scholarly journals Predicting binaural speech intelligibility using the signal-to-noise ratio in the envelope power spectrum domain

2016 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Chabot-Leclerc ◽  
Ewen N. MacDonald ◽  
Torsten Dau
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 233121652097034
Author(s):  
Florian Langner ◽  
Andreas Büchner ◽  
Waldo Nogueira

Cochlear implant (CI) sound processing typically uses a front-end automatic gain control (AGC), reducing the acoustic dynamic range (DR) to control the output level and protect the signal processing against large amplitude changes. It can also introduce distortions into the signal and does not allow a direct mapping between acoustic input and electric output. For speech in noise, a reduction in DR can result in lower speech intelligibility due to compressed modulations of speech. This study proposes to implement a CI signal processing scheme consisting of a full acoustic DR with adaptive properties to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and overall speech intelligibility. Measurements based on the Short-Time Objective Intelligibility measure and an electrodogram analysis, as well as behavioral tests in up to 10 CI users, were used to compare performance with a single-channel, dual-loop, front-end AGC and with an adaptive back-end multiband dynamic compensation system (Voice Guard [VG]). Speech intelligibility in quiet and at a +10 dB signal-to-noise ratio was assessed with the Hochmair–Schulz–Moser sentence test. A logatome discrimination task with different consonants was performed in quiet. Speech intelligibility was significantly higher in quiet for VG than for AGC, but intelligibility was similar in noise. Participants obtained significantly better scores with VG than AGC in the logatome discrimination task. The objective measurements predicted significantly better performance estimates for VG. Overall, a dynamic compensation system can outperform a single-stage compression (AGC + linear compression) for speech perception in quiet.


1983 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1579-1584 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. K. Aldrich ◽  
J. M. Adams ◽  
N. S. Arora ◽  
D. F. Rochester

We studied the power spectrum of the diaphragm electromyogram (EMG) at frequencies between 31 and 246 Hz in four young normal subjects and five patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Diaphragm EMGs were analyzed during spontaneous breathing and maximum inspiratory efforts to determine the effect of signal-to-noise ratio on the power spectrum and if treadmill exercise to dyspnea was associated with diaphragm fatigue. We found that the centroid frequencies of the power spectra (fc) were strongly correlated (r = 0.93) with ratios of power at high frequencies to power at low frequencies (H/L) for all subjects. Of the two indices, H/L had the largest standard deviation expressed as a percentage of the mean. The mean values of both of these decreased significantly after exercise, fc from 100.2 to 97.3 and H/L from 1.07 to 0.97. Signal-to-noise ratios were higher in maximal inspiratory efforts and after exercise in normal subjects and higher in COPD patients. The signal-to-noise ratio was correlated negatively with fc and H/L, indicating that these indices of the shape of the power spectrum are influenced by signal strength and noise levels as well as muscle function. We conclude that the fc and H/L index similar qualities of the power spectrum, that they are partially determined by the signal-to-noise ratio, and that, in some cases, exercise to dyspnea is associated with apparently mild diaphragm fatigue.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 958-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg D. Watkins ◽  
Brett A. Swanson ◽  
Gregg J. Suaning

2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. 038-049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle H. Saunders ◽  
Kathleen M. Cienkowski

Measurement of hearing aid outcome is particularly difficult because there are numerous dimensions to consider (e.g., performance, satisfaction, benefit). Often there are discrepancies between scores in these dimensions. It is difficult to reconcile these discrepancies because the materials and formats used to measure each dimension are so very different. We report data obtained with an outcome measure that examines both objective and subjective dimensions with the same test format and materials and gives results in the same unit of measurement (signal-to-noise ratio). Two variables are measured: a “performance” speech reception threshold and a “perceptual” speech reception threshold. The signal-to-noise ratio difference between these is computed to determine the perceptual-performance discrepancy (PPDIS). The results showed that, on average, 48 percent of the variance in subjective ratings of a hearing aid could be explained by a combination of the performance speech reception threshold and the PPDIS. These findings suggest that the measure is potentially a valuable clinical tool.


1979 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 23-1-23-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.C. Dainty ◽  
A.H. Greenaway

AbstractRecent theoretical studies of the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of photon limited speckle (image plane) interferometry are reviewed. The SNR of an estimate of the object power spectrum is evaluated for both the single and double aperture cases, for arbitrary light levels. The SNR for the auto-correlation function method of analysis is also given for the low light level case and applied to the special case of binary star observations. The SNRs for the power spectrum and autocorrelation function analyses are compared and a comparison is also made between speckle (image plane) and amplitude (pupil or aperture plane) interferometry. Limiting observable magnitudes are estimated for some relevant cases.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (01) ◽  
pp. 028-039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Adams ◽  
Robert E. Moore

Purpose: To study the effect of noise on speech rate judgment and signal-to-noise ratio threshold (SNR50) at different speech rates (slow, preferred, and fast). Research Design: Speech rate judgment and SNR50 tasks were completed in a normal-hearing condition and a simulated hearing-loss condition. Study Sample: Twenty-four female and six male young, normal-hearing participants. Results: Speech rate judgment was not affected by background noise regardless of hearing condition. Results of the SNR50 task indicated that, as speech rate increased, performance decreased for both hearing conditions. There was a moderate correlation between speech rate judgment and SNR50 with the various speech rates, such that as judgment of speech rate increased from too slow to too fast, performance deteriorated. Conclusions: These findings can be used to support the need for counseling patients and their families about the potential advantages to using average speech rates or rates that are slightly slowed while conversing in the presence of background noise.


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