Asynchronous glimpsing of speech in the hearing impaired

描述（由申请人提供）：本项目的长期目标是调查降低频率分辨率对听力受损的听众在复杂噪声中的语音感知的作用。该项目的具体目标是在掩蔽物存在的情况下，从心理和计算上评估语音接收，掩蔽物在时间和频率上都有波动，就像自然发生的声音一样。拟议的实验旨在比较听力受损和听力正常的听众的任务，已被证明突出的影响蔓延的掩蔽（SM）。通过将交替的刺激频带分离到相对的耳朵，从而从相邻的频带中去除SM的影响，正常听力的听众的初始数据显示从掩蔽中释放约5至8 dB。目标1将测试听力正常和听力受损的听众在异步调制噪声存在下的辅音识别。这项研究将测试的主要假设，SM减少听力受损的听众可用的瞥见的机会，并删除SM增强性能相对于正常听力的听众。目标2将在与目标1相同的条件下测试辅音识别，测试具有模拟听力损失的正常听力听众。这项研究将测试的主要假设，降低可听度单独不能解释听力受损的听众的双耳分听听力的好处，而是降低频率分辨率是负责消除SM的好处。目标3将使用修改的瞥见模型对行为数据进行计算建模。该研究将测试的假设，频谱分辨率起着关键作用，在异步瞥见正常听力和听力受损的听众;通过分析二分呈现的刺激，该模型预计将预测的好处，看到的行为数据。研究结果将有助于更好地了解听障听众在复杂背景下跟随语音能力降低的因素，并对未来的听觉假体设计产生影响。在目前的建议中概述的培训计划提供了强大的导师在研究设计，特别是在信号处理，数据分析和计算建模。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term aim of this project is to investigate the role of reduced frequency resolution on speech perception in complex noise for hearing-impaired listeners. The specific objective of the proposed project is to psychophysically and computationally assess speech reception in the presence of a masker that fluctuates both in time and frequency, like naturally occurring sounds. The proposed experiments are designed to compare hearing-impaired and normal-hearing listeners on a task which has been shown to highlight the effect of spread of masking (SM). By separating alternating stimulus bands to opposite ears, thus removing the effect of SM from neighboring frequency bands, initial data in normal-hearing listeners show release from masking on the order of 5 to 8 dB. Aim 1 will test normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners on consonant recognition in the presence of an asynchronously modulated noise. The study will test the primary hypotheses that SM reduces available glimpsing opportunities for hearing-impaired listeners, and that removing SM enhances performance relative to normal-hearing listeners. Aim 2 will test consonant recognition in the same conditions as Aim 1, testing normal-hearing listeners with simulated hearing-losses. The study will test the primary hypothesis that reduced audibility alone cannot explain the dichotic listening benefit in hearing-impaired listeners, but rather that reduced frequency resolution is responsible for the benefit of removing SM. Aim 3 will computationally model the behavioral data using a modified glimpsing model. The study will test the hypotheses that spectral resolution plays a key role in asynchronous glimpsing for both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners; by analyzing dichotically presented stimuli, the model is expected to predict the benefit seen in the behavioral data. Results will contribute to a better understanding of factors responsible for hearing-impaired listeners' reduced ability to follow speech in complex backgrounds, with implications for the future of auditory prosthesis design. The training program outlined in the current proposal provides strong mentorship in research design, especially with regard to signal processing, data analysis, and computational modeling.