Speech pattern element stimulation in electrical hearing

A sensation of hearing is provided for the otherwise totally deaf adult by the use of an electrode arrangement, placed external to the cochlea, which provides only larynx frequency speech pattern information. This is normally obtained by acoustic analysis and is presented so that, although its pattern is preserved, its physical form is matched to the patient's auditory capacity. Speech-receptive improvement has been shown using interactive synthetic speech techniques, video-recorded lipreading tests, and interactive conversational-type presentations. Speech production skills are also enhanced by self-monitoring, and examples of voice range improvement and jitter reduction are given. The particular electrode system used is especially suitable for promontory stimulation in adult patients without a tympanic membrane. The work as a whole is relevant, however, to the design of other conservative prostheses for both deaf adults and children.