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Speech perception in noise using directional microphones in open-canal hearing aids
Emily J Klemp1, Sumitrajit Dhar
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Background:
Individuals with impaired hearing find it difficult to understand speech in the presence of background noise--a problem addressed effectively by directional microphones. As open-canal fittings have become increasingly popular in the recent past, so has the debate about the effective directional benefit available from these devices.
Purpose:
This study investigates the benefit of directional microphones in two commercially available open-canal behind-the-ear hearing aids using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT).
Study Sample:
Sixteen individuals, between 50 and 85 year of age, with high-frequency bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and no previous hearing aid experience participated in this study.
Data Collection And Analysis:
Data Collection and Analysis: Individuals were asked to repeat sentences (presented at 0 degrees azimuth) in the presence of a diffuse-field uncorrelated broadband speech-shaped noise. HINT performance was compared across hearing instruments and conditions using a linear model with repeated measures.
Results:
There was a directional advantage of 2.6 dB as compared to the unaided condition. Average performance was worse in the omnidirectional mode as compared to the unaided condition.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that directional signal processing should not be precluded in open-canal instruments for listening in noisy environments.
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