Electromagnetic versus Electrical Coupling of Personal Frequency Modulation (FM) Receivers to Cochlear Implant Sound Processors

Abstract

Individuals with contemporary sound processors may show more favorable speech-recognition performance in noise electromagnetically coupled FM systems (i.e., Oticon Arc), which is most likely related to the input processing and signal processing pathway within the CI sound processor for direct input versus telecoil input. Further research is warranted to replicate these findings with a larger sample size and to develop and validate a more objective approach to fitting FM systems to CI sound processors.

Cochlear Implants and Remote Microphone Technology

“…Schafer and colleagues evaluated speech recognition in noise of nine CI recipients using the Oticon Arc (Copenhagen, Denmark) induction neckloop and the Oticon R2 directly coupled receiver in Advanced Bionics (Valencia, CA), Cochlear Ltd. (Cochlear, Sydney, Australia), and MED-EL (Innsbruck, Austria) implant users. 20 They found significantly better performance with the induction neckloop when the two systems were evaluated at default receiver settings. However, they reported equivalent results for the two systems when the gain of each receiver was adjusted to according to procedures recommended in the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) Fitting and Verification Guidelines (2008).…”

“…Researchers have conclusively shown that both types of systems provide a significant improvement in speech recognition in noise compared with use of a CI alone. 18,20,21 However, the comparison of performance with induction neckloop with directly coupled systems led to mixed results. Schafer and colleagues evaluated speech recognition in noise of nine CI recipients using the Oticon Arc (Copenhagen, Denmark) induction neckloop and the Oticon R2 directly coupled receiver in Advanced Bionics (Valencia, CA), Cochlear Ltd. (Cochlear, Sydney, Australia), and MED-EL (Innsbruck, Austria) implant users.…”

“…Schafer et al evaluated the effects of receiver gain for an induction loop and a directly coupled receiver. 20 Speech recognition in noise was measured for nine CI recipients using the Oticon Arc induction neckloop and the Oticon Amigo R2 directly coupled receiver. The initial assessment was made with each personal FM receiver programmed to the default receiver gain setting of þ8 dB.…”

“…Schafer et al found significantly better speech recognition in noise with the induction neckloop system compared to the directly coupled receiver. 20 In a follow-up assessment within the same study, Schafer and colleagues evaluated speech recognition in noise with use of the same two personal FM receivers with each programmed to three different gain settings: (1) þ8 dB, (2) þ12 dB, and (3) þ16 dB. 20 Interestingly, they reported that increases in receiver gain did not provide a systematic increase in speech recognition with use of either of the personal FM receivers.…”

“…20 In a follow-up assessment within the same study, Schafer and colleagues evaluated speech recognition in noise with use of the same two personal FM receivers with each programmed to three different gain settings: (1) þ8 dB, (2) þ12 dB, and (3) þ16 dB. 20 Interestingly, they reported that increases in receiver gain did not provide a systematic increase in speech recognition with use of either of the personal FM receivers. However, the researchers compared the best score that each subject obtained at a particular gain setting for each personal FM receiver and found no difference in performance between the Arc induction neckloop and the Amigo R2 directly coupled receivers.…”