speech recognition, functional communication, and psychosocial outcomes in post lingually deafened adult CI users. Research Design The experimental design was a multisite clinical study with participants randomized to either an AR treatment or active control group. Each group completed 6 weekly 90-minute individual treatment sessions. Assessments were completed pretreatment, 1 week and 2 months post-treatment. Study Sample Twenty-five post lingually deafened adult CI recipients participated. AR group: mean age 66.2 (48–80); nine females, four males; months postactivation 7.7 (3–16); mean years severe to profound deafness 18.4 (2–40). Active control group: mean age 62.8 (47–85); eight females, four males; months postactivation 7.0 (3–13); mean years severe to profound deafness 18.8 (1–55). Intervention The AR protocol consisted of auditory training (words, sentences, speech tracking), and psychosocial counseling (informational and communication strategies). Active control group participants engaged in cognitive stimulation activities (e.g., crosswords, sudoku, etc.). Data Collection and Analysis Repeated measures ANOVA or analysis of variance, MANOVA or multivariate analysis of variance, and planned contrasts were used to compare group performance on the following measures: CasperSent; Hearing Handicap Inventory; Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire; Client Oriented Scale of Improvement; Glasgow Benefit Inventory. Results The AR group showed statistically significant improvements on speech recognition performance, psychosocial function, and communication goals with no significant improvement seen in the control group. The two groups were statistically equivalent on all outcome measures at preassessment. The robust improvements for the AR group were maintained at 2 months post-treatment. Conclusion Results of this clinical study provide evidence that a short-term AR intervention protocol can maximize outcomes for adult post lingually deafened CI users. The impact of this brief multidimensional AR intervention to extend CI benefit is compelling, and may serve as a template for best practices with adult CI users.

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Impact and cost-effectiveness evaluation of a community-based rehabilitation intervention on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05228-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xin Ye ◽

Dawei Zhu ◽

Siyuan Chen ◽

Xuefeng Shi ◽

Rui Gong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Treatment Group ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

Control Group ◽

Chinese Adults ◽

Community Based ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Hearing loss is quite prevalent and can be related to people’s quality of life. To our knowledge, there are limited studies assessing the efficacy of hearing interventions on quality of life in adults. Therefore, we aim to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of community-based hearing rehabilitation on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss. Methods/design In this two-arm feasibility study, participants aged 16 and above with some degree of hearing loss (n = 464) will be recruited from Linyi City, Shandong Province. They are randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group. Those in the treatment group are prescribed with hearing aids, while those in the control group receive no intervention. Reinstruction in use of devices is provided for the treatment group during booster visits held 12 months post-randomization or unscheduled interim visits when necessary. Data are collected at baseline and the follow-up 20 months later. The primary outcome is changes in quality of life over a 20-month study period. Secondary outcomes include sub-dimensions in quality of life, physical functioning, chronic diseases, cognitive function, depression, social support, hospitalizations, falls, and healthcare costs. Finally, we will evaluate whether hearing aids intervention is cost-effective to apply in a large scale. Discussion The trial is designed to evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of a community-based rehabilitation intervention on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss. We hope that it would help improve the well-being for Chinese adults and provide references in policy and practice for China and other countries. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024739. Registered on 26 July 2019.

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Randomised controlled feasibility trial of an active communication education programme plus hearing aid provision versus hearing aid provision alone (ACE To HEAR)

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043364 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e043364

Author(s):

Judith Watson ◽

Elizabeth Coleman ◽

Cath Jackson ◽

Kerry Bell ◽

Christina Maynard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Outcome Measures ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

Hearing Aid ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Feasibility Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Communication Education ◽

Treatment As Usual ◽

Active Communication ◽

Randomised Controlled

ObjectiveTo establish the acceptability and feasibility of delivering the Active Communication Education (ACE) programme to increase quality of life through improving communication and hearing aid use in the UK National Health Service.DesignRandomised controlled, open feasibility trial with embedded economic and process evaluations.SettingAudiology departments in two hospitals in two UK cities.ParticipantsTwelve hearing aid users aged 18 years or over who reported moderate or less than moderate benefit from their new hearing aid.InterventionsConsenting participants (along with a significant other) were to be randomised by a remote, centralised randomisation service in groups to ACE plus treatment-as-usual (intervention group) or treatment-as-usual only (control group).Primary outcome measuresThe primary outcomes were related to feasibility: recruitment, retention, treatment adherence and acceptability to participants and fidelity of treatment delivery.Secondary outcome measuresInternational Outcomes Inventory for Hearing Aids, Self-Assessment of Communication, EQ-5D-5L and Short-Form 36. Blinding of the participants and facilitator was not possible.ResultsTwelve hearing aid users and six significant others consented to take part. Eight hearing aid users were randomised: four to the intervention group; and four to treatment-as-usual only. Four significant others participated alongside the randomised participants. Recruitment to the study was very low and centres only screened 466 hearing aid users over the 15-month recruitment period, compared with the approximately 3500 anticipated. Only one ACE group and one control group were formed. ACE could be delivered and appeared acceptable to participants. We were unable to robustly assess attrition and attendance rates due to the low sample size.ConclusionsWhile ACE appeared acceptable to hearing aid users and feasible to deliver, it was not feasible to identify and recruit participants struggling with their hearing aids at the 3-month posthearing aid fitting point.Trial registration numberISRCTN28090877.

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Extended High Frequencies Provide Both Spectral and Temporal Information to Improve Speech-in-Speech Recognition

Trends in Hearing ◽

10.1177/2331216520980299 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

pp. 233121652098029

Author(s):

Allison Trine ◽

Brian B. Monson

Keyword(s):

Speech Recognition ◽

Pure Tone ◽

Recognition Performance ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Exploratory Analysis ◽

Temporal Information ◽

Significant Benefit ◽

Head Orientation ◽

Spectral Structure ◽

High Frequencies

Several studies have demonstrated that extended high frequencies (EHFs; >8 kHz) in speech are not only audible but also have some utility for speech recognition, including for speech-in-speech recognition when maskers are facing away from the listener. However, the contribution of EHF spectral versus temporal information to speech recognition is unknown. Here, we show that access to EHF temporal information improved speech-in-speech recognition relative to speech bandlimited at 8 kHz but that additional access to EHF spectral detail provided an additional small but significant benefit. Results suggest that both EHF spectral structure and the temporal envelope contribute to the observed EHF benefit. Speech recognition performance was quite sensitive to masker head orientation, with a rotation of only 15° providing a highly significant benefit. An exploratory analysis indicated that pure-tone thresholds at EHFs are better predictors of speech recognition performance than low-frequency pure-tone thresholds.

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