A detailed look at speech recognition in realistic dynamic listening scenarios

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Recruiting

Sex: Not specified

Target Recruitment: 53

Inclusion Criteria

Part 1:
5 normal hearing subjects:
- normal hearing (pure-tone air-conduction thresholds not exceeding 20 dB HL at any octave frequency from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz in both ears);
- age 18 years or older.;Part 2:
Part 2a:
12 normal hearing subjects:
- normal hearing (pure-tone air-conduction thresholds not exceeding 20 dB HL at any octave frequency from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz in both ears);
- age 18 years or older.;Part 2b:
study group: 24 hearing impaired subjects:
- hearing impaired (average of pure-tone air-conduction thresholds at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz of 35dB HL or higher in both ears);
- essentially symmetrical hearing loss (absolute differences not exceeding 15 dB at any octave frequency from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz);
- aided speech recognition (monosyllables) >= 75%;
- Age distributed over wide range, from 18 years and older.;reference group: 12 normal hearing subjects:
- normal hearing (pure-tone air-conduction thresholds not exceeding 20 dB HL at any octave frequency from 250 Hz to 4000 Hz in both ears);
- age-matched to hearing impaired group.;all subjects, part 1 and 2:
- Dutch as native language.

Exclusion Criteria

- Conductive hearing loss (average air-bone gap at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz exceeding 10 dB or air-bone-gap exceeding 10 dB at one or more frequencies and abnormal tympanogram in either ear);
- serious/relevant medical issues;
- other native language;
- diagnosed cognitive delay (IQ<80);
- specific language impairment (SLI) or psychiatric disorder (e.g. ADHD).

Study & Design

Study Type: Observational non invasive

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>o Set of relevant listening scenarios<br /><br>o Set of auditory abilities that are critical for spatial speech perception in<br /><br>complex, dynamic environments.<br /><br>o Subset of auditory abilities that are reduced in hearing impaired listeners<br /><br>o Signal attributes that should be provided or compensated in rehabilitation<br /><br>o An efficient set of laboratory tests to adequately assess auditory abilities<br /><br>in realistic and dynamic environments, in both unaided and aided conditions for<br /><br>listeners with hearing impairments.<br /><br><br /><br>Disseminating results of this study will lead to more appropriate clinical<br /><br>tests and will guide clinicians and hearing aid industries in enabling<br /><br>participation for individuals with impaired hearing.</p><br>

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>o Sets of recordings from relevant listening scenarios as well as sets of<br /><br>staged laboratory recordings including<br /><br>• a single moving target and stationary located interferers<br /><br>• moving interferers and single stationary located target<br /><br>• multiple spatially separated targets, as in a group conversation<br /><br>o Signal attributes that are used in these scenarios<br /><br>o Setup of real-time head-motion-compensation system (RT-VAS; real time virtual<br /><br>audio space) in Amsterdam </p><br>