1
|
Hermon AM, Ganapathy K, Palaniswamy HP, Muthu ANP. Development and Validation of the Spatial Separation Sentence Test in Kannada. J Audiol Otol 2024; 28:228-235. [PMID: 38685832 PMCID: PMC11273185 DOI: 10.7874/jao.2023.00325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study aimed to develop and validate a modified version of the Speech in Noise Sentence Test in Kannada, which would be appropriate for testing the speech comprehension ability of children aged 8-12 years. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A total of 120 sentences were chosen from 200 familiar sentences and split into four lists. Continuous discourse was used as a competition or distractor. Using MATLAB, the target stimulus was presented at 0-degree azimuth while the distractor's location varied (+90° and -90° azimuth). The test was programmed to dynamically adjust the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) based on participants' responses. After initial validation, a pilot study was conducted with 60 typically hearing children aged 8 to 12 years. RESULTS The SNR50 scores significantly improved when the distractor and target sentences were spatially separated across all groups. Age had a significant influence on the spatial separation scores. The test-retest reliability was excellent. CONCLUSIONS The developed stimuli effectively measured spatial separation, and the normative and psychometric analyses demonstrated reliable outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asish Mervin Hermon
- Department of Speech and Hearing, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Kanaka Ganapathy
- Department of Speech and Hearing, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Hari Prakash Palaniswamy
- Department of Speech and Hearing, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Arivudai Nambi Pitchai Muthu
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, KMC Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yuan C. Exploring the feasibility of remote administration of speech audiometry: A comparative study of conventional and digital methods. Digit Health 2024; 10:20552076241271834. [PMID: 39139187 PMCID: PMC11320679 DOI: 10.1177/20552076241271834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective This study investigated the effectiveness of remote administration of speech audiometry, an essential tool for diagnosing hearing loss and determining its severity. Utilizing two software tools for remote testing, the research aimed to compare these digital methods with traditional, in-person speech audiometry to evaluate their feasibility and accuracy. Design Participants underwent the Cantonese Hearing in Noise Test (CHINT) under three listening conditions-quiet, noise from the front, and noise from the right side-using three different administration methods: the conventional in-person approach, video conferencing software, and remote access software. Study Sample Fifty-six Cantonese-speaking adults residing in Hong Kong participated in this study. Results Analysis revealed no significant differences in CHINT scores among the three administration methods, indicating the potential for remote administration to yield results comparable to those of conventional methods. Conclusions The findings supported the feasibility of remote speech audiometry using the investigated digital tools. This study paved the way for the wider adoption of tele-audiology practices, particularly in situations where in-person assessments are not possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Yuan
- Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Minelli G, Puglisi GE, Astolfi A, Hauth C, Warzybok A. Objective Assessment of Binaural Benefit from Acoustical Treatment in Real Primary School Classrooms. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20105848. [PMID: 37239574 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20105848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Providing students with an adequate acoustic environment is crucial for ensuring speech intelligibility in primary school classrooms. Two main approaches to control acoustics in educational facilities consist of reducing background noise and late reverberation. Prediction models for speech intelligibility have been developed and implemented to evaluate the effects of these approaches. In this study, two versions of the Binaural Speech Intelligibility Model (BSIM) were used to predict speech intelligibility in realistic spatial configurations of speakers and listeners, considering binaural aspects. Both versions shared the same binaural processing and speech intelligibility backend processes but differed in the pre-processing of the speech signal. An Italian primary school classroom was characterized in terms of acoustics before (reverberation, T20 = 1.6 ± 0.1 s) and after (T20 = 0.6 ± 0.1 s) an acoustical treatment to compare BSIM predictions to well-established room acoustic measures. With shorter reverberation time, speech clarity and definition improved, as well as speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) (by up to ~6 dB), particularly when the noise source was close to the receiver and an energetic masker was present. Conversely, longer reverberation times resulted (i) in poorer SRTs (by ~11 dB on average) and (ii) in an almost non-existent spatial release from masking at an angle (SRM).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Greta Minelli
- Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Arianna Astolfi
- Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Christopher Hauth
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Anna Warzybok
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jürgens T, Wesarg T, Oetting D, Jung L, Williges B. Spatial speech-in-noise performance in simulated single-sided deaf and bimodal cochlear implant users in comparison with real patients. Int J Audiol 2023; 62:30-43. [PMID: 34962428 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2021.2015633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in spatial scenarios were measured in simulated cochlear implant (CI) listeners with either contralateral normal hearing, or aided hearing impairment (bimodal), and compared to SRTs of real patients, who were measured using the exact same paradigm, to assess goodness of simulation. DESIGN CI listening was simulated using a vocoder incorporating actual CI signal processing and physiologic details of electric stimulation on one side. Unprocessed signals or simulation of aided moderate or profound hearing impairment was used contralaterally. Three spatial speech-in-noise scenarios were tested using virtual acoustics to assess spatial release from masking (SRM) and combined benefit. STUDY SAMPLE Eleven normal-hearing listeners participated in the experiment. RESULTS For contralateral normal and aided moderately impaired hearing, bilaterally assessed SRTs were not statistically different from unilateral SRTs of the better ear, indicating "better-ear-listening". Combined benefit was only found for contralateral profound impaired hearing. As in patients, SRM was highest for contralateral normal hearing and decreased systematically with more severe simulated impairment. Comparison to actual patients showed good reproduction of SRTs, SRM, and better-ear-listening. CONCLUSIONS The simulations reproduced better-ear-listening as in patients and suggest that combined benefit in spatial scenes predominantly occurs when both ears show poor speech-in-noise performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Jürgens
- Institute of Acoustics, University of Applied Sciences Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Medical Physics and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", Carl-von-Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Wesarg
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Lorenz Jung
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ben Williges
- Medical Physics and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all", Carl-von-Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
- SOUND Lab, Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Prud'homme L, Lavandier M, Best V. Investigating the role of harmonic cancellation in speech-on-speech masking. Hear Res 2022; 426:108562. [PMID: 35768309 PMCID: PMC9722527 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the role of harmonic cancellation in the intelligibility of speech in "cocktail party" situations. While there is evidence that harmonic cancellation plays a role in the segregation of simple harmonic sounds based on fundamental frequency (F0), its utility for mixtures of speech containing non-stationary F0s and unvoiced segments is unclear. Here we focused on the energetic masking of speech targets caused by competing speech maskers. Speech reception thresholds were measured using seven maskers: speech-shaped noise, monotonized and intonated harmonic complexes, monotonized speech, noise-vocoded speech, reversed speech and natural speech. These maskers enabled an estimate of how the masking potential of speech is influenced by harmonic structure, amplitude modulation and variations in F0 over time. Measured speech reception thresholds were compared to the predictions of two computational models, with and without a harmonic cancellation component. Overall, the results suggest a minor role of harmonic cancellation in reducing energetic masking in speech mixtures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luna Prud'homme
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, LTDS, UMR5513, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, LTDS, UMR5513, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin, France.
| | - Virginia Best
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Krueger M, Schulte M, Brand T. Assessing and Modeling Spatial Release From Listening Effort in Listeners With Normal Hearing: Reference Ranges and Effects of Noise Direction and Age. Trends Hear 2022; 26:23312165221129407. [PMID: 36285532 PMCID: PMC9618758 DOI: 10.1177/23312165221129407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Listening to speech in noisy environments is challenging and effortful. Factors like the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the spatial separation between target speech and noise interferer(s), and possibly also the listener's age might influence perceived listening effort (LE). This study measured and modeled the effect of the spatial separation of target speech and interfering stationary speech-shaped noise on the perceived LE and its relation to the age of the listeners. Reference ranges for the relationship between subjectively perceived LE and SNR for different noise azimuths were established. For this purpose, 70 listeners with normal hearing and from three age groups rated the perceived LE using the Adaptive Categorical Listening Effort Scaling method (ACALES, Krueger et al., 2017a) with speech from the front and noise from 0°, 90°, 135°, or 180° azimuth. Based on these data, the spatial release from listening effort (SRLE) was calculated. The noise azimuth had a strong effect on SRLE, with the highest release for 135°. The binaural speech intelligibility model (BSIM2020, Hauth et al., 2020) predicted SRLE very well at negative SNRs, but overestimated for positive SNRs. No significant effect of age was found on the respective subjective ratings. Therefore, the reference ranges were determined independently of age. These reference ranges can be used for the classification of LE measurements. However, when the increase of the perceived LE with SNR was analyzed, a significant age difference was found between the listeners of the youngest and oldest group when considering the upper range of the LE function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Krueger
- Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH, Oldenburg, Germany,Melanie Krueger, Hörzentrum Oldenburg gGmbH, Marie-Curie-Straße 2, D-26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
| | | | - Thomas Brand
- Medizinische Physik, Department für Medizinische Physik und Akustik, Fakultät VI, Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Karbasi M, Kolossa D. ASR-based speech intelligibility prediction: A review. Hear Res 2022; 426:108606. [PMID: 36154977 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Various types of methods and approaches are available to predict the intelligibility of speech signals, but many of these still suffer from two major problems: first, their required prior knowledge, which itself could limit the applicability and lower the objectivity of the method, and second, a low generalization capacity, e.g. across noise types, degradation conditions, and speech material. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) has been suggested as a machine-learning-based component of speech intelligibility prediction (SIP), aiming to ameliorate the shortcomings of other SIP methods. Since their first introduction, ASR-based SIP approaches have been developing at an increasingly rapid pace, were deployed in a range of contexts, and have shown promising performance in many scenarios. Our article provides an overview of this body of research. The main differences between competing methods are highlighted and their benefits are explained next to their limitations. We conclude with an outlook on future work and new related directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahdie Karbasi
- Cognitive Signal Processing Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, NRW, Germany.
| | - Dorothea Kolossa
- Cognitive Signal Processing Group, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801, NRW, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Relaño-Iborra H, Dau T. Speech intelligibility prediction based on modulation frequency-selective processing. Hear Res 2022; 426:108610. [PMID: 36163219 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Speech intelligibility models can provide insights regarding the auditory processes involved in human speech perception and communication. One successful approach to modelling speech intelligibility has been based on the analysis of the amplitude modulations present in speech as well as competing interferers. This review covers speech intelligibility models that include a modulation-frequency selective processing stage i.e., a modulation filterbank, as part of their front end. The speech-based envelope power spectrum model [sEPSM, Jørgensen and Dau (2011). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130(3), 1475-1487], several variants of the sEPSM including modifications with respect to temporal resolution, spectro-temporal processing and binaural processing, as well as the speech-based computational auditory signal processing and perception model [sCASP; Relaño-Iborra et al. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 146(5), 3306-3317], which is based on an established auditory signal detection and masking model, are discussed. The key processing stages of these models for the prediction of speech intelligibility across a variety of acoustic conditions are addressed in relation to competing modeling approaches. The strengths and weaknesses of the modulation-based analysis are outlined and perspectives presented, particularly in connection with the challenge of predicting the consequences of individual hearing loss on speech intelligibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helia Relaño-Iborra
- Hearing Systems Section, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark; Cognitive Systems Section, Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs, Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
| | - Torsten Dau
- Hearing Systems Section, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rennies J, Röttges S, Huber R, Hauth CF, Brand T. A joint framework for blind prediction of binaural speech intelligibility and perceived listening effort. Hear Res 2022; 426:108598. [PMID: 35995688 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Speech perception is strongly affected by noise and reverberation in the listening room, and binaural processing can substantially facilitate speech perception in conditions when target speech and maskers originate from different directions. Most studies and proposed models for predicting spatial unmasking have focused on speech intelligibility. The present study introduces a model framework that predicts both speech intelligibility and perceived listening effort from the same output measure. The framework is based on a combination of a blind binaural processing stage employing a blind equalization cancelation (EC) mechanism, and a blind backend based on phoneme probability classification. Neither frontend nor backend require any additional information, such as the source directions, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or the number of sources, allowing for a fully blind perceptual assessment of binaural input signals consisting of target speech mixed with noise. The model is validated against a recent data set in which speech intelligibility and perceived listening effort were measured for a range of acoustic conditions differing in reverberation and binaural cues [Rennies and Kidd (2018), J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 144, 2147-2159]. Predictions of the proposed model are compared with a non-blind binaural model consisting of a non-blind EC stage and a backend based on the speech intelligibility index. The analyses indicated that all main trends observed in the experiments were correctly predicted by the blind model. The overall proportion of variance explained by the model (R² = 0.94) for speech intelligibility was slightly worse than for the non-blind model (R² = 0.98). For listening effort predictions, both models showed lower prediction accuracy, but still explained significant proportions of the observed variance (R² = 0.88 and R² = 0.71 for the non-blind and blind model, respectively). Closer inspection showed that the differences between data and predictions were largest for binaural conditions at high SNRs, where the perceived listening effort of human listeners tended to be underestimated by the models, specifically by the blind version.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Rennies
- Fraunhofer IDMT, Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Marie-Curie-Str. 2, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Saskia Röttges
- Department für Medizinische Physik und Akustik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Huber
- Fraunhofer IDMT, Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Marie-Curie-Str. 2, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Christopher F Hauth
- Department für Medizinische Physik und Akustik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Brand
- Department für Medizinische Physik und Akustik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Cueille R, Lavandier M, Grimault N. Effects of reverberation on speech intelligibility in noise for hearing-impaired listeners. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:210342. [PMID: 36061524 DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6159208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Reverberation can have a strong detrimental effect on speech intelligibility in noise. Two main monaural effects were studied here: the temporal smearing of the target speech, which makes the speech less understandable, and the temporal smearing of the noise, which reduces the opportunity for listening in the masker dips. These phenomena have been shown to affect normal-hearing (NH) listeners. The aim of this study was to understand whether hearing-impaired (HI) listeners are more affected by reverberation, and if so to identify which of these two effects is responsible. They were investigated separately and in combination, by applying reverberation either on the target speech, on the noise masker, or on both sources. Binaural effects were not investigated here. Intelligibility scores in the presence of stationary and modulated noise were systematically compared for both NH and HI listeners in these situations. At the optimal signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) (that is to say, the SNRs with the least amount of floor and ceiling effects), the temporal smearing of both the speech and the noise had a similar effect for the HI and NH listeners, so that reverberation was not more detrimental for the HI listeners. There was only a very limited dip listening benefit at this SNR for either group. Some differences across group appeared at the SNR maximizing dip listening, but they could not be directly related to an effect of reverberation, and were rather due to floor effects or to the reduced ability of the HI listeners to benefit from dip listening, even in the absence of reverberation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Cueille
- Univ. Lyon, ENTPE, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, LTDS, UMR5513, Vaulx-en-Velin 69518, France
- CRNL, UMR CNRS 5292, Univ. Lyon 1, 50 av T Garnier, Lyon Cedex 07 69366, France
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ. Lyon, ENTPE, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, LTDS, UMR5513, Vaulx-en-Velin 69518, France
| | - Nicolas Grimault
- CRNL, UMR CNRS 5292, Univ. Lyon 1, 50 av T Garnier, Lyon Cedex 07 69366, France
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Cueille R, Lavandier M, Grimault N. Effects of reverberation on speech intelligibility in noise for hearing-impaired listeners. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:210342. [PMID: 36061524 PMCID: PMC9428532 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Reverberation can have a strong detrimental effect on speech intelligibility in noise. Two main monaural effects were studied here: the temporal smearing of the target speech, which makes the speech less understandable, and the temporal smearing of the noise, which reduces the opportunity for listening in the masker dips. These phenomena have been shown to affect normal-hearing (NH) listeners. The aim of this study was to understand whether hearing-impaired (HI) listeners are more affected by reverberation, and if so to identify which of these two effects is responsible. They were investigated separately and in combination, by applying reverberation either on the target speech, on the noise masker, or on both sources. Binaural effects were not investigated here. Intelligibility scores in the presence of stationary and modulated noise were systematically compared for both NH and HI listeners in these situations. At the optimal signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) (that is to say, the SNRs with the least amount of floor and ceiling effects), the temporal smearing of both the speech and the noise had a similar effect for the HI and NH listeners, so that reverberation was not more detrimental for the HI listeners. There was only a very limited dip listening benefit at this SNR for either group. Some differences across group appeared at the SNR maximizing dip listening, but they could not be directly related to an effect of reverberation, and were rather due to floor effects or to the reduced ability of the HI listeners to benefit from dip listening, even in the absence of reverberation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Cueille
- Univ. Lyon, ENTPE, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, LTDS, UMR5513, Vaulx-en-Velin 69518, France
- CRNL, UMR CNRS 5292, Univ. Lyon 1, 50 av T Garnier, Lyon Cedex 07 69366, France
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ. Lyon, ENTPE, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, CNRS, LTDS, UMR5513, Vaulx-en-Velin 69518, France
| | - Nicolas Grimault
- CRNL, UMR CNRS 5292, Univ. Lyon 1, 50 av T Garnier, Lyon Cedex 07 69366, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Modelling speech reception thresholds and their improvements due to spatial noise reduction algorithms in bimodal cochlear implant users. Hear Res 2022; 420:108507. [PMID: 35484022 PMCID: PMC9188268 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This paper compares two modelling approaches to predict the speech recognition ability of bimodal CI users and the benefit of using beamformers. The modelling approaches vary in computational complexity and fitting requirements. A complex cafeteria spatial scenario with three localized single noise source scenario and a diffuse multi-talker babble noise is used. The automatic speech recognizer is more accurate across the different spatial scenarios and noise types and requires less fitting compared to the statistical modelling approach.
Spatial noise reduction algorithms (“beamformers”) can considerably improve speech reception thresholds (SRTs) for bimodal cochlear implant (CI) users. The goal of this study was to model SRTs and SRT-benefit due to beamformers for bimodal CI users. Two existing model approaches varying in computational complexity and binaural processing assumption were compared: (i) the framework of auditory discrimination experiments (FADE) and (ii) the binaural speech intelligibility model (BSIM), both with CI and aided hearing-impaired front-ends. The exact same acoustic scenarios, and open-access beamformers as in the comparison clinical study Zedan et al. (2021) were used to quantify goodness of prediction. FADE was capable of modeling SRTs ab-initio, i.e., no calibration of the model was necessary to achieve high correlations and low root-mean square errors (RMSE) to both, measured SRTs (r = 0.85, RMSE = 2.8 dB) and to measured SRT-benefits (r = 0.96). BSIM achieved somewhat poorer predictions to both, measured SRTs (r = 0.78, RMSE = 6.7 dB) and to measured SRT-benefits (r = 0.91) and needs to be calibrated for matching average SRTs in one condition. Greatest deviations in predictions of BSIM were observed in diffuse multi-talker babble noise, which were not found with FADE. SRT-benefit predictions of both models were similar to instrumental signal-to-noise ratio (iSNR) improvements due to the beamformers. This indicates that FADE is preferrable for modeling absolute SRTs. However, for prediction of SRT-benefit due to spatial noise reduction algorithms in bimodal CI users, the average iSNR is a much simpler approach with similar performance.
Collapse
|
13
|
Fernandez J, McCormack L, Hyvärinen P, Politis A, Pulkki V. Enhancing binaural rendering of head-worn microphone arrays through the use of adaptive spatial covariance matching. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:2624. [PMID: 35461478 DOI: 10.1121/10.0010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this article, the application of spatial covariance matching is investigated for the task of producing spatially enhanced binaural signals using head-worn microphone arrays. A two-step processing paradigm is followed, whereby an initial estimate of the binaural signals is first produced using one of three suggested binaural rendering approaches. The proposed spatial covariance matching enhancement is then applied to these estimated binaural signals with the intention of producing refined binaural signals that more closely exhibit the correct spatial cues as dictated by the employed sound-field model and associated spatial parameters. It is demonstrated, through objective and subjective evaluations, that the proposed enhancements in the majority of cases produce binaural signals that more closely resemble the spatial characteristics of simulated reference signals when the enhancement is applied to and compared against the three suggested starting binaural rendering approaches. Furthermore, it is shown that the enhancement produces spatially similar output binaural signals when using these three different approaches, thus indicating that the enhancement is general in nature and could, therefore, be employed to enhance the outputs of other similar binaural rendering algorithms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janani Fernandez
- Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Leo McCormack
- Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Petteri Hyvärinen
- Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Archontis Politis
- Department of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Tampere University, Finland
| | - Ville Pulkki
- Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Roßbach J, Kollmeier B, Meyer BT. A model of speech recognition for hearing-impaired listeners based on deep learning. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:1417. [PMID: 35364918 DOI: 10.1121/10.0009411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Automatic speech recognition (ASR) has made major progress based on deep machine learning, which motivated the use of deep neural networks (DNNs) as perception models and specifically to predict human speech recognition (HSR). This study investigates if a modeling approach based on a DNN that serves as phoneme classifier [Spille, Ewert, Kollmeier, and Meyer (2018). Comput. Speech Lang. 48, 51-66] can predict HSR for subjects with different degrees of hearing loss when listening to speech embedded in different complex noises. The eight noise signals range from simple stationary noise to a single competing talker and are added to matrix sentences, which are presented to 20 hearing-impaired (HI) listeners (categorized into three groups with different types of age-related hearing loss) to measure their speech recognition threshold (SRT), i.e., the signal-to-noise ratio with 50% word recognition rate. These are compared to responses obtained from the ASR-based model using degraded feature representations that take into account the individual hearing loss of the participants captured by a pure-tone audiogram. Additionally, SRTs obtained from eight normal-hearing (NH) listeners are analyzed. For NH subjects and three groups of HI listeners, the average SRT prediction error is below 2 dB, which is lower than the errors of the baseline models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Roßbach
- Communication Acoustics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Carl von Ossietzky University, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Birger Kollmeier
- Medical Physics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Carl von Ossietzky University, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bernd T Meyer
- Communication Acoustics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Carl von Ossietzky University, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
van Schoonhoven J, Rhebergen KS, Dreschler WA. A context-based approach to predict speech intelligibility in interrupted noise: Model design. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:1404. [PMID: 35232064 DOI: 10.1121/10.0009617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Extended Speech Transmission Index (ESTI) by van Schoonhoven et al. [(2019). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 145, 1178-1194] was used successfully to predict intelligibility of sentences in fluctuating background noise. However, prediction accuracy was poor when the modulation frequency of the masker was low (<8 Hz). In the current paper, the ESTI was calculated per phoneme to estimate phoneme intelligibility. In the next step, the ESTI model was combined with one of two context models {Boothroyd and Nittrouer, [(1988). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 84, 101-114]; Bronkhorst et al., [(1993). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 93, 499-509} in order to improve model predictions. This approach was validated using interrupted speech data, after which it was used to predict speech intelligibility of words in interrupted noise. Model predictions improved using this new method, especially for maskers with interruption rates below 5 Hz. Calculating the ESTI at phoneme level combined with a context model is therefore a viable option to improve prediction accuracy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelmer van Schoonhoven
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Audiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koenraad S Rhebergen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter A Dreschler
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Audiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Vicente T, Buchholz JM, Lavandier M. Modelling binaural unmasking and the intelligibility of speech in noise and reverberation for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:3275. [PMID: 34852607 DOI: 10.1121/10.0006736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of hearing loss on binaural unmasking (BU) for the intelligibility of speech in noise. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured with normal-hearing (NH) listeners and older mildly hearing-impaired (HI) listeners while varying the presentation level of the stimuli, reverberation, modulation of the noise masker, and spatial separation of the speech and noise sources. On average across conditions, the NH listeners benefited more (by 0.6 dB) from BU than HI listeners. The binaural intelligibility model developed by Vicente, Lavandier, and Buchholz [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 148, 3305-3317 (2020)] was used to describe the data, accurate predictions were obtained for the conditions considering moderate noise levels [50 and 60 dB sound pressure level (SPL)]. The interaural jitters that were involved in the prediction of BU had to be revised to describe the data measured at a lower level (40 dB SPL). Across all tested conditions, the correlation between the measured and predicted SRTs was 0.92, whereas the mean prediction error was 0.9 dB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Vicente
- Department of Linguistics-Audiology, Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| | - Jörg M Buchholz
- Department of Linguistics-Audiology, Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ. Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systèmes UMR 5513, Rue M. Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Peng ZE, Pausch F, Fels J. Spatial release from masking in reverberation for school-age children. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:3263. [PMID: 34852617 PMCID: PMC8730369 DOI: 10.1121/10.0006752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding speech in noisy environments, such as classrooms, is a challenge for children. When a spatial separation is introduced between the target and masker, as compared to when both are co-located, children demonstrate intelligibility improvement of the target speech. Such intelligibility improvement is known as spatial release from masking (SRM). In most reverberant environments, binaural cues associated with the spatial separation are distorted; the extent to which such distortion will affect children's SRM is unknown. Two virtual acoustic environments with reverberation times between 0.4 s and 1.1 s were compared. SRM was measured using a spatial separation with symmetrically displaced maskers to maximize access to binaural cues. The role of informational masking in modulating SRM was investigated through voice similarity between the target and masker. Results showed that, contradictory to previous developmental findings on free-field SRM, children's SRM in reverberation has not yet reached maturity in the 7-12 years age range. When reducing reverberation, an SRM improvement was seen in adults but not in children. Our findings suggest that, even though school-age children have access to binaural cues that are distorted in reverberation, they demonstrate immature use of such cues for speech-in-noise perception, even in mild reverberation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Z Ellen Peng
- Institute for Hearing Technology and Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstrasse 5, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Florian Pausch
- Institute for Hearing Technology and Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstrasse 5, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Janina Fels
- Institute for Hearing Technology and Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Kopernikusstrasse 5, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Lavandier M, Mason CR, Baltzell LS, Best V. Individual differences in speech intelligibility at a cocktail party: A modeling perspective. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:1076. [PMID: 34470293 PMCID: PMC8561716 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed at predicting individual differences in speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in the presence of symmetrically placed competing talkers for young listeners with sensorineural hearing loss. An existing binaural model incorporating the individual audiogram was revised to handle severe hearing losses by (a) taking as input the target speech level at SRT in a given condition and (b) introducing a floor in the model to limit extreme negative better-ear signal-to-noise ratios. The floor value was first set using SRTs measured with stationary and modulated noises. The model was then used to account for individual variations in SRTs found in two previously published data sets that used speech maskers. The model accounted well for the variation in SRTs across listeners with hearing loss, based solely on differences in audibility. When considering listeners with normal hearing, the model could predict the best SRTs, but not the poorer SRTs, suggesting that other factors limit performance when audibility (as measured with the audiogram) is not compromised.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ. Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systèmes UMR 5513, Rue Maurice Audin, F-69518 Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex, France
| | - Christine R Mason
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Lucas S Baltzell
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Virginia Best
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Hülsmeier D, Buhl M, Wardenga N, Warzybok A, Schädler MR, Kollmeier B. Inference of the distortion component of hearing impairment from speech recognition by predicting the effect of the attenuation component. Int J Audiol 2021; 61:205-219. [PMID: 34081564 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2021.1929515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A model-based determination of the average supra-threshold ("distortion") component of hearing impairment which limits the benefit of hearing aid amplification. DESIGN Published speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) were predicted with the framework for auditory discrimination experiments (FADE), which simulates recognition processes, the speech intelligibility index (SII), which exploits frequency-dependent signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), and a modified SII with a hearing-loss-dependent band importance function (PAV). Their attenuation-component-based prediction errors were interpreted as estimates of the distortion component. STUDY SAMPLE Unaided SRTs of 315 hearing-impaired ears measured with the German matrix sentence test in stationary noise. RESULTS Overall, the models showed root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) of 7 dB, but for steeply sloping hearing loss FADE and PAV were more accurate (RMSE = 9 dB) than the SII (RMSE = 23 dB). Prediction errors of FADE and PAV increased linearly with the average hearing loss. The consideration of the distortion component estimate significantly improved the accuracy of FADE's and PAV's predictions. CONCLUSIONS The supra-threshold distortion component-estimated by prediction errors of FADE and PAV-seems to increase with the average hearing loss. Accounting for a distortion component improves the model predictions and implies a need for effective compensation strategies for supra-threshold processing deficits with increasing audibility loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Hülsmeier
- Medical Physics, CvO University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Mareike Buhl
- Medical Physics, CvO University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Nina Wardenga
- Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany.,Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anna Warzybok
- Medical Physics, CvO University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Marc René Schädler
- Medical Physics, CvO University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Birger Kollmeier
- Medical Physics, CvO University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zedan A, Jürgens T, Williges B, Kollmeier B, Wiebe K, Galindo J, Wesarg T. Speech Intelligibility and Spatial Release From Masking Improvements Using Spatial Noise Reduction Algorithms in Bimodal Cochlear Implant Users. Trends Hear 2021; 25:23312165211005931. [PMID: 33926327 PMCID: PMC8113364 DOI: 10.1177/23312165211005931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the speech intelligibility benefit of using two different spatial noise reduction algorithms in cochlear implant (CI) users who use a hearing aid (HA) on the contralateral side (bimodal CI users). The study controlled for head movements by using head-related impulse responses to simulate a realistic cafeteria scenario and controlled for HA and CI manufacturer differences by using the master hearing aid platform (MHA) to apply both hearing loss compensation and the noise reduction algorithms (beamformers). Ten bimodal CI users with moderate to severe hearing loss contralateral to their CI participated in the study, and data from nine listeners were included in the data analysis. The beamformers evaluated were the adaptive differential microphones (ADM) implemented independently on each side of the listener and the (binaurally implemented) minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR). For frontal speech and stationary noise from either left or right, an improvement (reduction) of the speech reception threshold of 5.4 dB and 5.5 dB was observed using the ADM, and 6.4 dB and 7.0 dB using the MVDR, respectively. As expected, no improvement was observed for either algorithm for colocated speech and noise. In a 20-talker babble noise scenario, the benefit observed was 3.5 dB for ADM and 7.5 dB for MVDR. The binaural MVDR algorithm outperformed the bilaterally applied monaural ADM. These results encourage the use of beamformer algorithms such as the ADM and MVDR by bimodal CI users in everyday life scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayham Zedan
- Medizinische Physik und Exzellenzcluster "Hearing4all," Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Tim Jürgens
- Medizinische Physik und Exzellenzcluster "Hearing4all," Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Institut für Akustik, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ben Williges
- Medizinische Physik und Exzellenzcluster "Hearing4all," Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Birger Kollmeier
- Medizinische Physik und Exzellenzcluster "Hearing4all," Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Konstantin Wiebe
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julio Galindo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Wesarg
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Goverts ST, Colburn HS. Binaural Recordings in Natural Acoustic Environments: Estimates of Speech-Likeness and Interaural Parameters. Trends Hear 2021; 24:2331216520972858. [PMID: 33331242 PMCID: PMC7750905 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520972858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Binaural acoustic recordings were made in multiple natural environments, which were chosen to be similar to those reported to be difficult for listeners with impaired hearing. These environments include natural conversations that take place in the presence of other sound sources as found in restaurants, walking or biking in the city, and so on. Sounds from these environments were recorded binaurally with in-the-ear microphones and were analyzed with respect to speech-likeness measures and interaural difference measures. The speech-likeness measures were based on amplitude–modulation patterns within frequency bands and were estimated for 1-s time-slices. The interaural difference measures included interaural coherence, interaural time difference, and interaural level difference, which were estimated for time-slices of 20-ms duration. These binaural measures were documented for one-fourth-octave frequency bands centered at 500 Hz and for the envelopes of one-fourth-octave bands centered at 2000 Hz. For comparison purposes, the same speech-likeness and interaural difference measures were computed for a set of virtual recordings that mimic typical clinical test configurations. These virtual recordings were created by filtering anechoic waveforms with available head-related transfer functions and combining them to create multiple source combinations. Overall, the speech-likeness results show large variability within and between environments, and they demonstrate the importance of having information from both ears available. Furthermore, the interaural parameter results show that the natural recordings contain a relatively small proportion of time-slices with high coherence compared with the virtual recordings; however, when present, binaural cues might be used for selecting intervals with good speech intelligibility for individual sources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Theo Goverts
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ear & Hearing, Amsterdam Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - H Steven Colburn
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
de Cheveigné A. Harmonic Cancellation-A Fundamental of Auditory Scene Analysis. Trends Hear 2021; 25:23312165211041422. [PMID: 34698574 PMCID: PMC8552394 DOI: 10.1177/23312165211041422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reviews the hypothesis of harmonic cancellation according to which an interfering sound is suppressed or canceled on the basis of its harmonicity (or periodicity in the time domain) for the purpose of Auditory Scene Analysis. It defines the concept, discusses theoretical arguments in its favor, and reviews experimental results that support it, or not. If correct, the hypothesis may draw on time-domain processing of temporally accurate neural representations within the brainstem, as required also by the classic equalization-cancellation model of binaural unmasking. The hypothesis predicts that a target sound corrupted by interference will be easier to hear if the interference is harmonic than inharmonic, all else being equal. This prediction is borne out in a number of behavioral studies, but not all. The paper reviews those results, with the aim to understand the inconsistencies and come up with a reliable conclusion for, or against, the hypothesis of harmonic cancellation within the auditory system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alain de Cheveigné
- Laboratoire des systèmes perceptifs, CNRS, Paris, France
- Département d’études cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL
University, Paris, France
- UCL Ear Institute, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Hauth CF, Berning SC, Kollmeier B, Brand T. Modeling Binaural Unmasking of Speech Using a Blind Binaural Processing Stage. Trends Hear 2020; 24:2331216520975630. [PMID: 33305690 PMCID: PMC7734536 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520975630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The equalization cancellation model is often used to predict the binaural masking level difference. Previously its application to speech in noise has required separate knowledge about the speech and noise signals to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Here, a novel, blind equalization cancellation model is introduced that can use the mixed signals. This approach does not require any assumptions about particular sound source directions. It uses different strategies for positive and negative SNRs, with the switching between the two steered by a blind decision stage utilizing modulation cues. The output of the model is a single-channel signal with enhanced SNR, which we analyzed using the speech intelligibility index to compare speech intelligibility predictions. In a first experiment, the model was tested on experimental data obtained in a scenario with spatially separated target and masker signals. Predicted speech recognition thresholds were in good agreement with measured speech recognition thresholds with a root mean square error less than 1 dB. A second experiment investigated signals at positive SNRs, which was achieved using time compressed and low-pass filtered speech. The results demonstrated that binaural unmasking of speech occurs at positive SNRs and that the modulation-based switching strategy can predict the experimental results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher F Hauth
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Simon C Berning
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Birger Kollmeier
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Brand
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Gößling N, Marquardt D, Doclo S. Perceptual Evaluation of Binaural MVDR-Based Algorithms to Preserve the Interaural Coherence of Diffuse Noise Fields. Trends Hear 2020; 24:2331216520919573. [PMID: 32339061 PMCID: PMC7225838 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520919573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Besides improving speech intelligibility in background noise, another important objective of noise reduction algorithms for binaural hearing devices is preserving the spatial impression for the listener. In this study, we evaluate the performance of several recently proposed noise reduction algorithms based on the binaural minimum-variance-distortionless-response (MVDR) beamformer, which trade-off between noise reduction performance and preservation of the interaural coherence (IC) for diffuse noise fields. Aiming at a perceptually optimized result, this trade-off is determined based on the IC discrimination ability of the human auditory system. The algorithms are evaluated with normal-hearing participants for an anechoic scenario and a reverberant cafeteria scenario, in terms of both speech intelligibility using a matrix sentence test and spatial quality using a MUlti Stimulus test with Hidden Reference and Anchor (MUSHRA). The results show that all the binaural noise reduction algorithms are able to improve speech intelligibility compared with the unprocessed microphone signals, where partially preserving the IC of the diffuse noise field leads to a significant improvement in perceived spatial quality compared with the binaural MVDR beamformer while hardly affecting speech intelligibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nico Gößling
- Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg
| | - Daniel Marquardt
- Starkey Hearing Technologies, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States
| | - Simon Doclo
- Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Prud'homme L, Lavandier M, Best V. A harmonic-cancellation-based model to predict speech intelligibility against a harmonic masker. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 148:3246. [PMID: 33261378 PMCID: PMC8097714 DOI: 10.1121/10.0002492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This work aims to predict speech intelligibility against harmonic maskers. Unlike noise maskers, harmonic maskers (including speech) have a harmonic structure that may allow for a release from masking based on fundamental frequency (F0). Mechanisms, such as spectral glimpsing and harmonic cancellation, have been proposed to explain F0 segregation, but their relative contributions and ability to predict behavioral data have not been explored. A speech intelligibility model was developed that includes both spectral glimpsing and harmonic cancellation. The model was used to fit the data of two experiments from Deroche, Culling, Chatterjee, and Limb [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 135, 2873-2884 (2014)], in which speech reception thresholds were measured for stationary harmonic maskers varying in their F0 and degree of harmonicity. Key model parameters (jitter in the masker F0, shape of the cancellation filter, frequency limit for cancellation, and signal-to-noise ratio ceiling) were optimized by maximizing the correspondence between the predictions and data. The model was able to accurately describe the effects associated with varying the masker F0 and harmonicity. Across both experiments, the correlation between data and predictions was 0.99, and the mean and largest absolute prediction errors were lower than 0.5 and 1 dB, respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luna Prud'homme
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Virginia Best
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Vicente T, Lavandier M, Buchholz JM. A binaural model implementing an internal noise to predict the effect of hearing impairment on speech intelligibility in non-stationary noises. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 148:3305. [PMID: 33261412 DOI: 10.1121/10.0002660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A binaural model predicting speech intelligibility in envelope-modulated noise for normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired listeners is proposed. The study shows the importance of considering an internal noise with two components relying on the individual audiogram and the level of the external stimuli. The model was optimized and verified using speech reception thresholds previously measured in three experiments involving NH and hearing-impaired listeners and sharing common methods. The anechoic target, in front of the listener, was presented simultaneously through headphones with two anechoic noise-vocoded speech maskers (VSs) either co-located with the target or spatially separated using an infinite broadband interaural level difference without crosstalk between ears. In experiment 1, two stationary noise maskers were also tested. In experiment 2, the VSs were presented at different sensation levels to vary audibility. In experiment 3, the effects of realistic interaural time and level differences were also tested. The model was applied to two datasets involving NH listeners to verify its backward compatibility. It was optimized to predict the data, leading to a correlation and mean absolute error between data and predictions above 0.93 and below 1.1 dB, respectively. The different internal noise approaches proposed in the literature to describe hearing impairment are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Vicente
- Université de Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex, France
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Université de Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex, France
| | - Jörg M Buchholz
- Department of Linguistics-Audiology, Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, 2109 New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kuusinen A, Saariniemi E, Sivonen V, Dietz A, Aarnisalo AA, Lokki T. An exploratory investigation of speech recognition thresholds in noise with auralisations of two reverberant rooms. Int J Audiol 2020; 60:210-219. [PMID: 32964762 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1817993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Speech-in-noise tests are widely used in hearing diagnostics but typically without reverberation, although reverberation is an inextricable part of everyday listening conditions. To support the development of more real-life-like test paradigms, the objective of this study was to explore how spatially reproduced reverberation affects speech recognition thresholds in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. DESIGN Thresholds were measured with a Finnish speech-in-noise test without reverberation and with two test conditions with reverberation times of ∼0.9 and 1.8 s. Reverberant conditions were produced with a multichannel auralisation technique not used before in this context. STUDY SAMPLE Thirty-four normal-hearing and 14 hearing-impaired listeners participated in this study. Five people were tested with and without hearing aids. RESULTS No significant differences between test conditions were found for the normal-hearing listeners. Results for the hearing-impaired listeners indicated better performance for the 0.9 s reverberation time compared to the reference and the 1.8 s conditions. Benefit from hearing aid use varied between individuals; for one person, an advantage was observed only with reverberation. CONCLUSIONS Auralisations may offer information on speech recognition performance that is not obtained with a test without reverberation. However, more complex stimuli and/or higher signal-to-noise ratios should be used in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antti Kuusinen
- Aalto Acoustics Lab, Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Eero Saariniemi
- Aalto Acoustics Lab, Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Ville Sivonen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aarno Dietz
- Department of Otolaryngology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Antti A Aarnisalo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tapio Lokki
- Aalto Acoustics Lab, Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Schoenmaker E, van de Par S. The role of reliable interaural time difference cues in ambiguous binaural signals for the intelligibility of multitalker speech. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:4041. [PMID: 32611159 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
When listening to speech in the presence of concurrent talkers, listeners can benefit from glimpses that occur as a result of spectro-temporal modulations in the speech signals. These glimpses are characterized by a high local signal-to-noise ratio and allow listeners to collect relatively undistorted and reliable information on target speech features. A series of experiments was designed to measure the spatial advantage for binaurally presented speech when useful interaural time difference (ITD) information was provided only in glimpses of speech signals with otherwise ambiguous ITDs. For interaurally coherent signals, ITD information provided by target glimpses contributed substantially to the spatial advantage, but consistent target ITDs overall appeared to be of minor importance to speech intelligibility. For interaurally incoherent signals, a similarly large contribution of coherent ITD information in glimpses to the spatial advantage was not observed. Rather, target speech intelligibility depended on the interaural coherence of the interfering speech signals. While the previous observation conforms with models of auditory object formation, and the latter is consistent with equalization-cancellation theory modeling the spatial advantage, the two seem to be at odds for the presented set of experiments. A conceptual framework employing different strategies to process the perceptual foreground and background may solve this issue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esther Schoenmaker
- Acoustics Group, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Carl von Ossietzky University, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Strasse 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Steven van de Par
- Acoustics Group, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Carl von Ossietzky University, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Strasse 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Williges B, Wesarg T, Jung L, Geven LI, Radeloff A, Jürgens T. Spatial Speech-in-Noise Performance in Bimodal and Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Users. Trends Hear 2020; 23:2331216519858311. [PMID: 31364496 PMCID: PMC6669847 DOI: 10.1177/2331216519858311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study compared spatial speech-in-noise performance in two cochlear implant (CI) patient groups: bimodal listeners, who use a hearing aid contralaterally to support their impaired acoustic hearing, and listeners with contralateral normal hearing, i.e., who were single-sided deaf before implantation. Using a laboratory setting that controls for head movements and that simulates spatial acoustic scenes, speech reception thresholds were measured for frontal speech-in-stationary noise from the front, the left, or the right side. Spatial release from masking (SRM) was then extracted from speech reception thresholds for monaural and binaural listening. SRM was found to be significantly lower in bimodal CI than in CI single-sided deaf listeners. Within each listener group, the SRM extracted from monaural listening did not differ from the SRM extracted from binaural listening. In contrast, a normal-hearing control group showed a significant improvement in SRM when using two ears in comparison to one. Neither CI group showed a binaural summation effect; that is, their performance was not improved by using two devices instead of the best monaural device in each spatial scenario. The results confirm a "listening with the better ear" strategy in the two CI patient groups, where patients benefited from using two ears/devices instead of one by selectively attending to the better one. Which one is the better ear, however, depends on the spatial scenario and on the individual configuration of hearing loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Williges
- 1 Medical Physics and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Wesarg
- 2 Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Jung
- 2 Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Leontien I Geven
- 3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Radeloff
- 3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Tim Jürgens
- 1 Medical Physics and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany.,4 Institute of Acoustics, University of Applied Sciences Lübeck, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Sutojo S, Par S, Schoenmaker E. Contribution of binaural masking release to improved speech intelligibility for different masker types. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 51:1339-1352. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarinah Sutojo
- Acoustics Group, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg Germany
| | - Steven Par
- Acoustics Group, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg Germany
| | - Esther Schoenmaker
- Acoustics Group, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg Germany
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Kubiak AM, Rennies J, Ewert SD, Kollmeier B. Prediction of individual speech recognition performance in complex listening conditions. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:1379. [PMID: 32237817 DOI: 10.1121/10.0000759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examined how well individual speech recognition thresholds in complex listening scenarios could be predicted by a current binaural speech intelligibility model. Model predictions were compared with experimental data measured for seven normal-hearing and 23 hearing-impaired listeners who differed widely in their degree of hearing loss, age, as well as performance in clinical speech tests. The experimental conditions included two masker types (multi-talker or two-talker maskers), and two spatial conditions (maskers co-located with the frontal target or symmetrically separated from the target). The results showed that interindividual variability could not be well predicted by a model including only individual audiograms. Predictions improved when an additional individual "proficiency factor" was derived from one of the experimental conditions or a standard speech test. Overall, the current model can predict individual performance relatively well (except in conditions high in informational masking), but the inclusion of age-related factors may lead to even further improvements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra M Kubiak
- Fraunhofer IDMT, Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Jan Rennies
- Fraunhofer IDMT, Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Stephan D Ewert
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Birger Kollmeier
- Fraunhofer IDMT, Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4all," Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Biberger T, Ewert SD. The effect of room acoustical parameters on speech reception thresholds and spatial release from masking. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 146:2188. [PMID: 31671969 DOI: 10.1121/1.5126694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In daily life, speech intelligibility is affected by masking caused by interferers and by reverberation. For a frontal target speaker and two interfering sources symmetrically placed to either side, spatial release from masking (SRM) is observed in comparison to frontal interferers. In this case, the auditory system can make use of temporally fluctuating interaural time/phase and level differences promoting binaural unmasking (BU) and better-ear glimpsing (BEG). Reverberation affects the waveforms of the target and maskers, and the interaural differences, depending on the spatial configuration and on the room acoustical properties. In this study, the effect of room acoustics, temporal structure of the interferers, and target-masker positions on speech reception thresholds and SRM was assessed. The results were compared to an optimal better-ear glimpsing strategy to help disentangle energetic masking including effects of BU and BEG as well as informational masking (IM). In anechoic and moderate reverberant conditions, BU and BEG contributed to SRM of fluctuating speech-like maskers, while BU did not contribute in highly reverberant conditions. In highly reverberant rooms a SRM of up to 3 dB was observed for speech maskers, including effects of release from IM based on binaural cues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Biberger
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Stephan D Ewert
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Muñoz RV, Aspöck L, Fels J. Spatial Release From Masking Under Different Reverberant Conditions in Young and Elderly Subjects: Effect of Moving or Stationary Maskers at Circular and Radial Conditions. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2019; 62:3582-3595. [PMID: 31525113 DOI: 10.1044/2019_jslhr-h-19-0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Normal-hearing and hard-of-hearing listeners suffer from reduced speech intelligibility in noisy and reverberant environments. Although daily listening environments are in constant motion, most researchers have only studied speech-in-noise perception for stationary masker locations. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial release from masking (SRM) of circularly and radially moving maskers under different room acoustic conditions for young and elderly subjects. Method Twelve young subjects with normal hearing and 12 elderly subjects with normal hearing or mild hearing loss were tested. Several different room acoustic conditions were simulated and reproduced via headphones using binaural synthesis. The target speech stream consisted of German digit triplets, and masker stream consisted of quasistationary noise with matched long-term averaged speech spectra. During the experiment, the position of the masker was changed to be in different stationary positions, or varied continuously. In the latter case, it was moved either on a circular trajectory spanning a 90° azimuth angle or on a radial trajectory linearly increasing the distance to the receiver from 0.5 m to 1.8 m. Absorption characteristics of the virtual room's surfaces were changed, recreating an anechoic room, a treated room with mean reverberation times (RT60) = 0.48 s, and an untreated room with mean RT60 = 1.26 s. Results For the circular condition, a significant difference was found between moving and stationary maskers, F(4, 44) = 20.91, p < .001, with a bigger SRM for stationary maskers than moving masker conditions. Also, both age groups displayed a significant decrease in SRM over the reverberation conditions: F(2, 22) = 12.24, p < .001. For the radial condition, both age groups showed a significant decrease in SRM over the reverberation conditions, F(2, 22) = 13.62, p < .001, as well as the moving and stationary masker conditions, F(8, 88) = 29.23, p < .001. In general, the SRM of a moving masker decreased when the reverberation increased, especially for elderly subjects. Conclusions A radially moving masker led to improved SRM in an anechoic environment for both age groups, whereas a circularly moving masker caused degraded SRM, especially for elderly subjects in the highly reverberant environment. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.9795371.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rhoddy Viveros Muñoz
- Teaching and Research Area of Medical Acoustics, Institute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Lukas Aspöck
- Chair and Institute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| | - Janina Fels
- Teaching and Research Area of Medical Acoustics, Institute of Technical Acoustics, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Rennies J, Warzybok A, Brand T, Kollmeier B. Measurement and Prediction of Binaural-Temporal Integration of Speech Reflections. Trends Hear 2019; 23:2331216519854267. [PMID: 31234732 PMCID: PMC6593929 DOI: 10.1177/2331216519854267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
For speech intelligibility in rooms, the temporal integration of speech reflections is typically modeled by separating the room impulse response (RIR) into an early (assumed beneficial for speech intelligibility) and a late part (assumed detrimental). This concept was challenged in this study by employing binaural RIRs with systematically varied interaural phase differences (IPDs) and amplitude of the direct sound and a variable number of reflections delayed by up to 200 ms. Speech recognition thresholds in stationary noise were measured in normal-hearing listeners for 86 conditions. The data showed that direct sound and one or several early speech reflections could be perfectly integrated when they had the same IPD. Early reflections with the same IPD as the noise (but not as the direct sound) could not be perfectly integrated with the direct sound. All conditions in which the dominant speech information was within the early RIR components could be well predicted by a binaural speech intelligibility model using classic early/late separation. In contrast, when amplitude or IPD favored late RIR components, listeners appeared to be capable of focusing on these components rather than on the precedent direct sound. This could not be modeled by an early/late separation window but required a temporal integration window that can be flexibly shifted along the RIR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Rennies
- 1 Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,2 Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Anna Warzybok
- 3 Medical Physics Group, Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Brand
- 3 Medical Physics Group, Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Birger Kollmeier
- 2 Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Oldenburg, Germany.,3 Medical Physics Group, Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Hauth CF, Brand T. Modeling Sluggishness in Binaural Unmasking of Speech for Maskers With Time-Varying Interaural Phase Differences. Trends Hear 2019; 22:2331216517753547. [PMID: 29338577 PMCID: PMC5774735 DOI: 10.1177/2331216517753547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In studies investigating binaural processing in human listeners, relatively long and task-dependent time constants of a binaural window ranging from 10 ms to 250 ms have been observed. Such time constants are often thought to reflect “binaural sluggishness.” In this study, the effect of binaural sluggishness on binaural unmasking of speech in stationary speech-shaped noise is investigated in 10 listeners with normal hearing. In order to design a masking signal with temporally varying binaural cues, the interaural phase difference of the noise was modulated sinusoidally with frequencies ranging from 0.25 Hz to 64 Hz. The lowest, that is the best, speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were observed for the lowest modulation frequency. SRTs increased with increasing modulation frequency up to 4 Hz. For higher modulation frequencies, SRTs remained constant in the range of 1 dB to 1.5 dB below the SRT determined in the diotic situation. The outcome of the experiment was simulated using a short-term binaural speech intelligibility model, which combines an equalization–cancellation (EC) model with the speech intelligibility index. This model segments the incoming signal into 23.2-ms time frames in order to predict release from masking in modulated noises. In order to predict the results from this study, the model required a further time constant applied to the EC mechanism representing binaural sluggishness. The best agreement with perceptual data was achieved using a temporal window of 200 ms in the EC mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher F Hauth
- 1 Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany.,2 Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Brand
- 1 Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany.,2 Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
van Schoonhoven J, Rhebergen KS, Dreschler WA. The Extended Speech Transmission Index: Predicting speech intelligibility in fluctuating noise and reverberant rooms. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:1178. [PMID: 31067918 DOI: 10.1121/1.5092204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Speech Transmission Index (STI) is used to predict speech intelligibility in noise and reverberant environments. However, measurements and predictions in fluctuating noises lead to inaccuracies. In the current paper, the Extended Speech Transmission Index (ESTI) is presented in order to deal with these shortcomings. Speech intelligibility in normally hearing subjects was measured using stationary and fluctuating maskers. These results served to optimize model parameters. Data from the literature were then used to verify the ESTI-model. Model outcomes were accurate for stationary maskers, maskers with artificial fluctuations, and maskers with real life non-speech modulations. Maskers with speech-like characteristics introduced systematic errors in the model outcomes, probably due to a combination of modulation masking, context effects, and informational masking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelmer van Schoonhoven
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Audiology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Koenraad S Rhebergen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter A Dreschler
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Audiology, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Sheffield SW, Romigh GD, Zurek PM, Bernstein JGW, Brungart DS. A method for degrading sound localization while preserving binaural advantages for speech reception in noise. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:1129. [PMID: 30823825 DOI: 10.1121/1.5090494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study developed and tested a real-time processing algorithm designed to degrade sound localization (LocDeg algorithm) without affecting binaural benefits for speech reception in noise. Input signals were divided into eight frequency channels. The odd-numbered channels were mixed between the ears to confuse the direction of interaural cues while preserving interaural cues in the even-numbered channels. The LocDeg algorithm was evaluated for normal-hearing listeners performing sound localization and speech-reception tasks. Results showed that the LocDeg algorithm successfully degraded sound-localization performance without affecting speech-reception performance or spatial release from masking for speech in noise. The LocDeg algorithm did, however, degrade speech-reception performance in a task involving spatially separated talkers in a multi-talker environment, which is thought to depend on differences in perceived spatial location of concurrent talkers. This LocDeg algorithm could be a valuable tool for isolating the importance of sound-localization ability from other binaural benefits in real-world environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sterling W Sheffield
- National Military Audiology and Speech Pathology Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 4954 North Palmer Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20889, USA
| | - Griffin D Romigh
- United States Air Force Research Laboratory, 5135 Pearson Road, Building 10, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433, USA
| | - Patrick M Zurek
- Sensimetrics Corporation, 110 Winn Street, Suite 205A, Woburn, Massachusetts 01801, USA
| | - Joshua G W Bernstein
- National Military Audiology and Speech Pathology Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 4954 North Palmer Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20889, USA
| | - Douglas S Brungart
- National Military Audiology and Speech Pathology Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 4954 North Palmer Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20889, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Spille C, Kollmeier B, Meyer BT. Comparing human and automatic speech recognition in simple and complex acoustic scenes. COMPUT SPEECH LANG 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.csl.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
39
|
Kokabi O, Brinkmann F, Weinzierl S. Segmentation of binaural room impulse responses for speech intelligibility prediction. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 144:2793. [PMID: 30522312 DOI: 10.1121/1.5078598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The two most important aspects in binaural speech perception-better-ear-listening and spatial-release-from-masking-can be predicted well with current binaural modeling frameworks operating on head-related impulse responses, i.e., anechoic binaural signals. To incorporate effects of reverberation, a model extension was proposed, splitting binaural room impulse responses into an early, useful, and late, detrimental part, before being fed into the modeling framework. More recently, an interaction between the applied splitting time, room properties, and the resulting prediction accuracy was observed. This interaction was investigated here by measuring speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in quiet with 18 normal-hearing subjects for four simulated rooms with different reverberation times and a constant room geometry. The mean error with one of the most promising binaural prediction models could be reduced by about 1 dB by adapting the applied splitting time to room acoustic parameters. This improvement in prediction accuracy can make up a difference of 17% in absolute intelligibility within the applied SRT measurement paradigm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omid Kokabi
- TU Berlin, Audio Communication Group, Einsteinufer 17c, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabian Brinkmann
- TU Berlin, Audio Communication Group, Einsteinufer 17c, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Weinzierl
- TU Berlin, Audio Communication Group, Einsteinufer 17c, 10587 Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Cubick J, Buchholz JM, Best V, Lavandier M, Dau T. Listening through hearing aids affects spatial perception and speech intelligibility in normal-hearing listeners. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 144:2896. [PMID: 30522291 PMCID: PMC6246072 DOI: 10.1121/1.5078582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Cubick and Dau [(2016). Acta Acust. Acust. 102, 547-557] showed that speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in noise, obtained with normal-hearing listeners, were significantly higher with hearing aids (HAs) than without. Some listeners reported a change in their spatial perception of the stimuli due to the HA processing, with auditory images often being broader and closer to the head or even internalized. The current study investigated whether worse speech intelligibility with HAs might be explained by distorted spatial perception and the resulting reduced ability to spatially segregate the target speech from the interferers. SRTs were measured in normal-hearing listeners with or without HAs in the presence of three interfering talkers or speech-shaped noises. Furthermore, listeners were asked to sketch their spatial perception of the acoustic scene. Consistent with the previous study, SRTs increased with HAs. Spatial release from masking was lower with HAs than without. The effects were similar for noise and speech maskers and appeared to be accounted for by changes to energetic masking. This interpretation was supported by results from a binaural speech intelligibility model. Even though the sketches indicated a change of spatial perception with HAs, no direct link between spatial perception and segregation of talkers could be shown.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Cubick
- Hearing Systems Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, Building 352, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jörg M Buchholz
- Department of Linguistics, Australian Hearing Hub, 16 University Avenue, Macquarie University, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Virginia Best
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue M. Audin, F-69518 Vaulx-en-Velin, France
| | - Torsten Dau
- Hearing Systems Group, Department of Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, Building 352, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Rennies J, Kidd G. Benefit of binaural listening as revealed by speech intelligibility and listening effort. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 144:2147. [PMID: 30404476 PMCID: PMC6185866 DOI: 10.1121/1.5057114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to the well-known benefits for speech intelligibility, the advantage afforded by binaural stimulus presentation for reducing listening effort has not been thoroughly examined. This study investigated spatial release of listening effort and its relation to binaural speech intelligibility in listeners with normal hearing. Psychometric functions for speech intelligibility of a frontal target talker masked by a stationary speech-shaped noise were estimated for several different noise azimuths, different degrees of reverberation, and by maintaining only interaural level or time differences. For each of these conditions, listening effort was measured using a categorical scaling procedure. The results revealed that listening effort was significantly reduced when target and masker were spatially separated in anechoic conditions. This effect extended well into the range of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in which speech intelligibility was at ceiling, and disappeared only at the highest SNRs. In reverberant conditions, spatial release from listening effort was observed for high, but not low, direct-to-reverberant ratios. The findings suggest that listening effort assessment can be a useful method for revealing the benefits of spatial separation of sources under realistic listening conditions comprising favorable SNRs and low reverberation, which typically are not apparent by other means.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Rennies
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Gerald Kidd
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
|
43
|
Josupeit A, Schoenmaker E, van de Par S, Hohmann V. Sparse periodicity-based auditory features explain human performance in a spatial multitalker auditory scene analysis task. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 51:1353-1363. [PMID: 29855099 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Human listeners robustly decode speech information from a talker of interest that is embedded in a mixture of spatially distributed interferers. A relevant question is which time-frequency segments of the speech are predominantly used by a listener to solve such a complex Auditory Scene Analysis task. A recent psychoacoustic study investigated the relevance of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) components of a target signal on speech intelligibility in a spatial multitalker situation. For this, a three-talker stimulus was manipulated in the spectro-temporal domain such that target speech time-frequency units below a variable SNR threshold (SNRcrit ) were discarded while keeping the interferers unchanged. The psychoacoustic data indicate that only target components at and above a local SNR of about 0 dB contribute to intelligibility. This study applies an auditory scene analysis "glimpsing" model to the same manipulated stimuli. Model data are found to be similar to the human data, supporting the notion of "glimpsing," that is, that salient speech-related information is predominantly used by the auditory system to decode speech embedded in a mixture of sounds, at least for the tested conditions of three overlapping speech signals. This implies that perceptually relevant auditory information is sparse and may be processed with low computational effort, which is relevant for neurophysiological research of scene analysis and novelty processing in the auditory system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Josupeit
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Esther Schoenmaker
- Acoustics Group and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Steven van de Par
- Acoustics Group and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Volker Hohmann
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Rana B, Buchholz JM. Effect of audibility on better-ear glimpsing as a function of frequency in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 143:2195. [PMID: 29716302 DOI: 10.1121/1.5031007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Better-ear glimpsing (BEG) is an auditory phenomenon that helps understanding speech in noise by utilizing interaural level differences (ILDs). The benefit provided by BEG is limited in hearing-impaired (HI) listeners by reduced audibility at high frequencies. Rana and Buchholz [(2016). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 140(2), 1192-1205] have shown that artificially enhancing ILDs at low and mid frequencies can help HI listeners understanding speech in noise, but the achieved benefit is smaller than in normal-hearing (NH) listeners. To understand how far this difference is explained by differences in audibility, audibility was carefully controlled here in ten NH and ten HI listeners and speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in noise were measured in a spatially separated and co-located condition as a function of frequency and sensation level. Maskers were realized by noise-vocoded speech and signals were spatialized using artificially generated broadband ILDs. The spatial benefit provided by BEG and SRTs improved consistently with increasing sensation level, but was limited in the HI listeners by loudness discomfort. Further, the HI listeners performed similar to NH listeners when differences in audibility were compensated. The results help to understand the hearing aid gain that is required to maximize the spatial benefit provided by ILDs as a function of frequency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baljeet Rana
- National Acoustic Laboratories, 16 University Avenue, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Jörg M Buchholz
- National Acoustic Laboratories, 16 University Avenue, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Verhey JL, van de Par S. Binaural frequency selectivity in humans. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 51:1179-1190. [PMID: 29359360 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Several behavioural studies in humans have shown that listening to sounds with two ears that is binaural hearing, provides the human auditory system with extra information on the sound source that is not available when sounds are only perceived through one ear that is monaurally. Binaural processing involves the analysis of phase and level differences between the two ear signals. As monaural cochlea processing (in each ear) precedes the neural stages responsible for binaural processing properties it is reasonable to assume that properties of the cochlea may also be observed in binaural processing. A main characteristic of cochlea processing is its frequency selectivity. In psychoacoustics, there is an ongoing discussion on the frequency selectivity of the binaural auditory system. While some psychoacoustic experiments seem to indicate poorer frequency selectivity of the binaural system than that of the monaural processing others seem to indicate the same frequency selectivity for monaural and binaural processing. This study provides an overview of these seemingly controversial results and the different explanations that were provided to account for the different results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesko L Verhey
- Department of Experimental Audiology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Steven van de Par
- Acoustic Group, Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Dietz M, Lestang JH, Majdak P, Stern RM, Marquardt T, Ewert SD, Hartmann WM, Goodman DFM. A framework for testing and comparing binaural models. Hear Res 2017; 360:92-106. [PMID: 29208336 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2017.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Auditory research has a rich history of combining experimental evidence with computational simulations of auditory processing in order to deepen our theoretical understanding of how sound is processed in the ears and in the brain. Despite significant progress in the amount of detail and breadth covered by auditory models, for many components of the auditory pathway there are still different model approaches that are often not equivalent but rather in conflict with each other. Similarly, some experimental studies yield conflicting results which has led to controversies. This can be best resolved by a systematic comparison of multiple experimental data sets and model approaches. Binaural processing is a prominent example of how the development of quantitative theories can advance our understanding of the phenomena, but there remain several unresolved questions for which competing model approaches exist. This article discusses a number of current unresolved or disputed issues in binaural modelling, as well as some of the significant challenges in comparing binaural models with each other and with the experimental data. We introduce an auditory model framework, which we believe can become a useful infrastructure for resolving some of the current controversies. It operates models over the same paradigms that are used experimentally. The core of the proposed framework is an interface that connects three components irrespective of their underlying programming language: The experiment software, an auditory pathway model, and task-dependent decision stages called artificial observers that provide the same output format as the test subject.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Dietz
- National Centre for Audiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Jean-Hugues Lestang
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Piotr Majdak
- Institut für Schallforschung, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Austria
| | | | | | - Stephan D Ewert
- Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | | | - Dan F M Goodman
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Mi J, Groll M, Colburn HS. Comparison of a target-equalization-cancellation approach and a localization approach to source separation. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 142:2933. [PMID: 29195469 PMCID: PMC5685812 DOI: 10.1121/1.5009763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Interaural differences are important for listeners to be able to maintain focus on a sound source of interest in the presence of multiple sources. Because interaural differences are sound localization cues, most binaural-cue-based source separation algorithms attempt separation by localizing each time-frequency (T-F) unit to one of the possible source directions using interaural differences. By assembling T-F units that are assigned to one direction, the sound stream from that direction is enhanced. In this paper, a different type of binaural cue for source-separation purposes is proposed. For each T-F unit, the target-direction signal is cancelled by applying the equalization-cancellation (EC) operation to cancel the signal from the target direction; then, the dominance of the target in each T-F unit is determined by the effectiveness of the cancellation. Specifically, the energy change from cancellation is used as the criterion for target dominance for each T-F unit. Source-separation performance using the target-EC cue is compared with performance using localization cues. With simulated multi-talker and diffuse-babble interferers, the algorithm based on target-EC cues yields better source-separation performance than the algorithm based on localization cues, both in direct comparison with the ideal binary mask and in measured speech intelligibility for the separated target streams.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Mi
- Hearing Research Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Matti Groll
- Hearing Research Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - H Steven Colburn
- Hearing Research Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Leclère T, Lavandier M, Deroche MLD. The intelligibility of speech in a harmonic masker varying in fundamental frequency contour, broadband temporal envelope, and spatial location. Hear Res 2017; 350:1-10. [PMID: 28390253 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2017.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Differences in fundamental frequency (F0), modulations in the masker envelope, and differences in spatial location between a speech target and a masker can improve speech intelligibility in cocktail-party situations. These cues have been thoroughly investigated independently and associated with unmasking mechanisms: F0 segregation, temporal dip listening and spatial unmasking, respectively. Two experiments were conducted to examine whether F0 segregation interacts with spatial unmasking (experiment 1) or temporal modulations in the masker envelope (experiment 2) by measuring speech reception thresholds for a monotonized or an intonated voice against eight types of harmonic complex masker. In experiment 1, the masker varied in F0 contour (monotonized or intonated), mean F0 (0 or 3 semitones above that of the target) and spatial location (co-located or separated from the target). In experiment 2, the masker varied in F0 contour, mean F0 and broadband temporal envelope (stationary or 1-voice modulated). The benefits associated with spatial separation and F0 differences added up linearly in almost all conditions, whereas modulations in the masker envelope improved speech intelligibility only in the presence of intonated maskers. In addition, in both experiments F0 segregation benefited considerably from natural variations in the F0 pattern of the target voice, but was largely disrupted by those of the masker.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thibaud Leclère
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue M. Audin, F-69518, Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex, France
| | - Mathieu Lavandier
- Univ Lyon, ENTPE, Laboratoire Génie Civil et Bâtiment, Rue M. Audin, F-69518, Vaulx-en-Velin Cedex, France.
| | - Mickael L D Deroche
- Center for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Rabinovitch House, 3640 rue de la Montagne, Montreal, Quebec H3G 2A8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Kollmeier B, Kiessling J. Functionality of hearing aids: state-of-the-art and future model-based solutions. Int J Audiol 2016; 57:S3-S28. [DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2016.1256504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Birger Kollmeier
- Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Hörzentrum Oldenburg, HörTech gGmbH and Fraunhofer IDMT/HSA, Oldenburg, Germany and
| | - Jürgen Kiessling
- Funktionsbereich Audiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Grange JA, Culling JF. Head orientation benefit to speech intelligibility in noise for cochlear implant users and in realistic listening conditions. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:4061. [PMID: 28039996 DOI: 10.1121/1.4968515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Cochlear implant (CI) users suffer from elevated speech-reception thresholds and may rely on lip reading. Traditional measures of spatial release from masking quantify speech-reception-threshold improvement with azimuthal separation of target speaker and interferers and with the listener facing the target speaker. Substantial benefits of orienting the head away from the target speaker were predicted by a model of spatial release from masking. Audio-only and audio-visual speech-reception thresholds in normal-hearing (NH) listeners and bilateral and unilateral CI users confirmed model predictions of this head-orientation benefit. The benefit ranged 2-5 dB for a modest 30° orientation that did not affect the lip-reading benefit. NH listeners' and CI users' lip-reading benefit measured 3 and 5 dB, respectively. A head-orientation benefit of ∼2 dB was also both predicted and observed in NH listeners in realistic simulations of a restaurant listening environment. Exploiting the benefit of head orientation is thus a robust hearing tactic that would benefit both NH listeners and CI users in noisy listening conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques A Grange
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 70 Park Place, Cardiff CF103AT, United Kingdom
| | - John F Culling
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 70 Park Place, Cardiff CF103AT, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|