Journal article
Hearing-aid users' voices: A factor that could affect directional benefit
International journal of audiology, Vol.52(11), pp.789-794
11/01/2013
DOI: 10.3109/14992027.2013.802381
PMID: 23777478
Abstract
Objective: Backward-facing directional processing (Back-DIR) is an algorithm that employs an anti-cardioid directivity pattern to enhance speech arriving from behind the listener. An experiment that was originally designed to evaluate Back-DIR, together with its follow-up experiment, are reported to illustrate how hearing-aid users' voices could affect directional benefit. Design: Speech recognition performance was measured in a speech-180°/noise-0° configuration, with aids programmed to Back-DIR enabled or omnidirectional processing. In the original experiment, the conventional hearing-in-noise test (HINT) was used, wherein listeners repeated heard sentences. In the follow-up experiment, a modified HINT was used, wherein a carrier phrase was presented before each sentence. Study sample: Fifteen adults with sensorineural hearing loss participated in both experiments. Results: Significant Back-DIR benefit (relative to omnidirectional processing) was observed in the follow-up experiment, while not in the original experiment. Conclusions: In the original experiment, hearing aids were affected by listeners' voices such that Back-DIR was not always activated when the target speech was presented. In the follow-up experiment, listeners' voice effects were eliminated by the carrier phrase activating Back-DIR before the sentences were presented. The results suggest that the effect of hearing-aid technologies is highly dependent on the characteristics of listening conditions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Hearing-aid users' voices: A factor that could affect directional benefit
- Creators
- Yu-Hsiang Wu - Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of IowaElizabeth Stangl - Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of IowaRuth A Bentler - Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- International journal of audiology, Vol.52(11), pp.789-794
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- DOI
- 10.3109/14992027.2013.802381
- PMID
- 23777478
- ISSN
- 1499-2027
- eISSN
- 1708-8186
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/01/2013
- Academic Unit
- Communication Sciences and Disorders; Otolaryngology
- Record Identifier
- 9984083247002771
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