Binaural unmasking of tones and speech in bilateral cochlear implantees

双侧人工耳蜗植入者的双耳揭示音调和言语

• 批准号: 9177103
• 负责人: Matthew J. Goupell
• 金额: $ 37.33万
• 依托单位: UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-06-01 至 2021-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9177103
• 关键词: Acoustics; Affect; Algorithms; Back; Basic Science; Bilateral; Binaural; Bionics; Clinical; Cochlear Implants; Complex; Data; Detection; Devices; Ear; Electrodes; Environment; Equilibrium; Frequencies; Future; Goals; Guidelines; Hand; Health; Hearing; Implant; Intervention; Knowledge; Laboratories; Life; Maps; Masks; Measures; Mission; Modeling; Noise; Outcome; Performance; Procedures; Process; Public Health; Quality of life; Research; Role; Sensory; Signal Transduction; Sound Localization; Speech; Stimulus; Technology; Testing; Translational Research; Weight; Work; base; binaural hearing; disability; hearing impairment; implantable device; improved; innovation; laboratory experiment; neural model; prevent; relating to nervous system; sound; speech processing; stimulus processing; tool

ABSTRACT: Binaural hearing can provide greatly improved signal detection and speech understanding in back- ground noise. However, bilateral cochlear-implant (BICI) users demonstrate limited binaural unmasking (i.e., improved detection and understanding) of signals using speech processors. The gap in knowledge is that it is unclear why binaural unmasking nearly disappears when using speech processors. Until the binaural benefit gap is better understood and reduced, BICI users will have a relatively poor quality of life because of difficulty local- izing sounds and communicating in background noise. The long-term goal is to understand and maximize bin- aural benefits imparted by BICIs. The objective in this application is to understand the breakdown of binaural unmasking as the stimulus complexity increases and when signals are presented via speech processors. The central hypothesis is that BICI users' binaural unmasking is primarily stunted by the interaural decorrelation caused by stimulus-encoding-driven factors (modulations, current spread, and compression). Most studies have shown underwhelming binaural unmasking in BICI users, but few have considered the limiting role of interaural decorrelation. Our approach to investigate this problem is two-pronged: to better understand and increase un- masking in BICI listeners, and better understand and intentionally decrease unmasking in NH listeners (i.e., making them more like the BICI listeners). Then, we will compare perceptual performance to stimulus analyses of the physical waveforms, the stimuli processed by speech processing algorithms, and modeled neural repre- sentations of the electrical signals. With strong preliminary data in hand, the central hypothesis will be tested by pursuing four specific aims: (1) Measure the extent to which the internal representation of modulated single- electrode stimuli in BICI listeners is interaurally decorrelated; (2) Measure the extent to which current spread and compression limit binaural unmasking of tones in noise in multi-electrode stimulation; (3) Develop a model of across-frequency static and dynamic ILD processing; and (4) Measure the extent to which binaural unmasking of speech in noise is reduced by interaural decorrelation from modulations, current spread, and compression. The approach is innovative because it (1) investigates signal-based factors affecting binaural unmasking and other binaural benefits in BICIs and (2) investigates the role of ILDs to impart these benefits. The proposed research is significant because it helps us understand the barriers to larger binaural benefits in BICI users, which can inform changes to speech processing strategies and clinical device setting guidelines. Larger binaural un- masking and benefits will produce an important positive impact on CI users' quality of life because they will be better able to localize sounds and communicate in noisy environments.

摘要：双耳听力可以极大地改善后台的信号检测和语音理解。 地面噪音。然而，双侧人工耳蜗 (BICI) 用户的双耳揭露能力有限（即， 使用语音处理器改进信号的检测和理解。知识上的差距在于 不清楚为什么使用语音处理器时双耳揭露几乎消失。直到双耳效益差距 如果更好地理解和减少，BICI 用户将因为本地困难而生活质量相对较差。 识别声音并在背景噪音中进行交流。长期目标是理解并最大化 bin- BICI 带来的听觉益处。此应用程序的目的是了解双耳的故障 随着刺激复杂性的增加以及通过语音处理器呈现信号时，就会揭开掩蔽。这 中心假设是 BICI 用户的双耳揭露主要受到耳间去相关的阻碍 由刺激编码驱动因素（调制、电流扩散和压缩）引起。大多数研究都有 在 BICI 用户中显示出令人印象深刻的双耳揭露，但很少有人考虑到双耳的限制作用 去相关。我们研究这个问题的方法是双管齐下的：更好地理解和增加非 BICI 听众中的掩蔽，并更好地理解并有意减少 NH 听众中的揭露（即， 让他们更像 BICI 听众）。然后，我们将感知表现与刺激分析进行比较 物理波形、语音处理算法处理的刺激以及建模的神经表征 电信号的发送。有了强有力的初步数据，中心假设将通过 追求四个具体目标：（1）测量调制单通道内部表征的程度 BICI 听众的电极刺激是耳间去相关的； (2) 测量电流扩散的程度和 压缩限制多电极刺激中噪声音调的双耳揭露； (3) 开发模型 跨频静态和动态ILD处理； (4) 测量双耳揭露的程度 噪声中的语音通过调制、电流扩散和压缩的耳间去相关而减少。 该方法具有创新性，因为它 (1) 研究了影响双耳揭露的基于信号的因素以及 BICI 中的其他双耳益处，以及 (2) 研究 ILD 在传递这些益处方面的作用。拟议的 研究意义重大，因为它可以帮助我们了解 BICI 用户获得更大双耳收益的障碍，这 可以通知语音处理策略和临床设备设置指南的变化。更大的双耳非 掩蔽和好处将对 CI 用户的生活质量产生重要的积极影响，因为他们将 能够更好地定位声音并在嘈杂的环境中进行交流。