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Syllabic compression and speech intelligibility in hearing impaired listeners
J Verschuure1, W A Dreschler, E H de Haan
1ENT-Department, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Scandinavian Audiology. Supplementum
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Syllabic compression may improve hearing-impaired speech intelligibility by minimizing overshoots. Using short time constants and frequency equalization further enhances understanding for better hearing aid performance.
Area of Science:
- Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
- Acoustics and Signal Processing
Background:
- Syllabic compression's effectiveness in improving speech intelligibility for hearing-impaired individuals remains inconclusive.
- Previous studies have not unequivocally demonstrated benefits, necessitating further investigation into contributing factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of minimum overshoots in the efficacy of syllabic compression for speech intelligibility.
- To identify optimal parameters for syllabic compression to enhance auditory perception in hearing-impaired listeners.
Main Methods:
- A digital signal processor was utilized to implement and test syllabic compression strategies.
- Hearing-impaired subjects participated in experiments to evaluate speech intelligibility under various compression settings.
- The concept of minimum overshoots was introduced and assessed as a key variable.
Main Results:
- Moderate syllabic compression demonstrated potential to improve speech intelligibility when overshoots were minimized.
- Shorter time constants in the compression system were found to be beneficial.
- Frequency equalization was identified as an additional factor positively impacting speech intelligibility.
Conclusions:
- Minimizing overshoots is crucial for achieving improved speech intelligibility with syllabic compression.
- Optimized syllabic compression, incorporating frequency equalization and short time constants, can enhance auditory rehabilitation for hearing-impaired individuals.
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