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Preliminary results with the AVR ImpaCt frequency-transposing hearing aid
1Co-operative Research Centre for Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid Innovation and the Department of Otolaryngology, The University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Australia.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|April 24, 2001
Summary
The ImpaCt DSR675 hearing aid did not improve speech recognition in quiet for hearing-impaired adults. Its noise reduction feature worsened sentence understanding in competing noise.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Hearing Aid Technology
Background:
- The ImpaCt DSR675 is the sole behind-the-ear hearing aid featuring frequency transposition.
- Hearing aids aim to improve speech perception for individuals with hearing loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the ImpaCt DSR675's frequency transposition function.
- To compare the ImpaCt DSR675's performance against conventional hearing aids.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving three hearing-impaired adults.
- Performance assessment using monosyllabic word recognition, medial consonant identification, and sentence recognition in noise.
- Comparison between the ImpaCt DSR675 and subjects' own non-transposing hearing aids.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in monosyllabic word or medial consonant recognition was observed.
- Sentence recognition in competing noise was significantly poorer with the ImpaCt DSR675.
- The noise attenuation program in the ImpaCt may have reduced speech intelligibility.
Conclusions:
- The frequency transposition function of the ImpaCt DSR675 did not enhance speech information for the tested subjects.
- The device's noise reduction feature negatively impacted performance in noisy environments.
- Further research is needed to optimize hearing aid technology for complex listening situations.