scholarly journals Visual prosody supports reading aloud expressively for deaf readers

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten Renckens ◽  
Leo De Raeve ◽  
Erik Nuyts ◽  
María Pérez Mena ◽  
Ann Bessemans
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Reading Aloud ◽  
Expressive Speech ◽  
Speech Prosody ◽  
Deaf Readers ◽  
Reading Materials ◽  
Visual Prosody ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Speech Variation

Type is a wonderful tool to represent speech visually. Therefore, it can provide deaf individuals the information that they miss auditorily. Still, type does not represent all the information available in speech: it misses an exact indication of prosody. Prosody is the motor of expressive speech through speech variations in loudness, duration, and pitch. The speech of deaf readersis often less expressive because deafness impedes the perception and production of prosody. Support can be provided by visual cues that provide information about prosody—visual prosody—supporting both the training of speech variations and expressive reading. We will describe the influence of visual prosody on the reading expressiveness of deaf readers between age 7 and 18 (in this study, ‘deaf readers’ means persons with any kind of hearing loss, with or without hearing devices, who still developed legible speech). A total of seven cues visualize speech variations: a thicker/thinner font corresponds with a louder/quieter voice; a wider/narrower font relates to a lower/faster speed; a font raised above/lowered below the baseline suggests a higher/lower pitch; wider spaces between words suggest longer pauses. We evaluated the seven cues with questionnaires and a reading aloud test. Deaf readers relate most cues to the intendedspeech variation and read most of them aloud correctly. Only the raised cue is di#cult to connect to the intended speech variation at first, and a faster speed and lower pitch prove challenging to vocalize. Despite those two difficulties, this approach to visual prosody is elective in supporting speech prosody. The applied materials can form an example for typographers, type designers, graphic designers, teachers, speech therapists, and researchers developing expressive reading materials.

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.

scholarly journals Successive ipsilateral surgery of Vibrant Soundbridge and Bonebridge devices for congenital bilateral conductive hearing loss: a case report

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 030006052097228
Author(s):  
Yujie Liu ◽  
Ran Ren ◽  
Shouqin Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Conductive Hearing Loss ◽  
Vibrant Soundbridge ◽  
Patient’S Experience ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Conductive Hearing ◽  
Subjective Outcomes

The Bonebridge and Vibrant Soundbridge systems are semi-implanted hearing devices, which have been widely applied in patients with congenital conductive hearing loss. However, comparison between these two hearing devices is rare, especially in the same patient. We report a 23-year-old man who underwent successive implantation of Vibrant Soundbridge and Bonebridge devices in the same ear because of dysfunction of the Vibrant Soundbridge. We provide insight on the patient’s experience and compare the audiological and subjective outcomes of satisfaction.

scholarly journals Totally Implantable Hearing Devices

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-142
Author(s):  
Mohan Kameswaran ◽  
S Raghunandhan
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Surgical Procedure ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Auditory Rehabilitation ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Implantable Hearing Aids

Abstract Hearing aids are the principal means of auditory rehabilitation for patients with moderate to severe sensori-neural hearing loss. Although technical improvements and modifications have improved the fidelity of conventional aids, hearing aids still have many limitations including the inherent self consciousness and social stigma attached to visible hearing aids. The recently introduced totally implantable hearing aids offer patients with hearing loss several potential advantages over conventional hearing aids. This article reviews the indications, surgical procedure, advantages and the current status of totally implantable hearing devices.

The Effects of Changes in Head Angle on Auditory and Visual Input for Omnidirectional and Directional Microphone Hearing Aids

2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Henry ◽  
Todd Ricketts
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Recognition Performance ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Increase Signal Intensity ◽  
Visual Mode

Improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for individuals with hearing loss who are listening to speech in noise provides an obvious benefit. Although binaural hearing provides the greatest advantage over monaural hearing in noise, some individuals with symmetrical hearing loss choose to wear only one hearing aid. The present study tested the hypothesis that individuals with symmetrical hearing loss fit with one hearing aid would demonstrate improved speech recognition in background noise with increases in head turn. Fourteen individuals were fit monaurally with a Starkey Gemini in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid with directional and omnidirectional microphone modes. Speech recognition performance in noise was tested using the audiovisual version of the Connected Speech Test (CST v.3). The test was administered in auditory-only conditions as well as with the addition of visual cues for each of three head angles: 0°, 20°, and 40°. Results indicated improvement in speech recognition performance with changes in head angle for the auditory-only presentation mode at the 20° and 40° head angles when compared to 0°. Improvement in speech recognition performance for the auditory + visual mode was noted for the 20° head angle when compared to 0°. Additionally, a decrement in speech recognition performance for the auditory + visual mode was noted for the 40° head angle when compared to 0°. These results support a speech recognition advantage for listeners fit with one ITE hearing aid listening in a close listener-to-speaker distance when they turn their head slightly in order to increase signal intensity.

scholarly journals Applications of direct-to-consumer hearing devices for adults with hearing loss: a review

2017 ◽  
Vol Volume 12 ◽  
pp. 859-871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinaya Manchaiah ◽  
Brian Taylor ◽  
Ashley Dockens ◽  
Nicole Tran ◽  
Kayla Lane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Direct To Consumer ◽  
Hearing Devices

scholarly journals A Survey Study of Audiology Services during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 352-363
Author(s):  
InOn Kim ◽  
Soo Hee Oh
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Schedule Delay ◽  
Communication Difficulties ◽  
Level Reduction

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected public health and people’s lifestyle. The purpose of this survey study is to investigate audiology services during COVID-19 pandemic to understand the current audiology service situations in Korea and to improve audiology services.Methods: A total of 120 participants (60 audiologists and 60 clients visiting audiologists) were surveyed in this study using online or face-to-face methods. The participants answered 24~25 questions including current status of audiology service, communication difficulties with wearing masks, and the provision of tele-audiology services during COVID-19.Results: The results showed that both audiologists and clients with hearing loss still preferred face-to-face audiology services in COVID-19 situation in spite of 56% of visiting schedule delay and cancellation. The primary audiology services they considered in COVID-19 were hearing aid fitting and maintenance & repair services. Wearing masks has led communication difficulties in both audiologists and clients with hearing loss due to speech level reduction, frequency filtering of sounds, and insufficient visual cues during the conversation. Only 30% of audiologists have provided tele-audiology services, and 4.4% of clients received tele-audiology services during COVID-19.Conclusion: The impacts of COVID-19 in audiology services in South Korea are still progressing. The technical and administrative systems and educational support to improve audiology services in South Korea are necessary.

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