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An Experimental Platform to Study the Closed-loop Performance of Brain-machine Interfaces
Published on: March 10, 2011
Prediction of binaural speech intelligibility with frequency-dependent interaural phase differences
Rainer Beutelmann1, Thomas Brand, Birger Kollmeier
1Medizinische Physik, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Universitat Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany. rainer.beutelmann@uni-oldenburg.de
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|September 11, 2009
Summary
This study investigated binaural speech intelligibility by analyzing frequency bands and interaural phase differences (IPDs). Results show that binaural unmasking depends on IPD bandwidth and alternation, validating current speech intelligibility models.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Speech Perception
- Acoustics
Background:
- Current models of binaural speech intelligibility assume independent processing in adjacent frequency bands.
- Understanding the effective binaural auditory bandwidth is crucial for complex auditory scenes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis of independent processing strategies in adjacent binaural frequency bands.
- To investigate the effective binaural auditory bandwidth in broad-band signals.
- To compare model predictions with observed speech reception thresholds (SRTs).
Main Methods:
- Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured under various binaural conditions.
- Frequency-dependent interaural phase differences (IPDs) of speech and noise were manipulated.
- The bandwidth of the IPD function was varied, and IPD signs were alternated or non-alternated.
Main Results:
- Binaural unmasking decreased with decreasing IPD bandwidth for alternating IPDs.
- Significant binaural unmasking remained for non-alternating IPDs, irrespective of bandwidth.
- The Beutelmann and Brand binaural speech intelligibility model accurately predicted observed data with a 2.3 equivalent rectangular bandwidth (ERB) filter.
Conclusions:
- The study supports the hypothesis of independent processing in adjacent binaural frequency bands.
- The effective binaural auditory bandwidth is a critical factor in speech intelligibility.
- The findings validate and refine current binaural speech intelligibility models.
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