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Combined Effects of Noise and Reverberation on Sound Localization for Listeners With Normal Hearing and Bilateral
Yunfang Zheng1, Janet Koehnke2, Joan Besing2
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI.
American Journal of Audiology
|October 27, 2017
Summary
Bilateral cochlear implant (BCI) users struggle more with speech localization in noisy and reverberant conditions compared to normal-hearing listeners. These environmental factors significantly impact BCI users
Area of Science:
- Auditory neuroscience
- Speech perception
- Hearing technology
Background:
- Speech localization is crucial for effective communication.
- Cochlear implants (CIs) can restore hearing but may be affected by environmental acoustics.
- Bilateral cochlear implants (BCIs) aim to improve spatial hearing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of noise and reverberation on speech localization in normal-hearing (NH) listeners and BCI users.
- To compare the performance of NH listeners and BCI users under various acoustic conditions.
- To understand the combined impact of noise and reverberation on speech localization for BCI users.
Main Methods:
- A virtual localization test was administered to six BCI users and ten NH listeners.
- Tests were conducted in quiet and at varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) from -8 dB to +8 dB.
- Simulated anechoic and reverberant environments with different reverberation times (RT60) were used.
Main Results:
- BCI users demonstrated significantly poorer speech localization than NH listeners across all tested conditions.
- BCI users' localization performance degraded at higher SNRs and shorter RT60 values compared to NH listeners.
- The combined effects of noise and reverberation disproportionately affected BCI users' localization abilities.
Conclusions:
- Noise and reverberation substantially impair speech localization in BCI users.
- Findings can inform the development of improved CI processing strategies.
- Rehabilitation plans can be optimized to enhance binaural benefit for BCI users in real-world listening environments.
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