Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
04:32
Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention
Published on: December 20, 2024
Speech versus noise in pediatric sound localization
Elisabeth Zangerl1, Franz Muigg1, Josef Seebacher2
1University Hospital for Hearing, Speech & Voice Disorders, Tirol Kliniken Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Summary
Both noise and word stimuli effectively assess directional hearing in children. Noise stimuli are more economical for clinical use, while word stimuli require more resources for reliable results.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Hearing Assessment
Background:
- Accurate sound localization is crucial for children's development, impacting communication, safety, and learning.
- Traditional directional hearing tests often use noise stimuli, but speech stimuli may be more engaging for children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of noise versus word stimuli in assessing sound localization in children with varying hearing statuses.
- To evaluate performance across different age groups and hearing aid use.
Main Methods:
- 108 children (normal-hearing and hearing aid users aged 6-17) participated in a sound localization task.
- Participants localized broadband noise bursts or German words presented from five speaker locations.
- Localization accuracy was quantified using root mean square error (RMSE) and analyzed with linear mixed-effects models.
Main Results:
- No significant overall differences in localization accuracy (RMSE) were found between noise and word stimuli across all groups.
- A minor significant difference favored noise stimuli in the younger hearing aid group (HA6-10) at the 0° location (p=0.03).
Conclusions:
- Both noise and word stimuli are viable for assessing directional hearing in pediatric populations.
- Noise stimuli offer a more economical testing approach due to fewer required presentations.
- Word stimuli, while potentially more child-friendly, are more resource-intensive to administer reliably.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
01:06Echo
The human ear cannot distinguish between two sources of sound if they happen to reach within a specific time interval, typically 0.1 seconds apart. More than this, and they are perceived as separate sources.
Imagine the sound is reflected back to the ears. Assuming that the source is very close to the human, the difference between hearing the two sounds—the emitted sound and the reflected sound—may be more than the minimum time for perceiving distinct sounds. If this is the case, then the...
Imagine the sound is reflected back to the ears. Assuming that the source is very close to the human, the difference between hearing the two sounds—the emitted sound and the reflected sound—may be more than the minimum time for perceiving distinct sounds. If this is the case, then the...