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Spatial Release From Masking With Bilateral Bone Conduction Stimulation at Mastoid for Normal Hearing Subjects
Jie Wang1, Sijia Xie1, Stefan Stenfelt2
1School of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
Trends in Hearing
|March 29, 2024
Summary
Spatial release from masking (SRM) was studied using bone conduction (BC) and air conduction (AC) in normal-hearing adults. Results show spatial separation improves speech recognition, with AC outperforming BC at wider angles.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Psychoacoustics
- Auditory Neuroscience
Background:
- Spatial release from masking (SRM) is crucial for understanding speech in complex auditory environments.
- Bone conduction (BC) hearing offers a unique pathway for sound transmission, distinct from air conduction (AC).
- Investigating SRM with BC stimulation is essential for understanding its potential in hearing aid technology and auditory rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of spatial release from masking (SRM) using bilateral bone conduction (BC) stimulation at the mastoid.
- To compare SRM for BC and air conduction (AC) stimulation across various spatial configurations.
- To determine the influence of angular separation and sound modality on speech recognition thresholds (SRTs).
Main Methods:
- Nine normal-hearing adults participated in the study.
- Speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) were measured in simulated spatial setups (0-180 degrees) using non-individualized head-related transfer functions.
- Stimulation was delivered via bilateral BC at the mastoid and AC through headphones.
Main Results:
- Both angular separation and sound modality significantly impacted speech recognition.
- Increasing spatial separation up to 150° improved SRTs for both BC and AC, with a slight decline beyond 150°.
- AC showed significantly greater SRM than BC for separations >75°, while BC offered greater, though not statistically significant, benefits for separations <75°.
- The 'better ear effect' was not significant for same-sided sources but dominated SRM for opposite-sided sources.
Conclusions:
- Spatial separation enhances speech intelligibility for both BC and AC, but AC provides superior benefits at larger spatial angles.
- BC stimulation offers unique insights into spatial hearing mechanisms, particularly at closer spatial separations.
- Understanding these modality-specific spatial effects is vital for developing advanced audiological devices and strategies.
