Characterization of speech understanding in various types of noise

Abstract

This study examined (1) the effects of noise on speech understanding and (2) whether performance in real-life noises could be predicted based on performance in steady-state speech-spectrum-shaped noise. The noise conditions included a steady-state speech-spectrum-shaped noise and six types of real-life noise. Thirty normal-hearing adults were tested using sentence materials from the Cantonese Hearing In Noise Test (CHINT). To achieve the first aim, the performance-intensity function slopes in these noise conditions were estimated and compared. Variations in performance-intensity function slopes were attributed to differences in the amount of amplitude fluctuations and the presence of competing background speech. How well the data obtained in real-life noises fit the performance-intensity functions obtained in steady-state speech-spectrum-shaped noises was examined for the second aim of the study. Four out of six types of noise yielded performance-intensity function slopes similar to that in steady-state speech-spectrum-shaped noise. After accounting for individual differences in sentence reception threshold (SRT) and the offset between the signal-to-noise ratio for 50% intelligibility across different types of noise, performance in steady-state speech-spectrum-shaped noise was found to predict well the performance in most of the real-life noise conditions.

Speech Recognition in Real-Life Background Noise by Young and Middle-Aged Adults with Normal Hearing

“…As the SNR decreased from 5 dB to 0 dB and -5 dB, however, verbal information in MTB may have masked speech signal more effectively, resulting in no difference in the WRSs in vacuum noise and MTB. These explanations are in line with the conclusion of a previous study that less fluctuating noise in amplitude and more competing speech information affected speech understanding more negatively [ 20 ]. A previous study showed that subjects were good at separating speech from a steady-state noise, but not from babble noise, suggesting that informational masking affected the speech recognition more dominantly than amplitude fluctuation [ 10 ].…”

Limiting asymmetric hearing improves benefits of bilateral hearing in children using cochlear implants

“…The degree of asymmetry measured may have implications for everyday function. Even an improvement of 1–2 dB in spatial unmasking can reduce self-rated difficulties in situations containing background noise and reverberation 71 , and small increases in SNR can improve speech intelligibility 72 . Poorer (reduced) SNR on one side signals a potential for reduced speech perception in the condition when the “preferred” or better ear is masked by noise.…”

Influence of Three Auditory Profiles on Aided Speech Perception in Different Noise Scenarios

“…In many real-life settings that contain different types of noise signals, normal-hearing (NH) listeners cope consistently well and thus achieve good SIN outcomes (Wong et al, 2012). In comparison, older listeners with hearing impairments generally show SIN perception deficits and larger interindividual differences, particularly in complex listening situations with, for example, traffic noise or interfering speech signals (L} ocsei et al, 2016;Prosser et al, 1991).…”