scholarly journals Factors Affecting the Accessibility of Voice Telephony for People with Hearing Loss: Audio Encoding, Network Impairments, Video and Environmental Noise

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-35
Author(s):  
Linda Kozma-Spytek ◽  
Christian Vogler
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Packet Loss ◽  
Mental Effort ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Speech Quality ◽  
Audio Quality ◽  
Presentation Modes ◽  
Quality Ratings ◽  
The Impact

This paper describes four studies with a total of 114 individuals with hearing loss and 12 hearing controls that investigate the impact of audio quality parameters on voice telecommunications. These studies were first informed by a survey of 439 individuals with hearing loss on their voice telecommunications experiences. While voice telephony was very important, with high usage of wireless mobile phones, respondents reported relatively low satisfaction with their hearing devices’ performance for telephone listening, noting that improved telephone audio quality was a significant need. The studies cover three categories of audio quality parameters: (1) narrowband (NB) versus wideband (WB) audio; (2) encoding audio at varying bit rates, from typical rates used in today's mobile networks to the highest quality supported by these audio codecs; and (3) absence of packet loss to worst-case packet loss in both mobile and VoIP networks. Additionally, NB versus WB audio was tested in auditory-only and audiovisual presentation modes and in quiet and noisy environments. With WB audio in a quiet environment, individuals with hearing loss exhibited better speech recognition, expended less perceived mental effort, and rated speech quality higher than with NB audio. WB audio provided a greater benefit when listening alone than when the visual channel also was available. The noisy environment significantly degraded performance for both presentation modes, but particularly for listening alone. Bit rate affected speech recognition for NB audio, and speech quality ratings for both NB and WB audio. Packet loss affected all of speech recognition, mental effort, and speech quality ratings. WB versus NB audio also affected hearing individuals, especially under packet loss. These results are discussed in terms of the practical steps they suggest for the implementation of telecommunications systems and related technical standards and policy considerations to improve the accessibility of voice telephony for people with hearing loss.

Effect of Compression Ratio on Speech Recognition and Speech-Quality Ratings With Wide Dynamic Range Compression Amplification

2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 456-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumiko T. Boike ◽  
Pamela E. Souza
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Compression Ratio ◽  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Speech Quality ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Wide Dynamic Range ◽  
Dynamic Range Compression ◽  
Quality Ratings

This project examined the effect of varying compression ratio on speech recognition and quality. Both listeners with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss and a control group of listeners with normal hearing participated. Test materials were sentences from the Connected Speech Test (R. M. Cox, G. C. Alexander, & C. Gilmore, 1987) which were digitally processed with linear amplification and wide dynamic range compression amplification with 3 compression ratios. Speech-recognition scores were obtained with sentences in quiet and in noise at a 10-dB signal-to-noise ratio for each amplification condition. Additionally, the participants rated each amplification condition in terms of clarity, pleasantness, ease of understanding, and overall impression. Results indicated that, for speech in quiet, compression ratio had no effect on speech-recognition scores; however, speech-quality ratings decreased as compression ratio increased. For speech in noise, both speech-recognition scores and ratings decreased with increasing compression ratio for the listeners with hearing loss. These results suggest that selection of compression ratio on the basis of speech-quality judgments does not compromise speech recognition.

Simulated Conductive Hearing Loss in Children

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (04) ◽  
pp. 300-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terrey Oliver Penn ◽  
D. Wesley Grantham ◽  
Judith S. Gravel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Conductive Hearing Loss ◽  
Otitis Media With Effusion ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Monosyllabic Words ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Conductive Hearing ◽  
Nonsense Syllables

Otitis media with effusion (OME) often results in hearing loss for children with the condition. In order to provide appropriate and effective audiologic management, it is important to understand the impact of OME on speech recognition ability when hearing loss is present. This study examined the speech recognition abilities of normal-hearing six- and seven-year-old children (n = 12) and adults (n = 12) using monosyllabic words and nonsense syllables presented at two levels of simulated conductive hearing loss characteristic of OME. Average speech recognition scores decreased as the degree of simulated conductive hearing loss increased. Both age groups scored significantly poorer for nonsense syllables than for monosyllabic words. In general, the children performed more poorly than the adults with the exception of the easiest listening condition for word stimuli. Furthermore, children appeared less able than adults to use their knowledge of familiar words to improve performance. These findings suggest that rehabilitative strategies may best be focused on combining familiarization techniques and amplification options.

scholarly journals Poor speech recognition, sound localization and reorganization of brain activity in children with unilateral microtia-atresia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiang Liu ◽  
Yibei Wang ◽  
Tengyu Yang ◽  
Yue Fan ◽  
Bo Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Sound Localization ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Cognitive Networks ◽  
Brain Organization ◽  
Listening Ability ◽  
Spatial Listening ◽  
The Impact

AbstractMicrotia-atresia is a congenital malformation of the external ear, often affecting one side and being associated with severe-to-profound unilateral conductive hearing loss (UCHL). Although the impact of unilateral hearing loss (UHL) on speech recognition, sound localization and brain plasticity has been intensively investigated, less is known about the subjects with unilateral microtia-atresia (UMA). Considering these UMA subjects have hearing loss from birth, we hypothesize it has a great effect on brain organization. A questionnaire on speech recognition and spatial listening ability was administered to 40 subjects with UMA and 40 age- and sex-matched controls. UMA subjects showed poorer speech recognition in laboratory and poorer spatial listening ability. However, cognitive scores determined by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) did not differ significantly in these two groups. The impact of hearing loss in UMA on brain functional organization was examined by comparing resting-state fMRIs (rs-fMRI) in 27 subjects with right-sided UMA and 27 matched controls. UMA subjects had increased nodal betweenness in visual networks and DMN but decreases in auditory and attention networks. These results indicate that UCHL in UMA causes significant abnormalities in brain organization. The impact of UCHL on cognition should be further examined with a battery of tests that are more challenging and better focused on the cognitive networks identified.

scholarly journals Evaluation of digital watermarking on subjective speech quality

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yann Kowalczuk ◽  
Jan Holub
Keyword(s):  
Social Background ◽  
Speech Quality ◽  
Speech Compression ◽  
Audio Quality ◽  
Speech Watermarking ◽  
Subjective Testing ◽  
Listening Tests ◽  
Subjective Assessments ◽  
Audio Files ◽  
The Impact

AbstractNew methods of securing the distribution of audio content have been widely deployed in the last twenty years. Their impact on perceptive quality has, however, only been seldomly the subject of recent extensive research. We review digital speech watermarking state of the art and provide subjective testing of watermarked speech samples. Latest speech watermarking techniques are listed, with their specifics and potential for further development. Their current and possible applications are evaluated. Open-source software designed to embed watermarking patterns in audio files is used to produce a set of samples that satisfies the requirements of modern speech-quality subjective assessments. The patchwork algorithm that is coded in the application is mainly considered in this analysis. Different watermark robustness levels are used, which allow determining the threshold of detection to human listeners. The subjective listening tests are conducted following ITU-T P.800 Recommendation, which precisely defines the conditions and requirements for subjective testing. Further analysis tries to determine the effects of noise and various disturbances on watermarked speech’s perceived quality. A threshold of intelligibility is estimated to allow further openings on speech compression techniques with watermarking. The impact of language or social background is evaluated through an additional experiment involving two groups of listeners. Results show significant robustness of the watermarking implementation, retaining both a reasonable net subjective audio quality and security attributes, despite mild levels of distortion and noise. Extended experiments with Chinese listeners open the door to formulate a hypothesis on perception variations with geographical and social backgrounds.

scholarly journals Comparing Speech Recognition for Listeners With Normal and Impaired Hearing: Simulations for Controlling Differences in Speech Levels and Spectral Shape

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 4289-4299
Author(s):  
Daniel Fogerty ◽  
Rachel Madorskiy ◽  
Jayne B. Ahlstrom ◽  
Judy R. Dubno
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Speech Quality ◽  
Spectral Shape ◽  
Impaired Hearing ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Younger Adults

Purpose This study investigated methods used to simulate factors associated with reduced audibility, increased speech levels, and spectral shaping for aided older adults with hearing loss. Simulations provided to younger normal-hearing adults were used to investigate the effect of sensation level, speech presentation level, and spectral shape in comparison to older adults with hearing loss. Method Measures were assessed in quiet, steady-state noise, and speech-modulated noise. Older adults with hearing loss listened to speech that was spectrally shaped according to their hearing thresholds. Younger adults with normal hearing listened to speech that simulated the hearing-impaired group's (a) reduced audibility, (b) increased speech levels, and (c) spectral shaping. Group comparisons were made based on speech recognition performance and masking release. Additionally, younger adults completed measures of listening effort and perceived speech quality to assess if differences across simulations in these outcome measures were similar to those for speech recognition. Results Across the various simulations employed, testing in the presence of a threshold matching noise best matched differences in speech recognition and masking release between younger and older adults. This result remained consistent across the other two outcome measures. Conclusions A combination of audibility, speech level, and spectral shape factors is required to simulate differences between listeners with normal and impaired hearing in recognition, listening effort, and perceived speech quality. The use of spectrally shaped and amplified speech in the presence of threshold matching noise best provided this simulated control. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13224632

scholarly journals Difference in Speech Recognition between a Default and Programmed Telecoil Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (06) ◽  
pp. 502-515
Author(s):  
Kimberly T. Ledda ◽  
Michael Valente ◽  
Kristi Oeding ◽  
Dorina Kallogjeri
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Frequency Response ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Telephone Communication ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Monosyllabic Words ◽  
The Impact

AbstractHearing loss can lead to isolation and social withdrawal. The telephone oftentimes connects persons with hearing loss to society; however, telephone use is impeded by narrow bandwidth, loss of visual cues, electromagnetic interference, and inherent phone-line noise. In the past, research assessing telephone communication has consistently reported that switching from the microphone to a telecoil will typically result in the acoustic signal being discernibly softer. Properly used telecoils improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), decrease the chance for acoustic feedback, and overcome the impact of distance and reverberation creating an opportunity for clearer telephone communication. Little research, however, has examined matching the telecoil frequency response to the prescribed target of the microphone frequency response (National Acoustics Laboratories, Non-Linear, version 1 [NAL-NL1]).The primary goal of this study was to determine if differences exist in speech recognition for sentences (AZ-BIO) and consonant–vowel nucleus-consonant monosyllabic words (CNC) between two telecoil conditions (default and programmed). A secondary goal was to determine if differences exist in speech recognition for sentences between male and female talkers.A single-blinded randomized controlled trial.Twenty experienced adult hearing aid users with bilateral symmetric slight to severe sensorineural hearing loss were recruited from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. In addition, ten normal-hearing participants were recruited to determine the presentation level of the speech stimuli for the hearing aid participants.Participants underwent real-ear measures to program the microphone frequency response of a receiver-in-the-canal hearing aid to NAL-NL1. Using the manufacturer software, one telecoil program remained as the manufacturer default and a second telecoil program was programmed so the sound pressure level for an inductive telephone simulator frequency response matching the microphone’s frequency response to obtain as close to a 0 dB relative simulated equivalent telephone sensitivity value as possible. Participants then completed speech recognition measures including AZ-BIO sentences (male and female talkers) and CNC monosyllabic words and phonemes, using both telecoil programs. A mixed model analysis was performed to examine if significant differences in speech recognition exist between the two conditions and speech stimuli.Results revealed significant improvement in overall speech recognition for the programmed telecoil performance compared with default telecoil performance (p < 0.001). Also, improved performance in the programmed telecoil was reported with a male talker (p < 0.001) and performance for sentences compared with monosyllabic words (p < 0.001) or phonemes (p < 0.001).The programmed telecoil condition revealed significant improvement in speech recognition for all speech stimuli conditions compared with the default telecoil (sentences, monosyllables, and phonemes). Additional improvement was observed in both telecoil conditions when the talker was male.

scholarly journals Predicting the Quality of Synthesized and Natural Speech Impaired by Packet Loss and Coding Using PESQ and P.563 Models

2011 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 852-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Počta ◽  
Jan Holub
Keyword(s):  
Packet Loss ◽  
Speech Quality ◽  
The Other ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
Text To Speech ◽  
Synthesized Speech ◽  
Subjective Assessments ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

This paper investigates the impact of independent and dependent losses and coding on speech quality predictions provided by PESQ (also known as ITU-T P.862) and P.563 models, when both naturally-produced and synthesized speech are used. Two synthesized speech samples generated with two different Text-to-Speech systems and one naturally-produced sample are investigated. In addition, we assess the variability of PESQ's and P.563's predictions with respect to the type of speech used (naturally-produced or synthesized) and loss conditions as well as their accuracy, by comparing the predictions with subjective assessments. The results show that there is no difference between the impact of packet loss on naturally-produced speech and synthesized speech. On the other hand, the impact of coding is different for the two types of stimuli. In addition, synthesized speech seems to be insensitive to degradations provided by most of the codecs investigated here. The reasons for those findings are particularly discussed. Finally, it is concluded that both models are capable of predicting the quality of transmitted synthesized speech under the investigated conditions to a certain degree. As expected, PESQ achieves the best performance over almost all of the investigated conditions.

The Impact of Subjective and Objective Hearing Loss on Cognition and Memory in Older Adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Rogalski ◽  
Amy Rominger
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Reading Aloud ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Professional Collaboration ◽  
Cognitive Screening ◽  
Speech Language Pathologist ◽  
Text Passage ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Audiologic Evaluation

For this exploratory cross-disciplinary study, a speech-language pathologist and an audiologist collaborated to investigate the effects of objective and subjective hearing loss on cognition and memory in 11 older adults without hearing loss (OAs), 6 older adults with unaided hearing loss (HLOAs), and 16 young adults (YAs). All participants received cognitive testing and a complete audiologic evaluation including a subjective questionnaire about perceived hearing difficulty. Memory testing involved listening to or reading aloud a text passage then verbally recalling the information. Key findings revealed that objective hearing loss and subjective hearing loss were correlated and both were associated with a cognitive screening test. Potential clinical implications are discussed and include a need for more cross-professional collaboration in assessing older adults with hearing loss.

The impact of hearing loss

ORL ro ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-65
Author(s):  
Mădălina Georgescu ◽  
Violeta Necula ◽  
Sebastian Cozma
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening ◽  
Newborn Hearing ◽  
Impaired Person ◽  
The Impact

Hearing loss represents a frequently met sensorial handicap, which has a major and complex impact not only on the hearing-impaired person, but also on his family and society. The large number of hard-of-hearing persons justifies the acknowledgement of hearing loss as a public health issue, which oblige to appropriate health politics, to offer each hearing-impaired person health services like those in Europe. These can be obtained through: appropriate legislation for mandatory universal newborn hearing screening; national program for follow-up of hearing-impaired children up to school age; national register of hard-of-hearing persons; smooth access to rehabilitation methods; appropriate number of audiologists, trained for health services at European standards, trained through public programs of education in the field of audiology.  

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