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：双耳听证可以在背面提供大大改进的信号检测和语音理解 - 地面噪音。但是，双边耳蜗 - 植入物（BICI）用户表现出有限的双耳效果（即 使用语音处理器改进了对信号的检测和理解。知识的差距是 尚不清楚为什么使用语音处理器时，双耳透明几乎会消失。直到双耳益处差距 更好地理解和减少，BICI使用者的生活质量相对较差，因为本地难度 声音并在背景噪音中进行交流。长期目标是了解和最大化bin- BICIS赋予的听觉益处。此应用程序的目的是了解双耳的分解 随着刺激复杂性的增加以及通过语音处理器呈现信号时的揭露。这 中心假设是，BICI用户的双耳启动主要是由室内的去相关引起的 由刺激编码驱动的因子（调制，电流扩散和压缩）引起。大多数研究都有 在BICI使用者中显示出巨大的双耳透明效果，但很少有人认为界限 去相关。我们调查这个问题的方法是两管顺齐的：更好地理解和增加不良 掩盖BICI听众，并更好地理解并故意减少NH听众的揭露（即 使它们更像是BICI听众）。然后，我们将将感知性能与刺激分析进行比较 在物理波形中，通过语音处理算法处理的刺激，并建模 电信号的举动。有了强大的初步数据，中央假设将通过 追求四个具体目标：（1）衡量调制单一内部表示的程度 BICI听众中的电极刺激是劳资间脱离相关的； （2）衡量当前传播的程度以及 压缩限制多电极刺激中噪声中音调的双耳透明； （3）开发一个模型 跨频静态和动态ILD处理； （4）衡量双耳揭露的程度 噪声中的语音通过调制，当前扩散和压缩的间断降低。 该方法具有创新性，因为它（1）研究了影响双耳卸义和的基于信号的因素 BICIS和（2）研究ILD在赋予这些福利方面的作用。提议 研究很重要，因为它有助于我们了解BICI用户对更大双耳益处的障碍， 可以告知语音处理策略和临床设备设置指南的更改。较大的双耳 掩盖和福利将对CI使用者的生活质量产生重要的积极影响，因为他们将是 能够更好地定位声音并在嘈杂的环境中进行沟通。