scholarly journals Face mask type affects audiovisual speech intelligibility and subjective listening effort in young and older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Violet A. Brown ◽  
Kristin J. Van Engen ◽  
Jonathan E. Peelle
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Mask Type

AbstractIdentifying speech requires that listeners make rapid use of fine-grained acoustic cues—a process that is facilitated by being able to see the talker’s face. Face masks present a challenge to this process because they can both alter acoustic information and conceal the talker’s mouth. Here, we investigated the degree to which different types of face masks and noise levels affect speech intelligibility and subjective listening effort for young (N = 180) and older (N = 180) adult listeners. We found that in quiet, mask type had little influence on speech intelligibility relative to speech produced without a mask for both young and older adults. However, with the addition of moderate (− 5 dB SNR) and high (− 9 dB SNR) levels of background noise, intelligibility dropped substantially for all types of face masks in both age groups. Across noise levels, transparent face masks and cloth face masks with filters impaired performance the most, and surgical face masks had the smallest influence on intelligibility. Participants also rated speech produced with a face mask as more effortful than unmasked speech, particularly in background noise. Although young and older adults were similarly affected by face masks and noise in terms of intelligibility and subjective listening effort, older adults showed poorer intelligibility overall and rated the speech as more effortful to process relative to young adults. This research will help individuals make more informed decisions about which types of masks to wear in various communicative settings.

scholarly journals Face mask type affects audiovisual speech intelligibility and subjective listening effort in young and older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violet Aurora Brown ◽  
Kristin J. Van Engen ◽  
Jonathan E. Peelle
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Mask Type

Identifying speech requires that listeners make rapid use of fine-grained acoustic cues—a process that is facilitated by being able to see the talker’s face. Face masks present a challenge to this process because they can both alter acoustic information and conceal the talker’s mouth. Here, we investigated the degree to which different types of face masks and noise levels affect speech intelligibility and the subjective effort involved for young (N=180) and older (N=180) adult listeners. We found that in quiet, mask type had little influence on speech intelligibility relative to speech produced without a mask for both young and older adult listeners. However, with the addition of moderate (-5 dB SNR) and high (-9 dB SNR) levels of background noise, intelligibility dropped substantially for all types of face masks in both age groups. Across noise levels, transparent face masks and cloth face masks with filters impaired performance the most, and surgical face masks had the smallest influence on intelligibility. Importantly, participants also rated the speech as more effortful in the masked conditions compared to unmasked speech, particularly in background noise. Although young and older adults were similarly affected by face masks and noise in terms of intelligibility and subjective listening effort, older adults showed poorer intelligibility overall and rated the speech as more effortful to process relative to young adults. This research will help individuals make more informed decisions about which types of masks to wear in various communicative settings.

scholarly journals Older Adults and Technology Use: A Systematic Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 823-823
Author(s):  
Hyung Wook Choi ◽  
Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili ◽  
Mat Kelly ◽  
Alexander Poole ◽  
Erjia Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Smart Technologies ◽  
Age Range

Abstract Researchers are increasingly interested in leveraging technology to support the physical and mental well-being of older adults. We systematically reviewed previous scholars’ criteria for sampling older adult populations, focusing on age cohorts (namely adults over 65) and their use of internet and smart technologies. We iteratively developed keyword combinations that represent older adults and technology from the retrieved literature. Between 2011 and 2020, 70 systematic reviews were identified, 26 of which met our inclusion criteria for full review. Most important, not one of the 26 papers used a sample population classification more fine-grained than “65 and older.” A knowledge gap thus exists; researchers lack a nuanced understanding of differences within this extraordinarily broad age-range. Demographics that we propose to analyze empirically include not only finer measures of age (e.g., 65-70 or 71-75, as opposed to “65 and older”), but also those age groups’ attitudes toward and capacity for technology use.

Noise and acoustic conditions of premises for hearing-impaired people in Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-85
Author(s):  
Cheol-Ho Jeong ◽  
Wan-Ho Cho ◽  
Ji-Ho Chang ◽  
Sung-Hyun Lee ◽  
Chang-Wook Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Subjective Data ◽  
Impaired People ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
Acoustic Conditions

Hearing-impaired people need more stringent acoustic and noise requirements than normal-hearing people in terms of speech intelligibility and listening effort. Multiple guidelines recommend a maximum reverberation time of 0.4 s in classrooms, signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) greater than 15 dB, and ambient noise levels lower than 35 dBA. We measured noise levels and room acoustic parameters of 12 classrooms in two schools for hearing-impaired pupils, a dormitory apartment for the hearing-impaired, and a church mainly for the hearing-impaired in the Republic of Korea. Additionally, subjective speech clarity and quality of verbal communication were evaluated through questionnaires and interviews with hearing-impaired students in one school. Large differences in subjective speech perception were found between younger primary school pupils and older pupils. Subjective data from the questionnaire and interview were inconsistent; major challenges in obtaining reliable subjective speech perception and limitations of the results are discussed.

scholarly journals An Experimental Study of Acoustic Comfort in Open Space Banks Based on Speech Intelligibility and Noise Annoyance Measures

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rostam Golmohammadi ◽  
Mohsen Aliabadi ◽  
Trifah Nezami
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Irrelevant Speech ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Noise Annoyance ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Acoustic Comfort ◽  
Bank Employees

Abstract Tasks requiring intensive concentration are more vulnerable to noise than routine tasks. Due to the high mental workload of bank employees, this study aimed to evaluate acoustic comfort in open-space banks based on speech intelligibility and noise annoyance metrics. Acoustic metrics including preferred noise criterion (PNC), speech transmission index (STI), and signal to noise ratio (SNR) were measured in seventeen banks (located in Hamadan, a western province of Iran). For subjective noise annoyance assessments, 100-point noise annoyance scales were completed by bank employees during activities. Based on STI (0.56±0.09) and SNR (20.5±8.2 dB) values, it was found that speech intelligibilities in the workstations of banks were higher than the satisfactory level. However, PNC values in bank spaces were 48.2±5.5 dB, which is higher than the recommended limit value for public spaces. In this regard, 95% of the employees are annoyed by background noise levels. The results show irrelevant speech is the main source of subjective noise annoyance among employees. Loss of concentration is the main consequence of background noise levels for employees. The results confirmed that acoustic properties of bank spaces provide enough speech intelligibility, while staff’s noise annoyance is not acceptable. It can be concluded that due to proximity of workstations in open-space banks, access to very short distraction distance is necessary. Therefore, increasing speech privacy can be prioritised to speech intelligibility. It is recommended that current desk screens are redesigned in order to reduce irrelevant speech between nearby workstations. Staff’s training about acoustic comfort can also manage irrelevant speech characteristics during work time.

scholarly journals Age-related changes in visual encoding strategy preferences during a spatial memory task

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladislava Segen ◽  
Marios N Avraamides ◽  
Timothy J. Slattery ◽  
Jan Wiener
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Impaired Performance ◽  
Object Locations ◽  
Visual Encoding ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Encoding Strategies ◽  
Encoding Strategy

Ageing is associated with declines in spatial memory, however, the source of these deficits remains unclear. Here we used eye-tracking to investigate age-related differences in spatial encoding strategies and the cognitive processes underlying the age-related deficits in spatial memory tasks. To do so we asked young and older participants to encode the locations of objects in a virtual room shown as a picture on a computer screen. The availability and utility of room-based landmarks was manipulated by removing landmarks, presenting identical landmarks rendering them uninformative, or by presenting unique landmarks that could be used to encode object locations. In the test phase, participants viewed a second picture of the same room taken from the same (0°) or a different perspective (30°) and judged whether the objects occupied the same or different locations in the room. We found that the introduction of perspective shift and swapping of objects between encoding and testing impaired performance in both age groups. Furthermore, our results revealed that although older adults performed the task as well as younger participants, they relied on different visual encoding strategies to solve the task. Specifically, gaze analysis revealed that older adults showed a greater preference towards a more categorical encoding strategy in which they formed relationships between objects and landmarks.

scholarly journals The adverse effect of wearing a face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic and benefits of wearing transparent face masks and using clear speech on speech intelligibility

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoyoung Yi ◽  
Ashly Pingsterhaus ◽  
Woonyoung Song
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Word Identification ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Presentation Mode ◽  
Clear Speech

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in recommended/required use of a face mask in public. The use of a face mask compromises communication, especially in the presence of competing noise. It is crucial to measure potential adverse effect(s) of wearing face masks on speech intelligibility in communication contexts where excessive background noise occurs to lead to solutions for this communication challenge. Accordingly, effects of wearing transparent face masks and using clear speech to support better verbal communication was evaluated here. We evaluated listener word identification scores in the following four conditions: (1) type of masking (i.e., no mask, transparent mask, and disposable paper mask), (2) presentation mode (i.e., auditory only and audiovisual), (3) speaker speaking style (i.e., conversational speech and clear speech), and (4) with two types of background noise (i.e., speech shaped noise and four-talker babble at negative 5 signal to noise ratio levels). Results showed that in the presence of noise, listeners performed less well when the speaker wore a disposable paper mask or a transparent mask compared to wearing no mask. Listeners correctly identified more words in the audiovisual when listening to clear speech. Results indicate the combination of face masks and the presence of background noise impact speech intelligibility negatively for listeners. Transparent masks facilitate the ability to understand target sentences by providing visual information. Use of clear speech was shown to alleviate challenging communication situations including lack of visual cues and reduced acoustic signal.

scholarly journals Interactions Between Digital Noise Reduction and Reverberation: Acoustic and Behavioral Effects

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (01) ◽  
pp. 017-029
Author(s):  
Paul Reinhart ◽  
Pavel Zahorik ◽  
Pamela Souza
Keyword(s):  
Noise Reduction ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Spectral Subtraction ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Reverberant Environments ◽  
Speech Naturalness

AbstractDigital noise reduction (DNR) processing is used in hearing aids to enhance perception in noise by classifying and suppressing the noise acoustics. However, the efficacy of DNR processing is not known under reverberant conditions where the speech-in-noise acoustics are further degraded by reverberation.The purpose of this study was to investigate acoustic and perceptual effects of DNR processing across a range of reverberant conditions for individuals with hearing impairment.This study used an experimental design to investigate the effects of varying reverberation on speech-in-noise processed with DNR.Twenty-six listeners with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing impairment participated in the study.Speech stimuli were combined with unmodulated broadband noise at several signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). A range of reverberant conditions with realistic parameters were simulated, as well as an anechoic control condition without reverberation. Reverberant speech-in-noise signals were processed using a spectral subtraction DNR simulation. Signals were acoustically analyzed using a phase inversion technique to quantify improvement in SNR as a result of DNR processing. Sentence intelligibility and subjective ratings of listening effort, speech naturalness, and background noise comfort were examined with and without DNR processing across the conditions.Improvement in SNR was greatest in the anechoic control condition and decreased as the ratio of direct to reverberant energy decreased. There was no significant effect of DNR processing on speech intelligibility in the anechoic control condition, but there was a significant decrease in speech intelligibility with DNR processing in all of the reverberant conditions. Subjectively, listeners reported greater listening effort and lower speech naturalness with DNR processing in some of the reverberant conditions. Listeners reported higher background noise comfort with DNR processing only in the anechoic control condition.Results suggest that reverberation affects DNR processing using a spectral subtraction algorithm in such a way that decreases the ability of DNR to reduce noise without distorting the speech acoustics. Overall, DNR processing may be most beneficial in environments with little reverberation and that the use of DNR processing in highly reverberant environments may actually produce adverse perceptual effects. Further research is warranted using commercial hearing aids in realistic reverberant environments.

The Influence of Speech Rate on Acceptable Noise Levels

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (07) ◽  
pp. 596-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby Tiffin ◽  
Susan Gordon-Hickey
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Speaking Rate ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Listening Levels ◽  
Accurate Perception ◽  
Quasi Experimental

AbstractOlder adults often struggle with accurate perception of rate-altered speech and have difficulty understanding speech in noise. The acceptable noise level (ANL) quantifies a listener’s willingness to listen to speech in background noise and has been found to accurately predict hearing aid success. Based on the difficulty older adults experience with rapid speech, we were interested in how older adults may change the amount of background noise they willingly accept in a variety of speech rate conditions.To determine the effects of age and speech rate on the ANL.A quasi-experimental mixed design was employed.Fifteen young adults (19–27 yr) and fifteen older adults (55–73 yr) with audiometrically normal hearing or hearing loss within age-normed limits served as participants.Most comfortable listening levels (MCLs) and background noise levels (BNLs) were measured using three different speech rates (slow, normal, and fast). The ANL was calculated by subtracting BNL from MCL. Repeated measures analysis of variances were used to analyze the effects of age and speech rate on ANL.A significant main effect of speech rate was observed; however, a significant main effect of age was not found. Results indicated that as speech rate increased the ANLs increased. This suggests that participants became less accepting of background noise as speech rates increased.The findings of the present study provide support for communication strategies that recommend slowing an individual’s speaking rate and/or reducing background noise, if possible. Participants in the present study were better able to cope with background noise when the primary stimulus was presented at slow and normal speaking rates.

A Comparison of the Effects of Broadband Masking Noise on the Auditory Brainstem Response in Young and Older Adults

2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Burkard ◽  
Donald Sims
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Response ◽  
Noise Level ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Broadband Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Masking Noise ◽  
Brainstem Response

We examined the effects of ipsilateral-direct, continuous, broadband noise on auditory brainstem response (ABR) wave I and V latencies and amplitudes in young adult versus older adult humans. It was hypothesized that age might influence the effects of masking noise on ABR peak latencies and/or amplitudes, given the frequent complaint of older persons’ ability to process speech in background noise. Young adults had hearing thresholds of 20 dB HL or better for the octave frequencies from 250 to 8000 Hz. A subset of older study participants had thresholds of 20 dB HL or better across frequency, but others had thresholds up to 45 dB HL. All data were collected and analyzed with a Nicolet Bravo. An electrode was placed on the tympanic membrane (as well as on high forehead and contralateral mastoid), and a click level of 115 dB pSPL was used to maximize wave I amplitude. Masker conditions included a no-noise control and noise levels ranging from 20 to 70 dB effective masking, in 10 dB steps. With increasing noise level, both age groups showed minimal changes in wave I latency, but substantial increases in wave V latency and I–V interval. Peak amplitudes decreased with increasing noise level. Mean amplitudes were smaller for the older group, most notably for wave I. Mean peak latencies were greater in the older group, but the I–V interval was similar across age groups, as was the change in peak latencies and I–V interval across noise level. ABR parameters for the older adults with hearing meeting the 20-dB HL criterion at all frequencies (older-better) were compared to those who didn’t meet this criterion (olderworse). Mean wave I latency was greater and wave V latency and I–V interval were smaller for the older-worse group at all noise levels. Mean wave I and V amplitudes were similar for the older-better and older-worse groups. In participants with normal or near-normal hearing, ABR changes with increasing age included small latency increases and a substantial reduction in wave I amplitude. The effects of ipsilateral-direct masking noise on the click-evoked ABR are similar for young and older adults.

Natural Speech Intelligibility in Theatres in Relation to Their Acoustics

2011 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 293-311
Author(s):  
Maarten P.M. Luykx ◽  
Martijn L.S. Vercammen
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Sound Level ◽  
Natural Speech ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Background Levels ◽  
Noise Ratio

There is a certain tendency in the design of theatres to make the halls quite large. From a perspective of natural speech intelligibility and strength of speech this is disadvantageous, because an actor's voice has a certain, limited loudness and consequently the signal-to-noise ratio at the listener may become too low. Based on the influence of signal/noise ratio on speech intelligibility, it is deduced that the strength G ≥ 6 dB and room volumes have to be limited to 4000–4500 m3 in order to maintain sufficient loudness for natural speech. Sound level measurements during performances with natural speech in a theatre have been performed, to determine background noise levels in the hall due to the audience and to investigate the signal-to-noise ratio of the actors voice at the audience. The background levels are mainly determined by installation noise and not by the influence of the audience.

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