Effects of background noise on the speech acoustics of people with aphasia

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate how different types of background noise that differ in their level of linguistic content affect speech acoustics, speech fluency, and language production for young adult speakers when performing a monologue discourse task. Method Forty young adults monologued by responding to open-ended questions in a silent baseline and five background noise conditions (debate, movie dialogue, contemporary music, classical music, and pink noise). Measures related to speech acoustics (intensity and frequency), speech fluency (speech rate, pausing, and disfluencies), and language production (lexical, morphosyntactic, and macrolinguistic structure) were analyzed and compared across conditions. Participants also reported on which conditions they perceived as more distracting. Results All noise conditions resulted in some change to spoken language compared with the silent baseline. Effects on speech acoustics were consistent with expected changes due to the Lombard effect (e.g., increased intensity and fundamental frequency). Effects on speech fluency showed decreased pausing and increased disfluencies. Several background noise conditions also seemed to interfere with language production. Conclusions Findings suggest that young adults present with both compensatory and interference effects when speaking in noise. Several adjustments may facilitate intelligibility when noise is present and help both speaker and listener maintain attention on the production. Other adjustments provide evidence that background noise eliciting linguistic interference has the potential to degrade spoken language even for healthy young adults, because of increased cognitive demands.

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Microdensitometer—computer correlation analysis of ultrastructural periodicity

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100081024 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 32-33

Author(s):

D.R. Ensor ◽

C.G. Jensen ◽

J.A. Fillery ◽

R.J.K. Baker

Keyword(s):

Correlation Analysis ◽

Background Noise ◽

Computer Control ◽

Optical Diffraction ◽

Screw Thread ◽

Straight Line ◽

Computer Storage ◽

Correlation Process ◽

Electron Microscope Image ◽

Fixed Beam

Because periodicity is a major indicator of structural organisation numerous methods have been devised to demonstrate periodicity masked by background “noise” in the electron microscope image (e.g. photographic image reinforcement, Markham et al, 1964; optical diffraction techniques, Horne, 1977; McIntosh,1974). Computer correlation analysis of a densitometer tracing provides another means of minimising "noise". The correlation process uncovers periodic information by cancelling random elements. The technique is easily executed, the results are readily interpreted and the computer removes tedium, lends accuracy and assists in impartiality.A scanning densitometer was adapted to allow computer control of the scan and to give direct computer storage of the data. A photographic transparency of the image to be scanned is mounted on a stage coupled directly to an accurate screw thread driven by a stepping motor. The stage is moved so that the fixed beam of the densitometer (which is directed normal to the transparency) traces a straight line along the structure of interest in the image.

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Effects of Concurrent Manual Task Performance on Connected Speech Acoustics in Individuals With Parkinson Disease

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-s-msc18-18-0190 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (7) ◽

pp. 2099-2117 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jason A. Whitfield ◽

Zoe Kriegel ◽

Adam M. Fullenkamp ◽

Daryush D. Mehta

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Speech Production ◽

Dual Task ◽

Motor Task ◽

Task Condition ◽

Connected Speech ◽

Speech Acoustics ◽

Single Task ◽

Manual Task ◽

Task Conditions

Purpose Prior investigations suggest that simultaneous performance of more than 1 motor-oriented task may exacerbate speech motor deficits in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the extent to which performing a low-demand manual task affected the connected speech in individuals with and without PD. Method Individuals with PD and neurologically healthy controls performed speech tasks (reading and extemporaneous speech tasks) and an oscillatory manual task (a counterclockwise circle-drawing task) in isolation (single-task condition) and concurrently (dual-task condition). Results Relative to speech task performance, no changes in speech acoustics were observed for either group when the low-demand motor task was performed with the concurrent reading tasks. Speakers with PD exhibited a significant decrease in pause duration between the single-task (speech only) and dual-task conditions for the extemporaneous speech task, whereas control participants did not exhibit changes in any speech production variable between the single- and dual-task conditions. Conclusions Overall, there were little to no changes in speech production when a low-demand oscillatory motor task was performed with concurrent reading. For the extemporaneous task, however, individuals with PD exhibited significant changes when the speech and manual tasks were performed concurrently, a pattern that was not observed for control speakers. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.8637008

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Use of a Mild-Gain Hearing Aid by Middle-Age Normal-Hearing Adults Who Do and Do Not Self-Report Trouble Hearing in Background Noise

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2020_aja-19-00051 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 419-428

Author(s):

Jasleen Singh ◽

Karen A. Doherty

Keyword(s):

Hearing Aids ◽

Background Noise ◽

Middle Age ◽

Hearing Aid ◽

Normal Hearing ◽

Self Report ◽

Hearing Aid Use ◽

Hearing Handicap ◽

Before And After ◽

Hearing Problems

Purpose The aim of the study was to assess how the use of a mild-gain hearing aid can affect hearing handicap, motivation, and attitudes toward hearing aids for middle-age, normal-hearing adults who do and do not self-report trouble hearing in background noise. Method A total of 20 participants (45–60 years of age) with clinically normal-hearing thresholds (< 25 dB HL) were enrolled in this study. Ten self-reported difficulty hearing in background noise, and 10 did not self-report difficulty hearing in background noise. All participants were fit with mild-gain hearing aids, bilaterally, and were asked to wear them for 2 weeks. Hearing handicap, attitudes toward hearing aids and hearing loss, and motivation to address hearing problems were evaluated before and after participants wore the hearing aids. Participants were also asked if they would consider purchasing a hearing aid before and after 2 weeks of hearing aid use. Results After wearing the hearing aids for 2 weeks, hearing handicap scores decreased for the participants who self-reported difficulty hearing in background noise. No changes in hearing handicap scores were observed for the participants who did not self-report trouble hearing in background noise. The participants who self-reported difficulty hearing in background noise also reported greater personal distress from their hearing problems, were more motivated to address their hearing problems, and had higher levels of hearing handicap compared to the participants who did not self-report trouble hearing in background noise. Only 20% (2/10) of the participants who self-reported trouble hearing in background noise reported that they would consider purchasing a hearing aid after 2 weeks of hearing aid use. Conclusions The use of mild-gain hearing aids has the potential to reduce hearing handicap for normal-hearing, middle-age adults who self-report difficulty hearing in background noise. However, this may not be the most appropriate treatment option for their current hearing problems given that only 20% of these participants would consider purchasing a hearing aid after wearing hearing aids for 2 weeks.

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Selecting the Optimal FM System for Children With Cochlear Implants

Perspectives on Hearing and Hearing Disorders in Childhood ◽

10.1044/hhdc18.1.19 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 19-24

Author(s):

Erin C. Schafer

Keyword(s):

Speech Recognition ◽

Cochlear Implants ◽

Empirical Research ◽

Background Noise ◽

Signal To Noise Ratio ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Signal To Noise ◽

Speech Processor ◽

System Input ◽

Optimal Type

Children who use cochlear implants experience significant difficulty hearing speech in the presence of background noise, such as in the classroom. To address these difficulties, audiologists often recommend frequency-modulated (FM) systems for children with cochlear implants. The purpose of this article is to examine current empirical research in the area of FM systems and cochlear implants. Discussion topics will include selecting the optimal type of FM receiver, benefits of binaural FM-system input, importance of DAI receiver-gain settings, and effects of speech-processor programming on speech recognition. FM systems significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio at the child's ear through the use of three types of FM receivers: mounted speakers, desktop speakers, or direct-audio input (DAI). This discussion will aid audiologists in making evidence-based recommendations for children using cochlear implants and FM systems.

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Hearing Aid Design and Evaluation for a Patient with a Severe Discrimination Loss for Speech

Journal of Speech and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/jshr.1002.367 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 367-372 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

James D. Miller ◽

Arthur F. Niemoeller

Keyword(s):

Hearing Aids ◽

Background Noise ◽

Hearing Aid ◽

Accurate Estimate ◽

Single Patient

Results of intelligibility tests on a single patient with a severe discrimination loss for speech are reported. The patient was tested with four different hearing aids and with no aid, and the effects of opportunity for lipreading, background noise, and reverberation were evaluated. The tests appear to allow an accurate estimate of the amount of help to be expected in various situations and show that an aid with good fidelity is clearly superior to the others tested. The destructive effects of background noise and reverberation are demonstrated separately and in combination.

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