APEX/SPIN: a free test platform to measure speech intelligibility

Area of Science:

• Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
• Acoustics and Psychoacoustics
• Computational Linguistics and Speech Processing

Background:

• Accurate speech intelligibility measurement is crucial for clinical diagnosis and research.
• Existing methods for speech testing can be cumbersome and lack flexibility.
• A need exists for accessible, customizable tools for speech perception research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate APEX/SPIN, a free, open-source software platform for speech intelligibility testing.
• To demonstrate the platform's capability to administer custom speech tests in various acoustic conditions.
• To compare the performance of APEX/SPIN with conventional audiometric setups.

Main Methods:

• Development of the APEX/SPIN platform with a user-friendly graphical interface.
• Implementation of customizable parameters including speech material, noise type, and signal-to-noise ratio.
• Validation study involving normal-hearing listeners measuring speech perception in quiet and noise using APEX/SPIN and conventional equipment.

Main Results:

• The APEX/SPIN platform demonstrated ease of use for test administration and calibration.
• Speech perception results obtained with APEX/SPIN were comparable to those from conventional audiometer and CD player setups.
• The platform successfully accommodated various speech materials and noise conditions.

Conclusions:

• APEX/SPIN is a versatile, freely available, and open-source software solution for speech perception testing.
• The platform offers flexibility for custom test design and administration in research and clinical settings.
• APEX/SPIN provides a reliable and accessible alternative to traditional speech intelligibility measurement methods.