Exploring the use of temporal cues for the optimization of speech processing, perception, and comprehension

探索使用时间线索来优化语音处理、感知和理解

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-04390
• 负责人: Duda, Victoria
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=761899
• 关键词: Exploring; use; temporal; cues; optimization

In the aging population, most individuals suffer from hearing impairment where hearing aids are commonly used to improve communication by amplifying sounds. Although this method makes speech audible, by making it sufficiently loud, it does not make it clear especially in noisy environments. It is known that aging populations have increasing cognitive decline which is largely ignored by the current amplification algorithms. Cognitive capacity can be evaluated by measuring auditory timing which is an essential part of understanding speech. It is critical for the perception of the temporal envelope and fine structures of speech sounds at all intensity levels. Research has shown that the temporal envelope affects speech intelligibility in situations where the contextual cues are low, for people with severe hearing loss and for those with lower cognition. Currently, hearing aids use hearing thresholds of the audiogram to determine the necessary gain or amplification needed for an individuals hearing loss. However, there are no individual prescriptive methods for the onset/offset of amplification, known as compression time. The onset of the compressor (attack time) is the time it takes for the hearing aid to amplify a sound, and the offset time (release time) is the length of time to return to the original sound level. Studies have shown that the length of attack and release time can have an impact on the speech scores of those with lower cognitive capacities. This research program aims to develop, for the first time, individual EEG measures of auditory timing which can be used to program hearing aid compression time. The longterm goal of this research program is to develop a more inclusive standard for developing amplification algorithms that take into account cognitive impairment. This will be achieved by conducting studies on aging individuals, with age-related cognitive decline, using EEG measures of auditory timing in silence and in noise. Using these measures, the activation onset of compression systems will be modified (i.e. the attack and release times) for a series of hearing aids and cortical speech processing will be analyzed for a speech-in-noise task. Results from these studies will lead to further work in speech-in-noise performance using word recognition tasks and by applying these algorithms to a variety of devices such as various models of hearing aids (i.e. behind-the-ear, receiver-in-the-canal, customs, in-the-canal, in-the-ear etc.), cochlear implants, and bone-anchored hearing aids. This research will have a major impact on hearing aid technologies as it opens a new perspective on using auditory timing to account for cognitive differences in hearing aid users. Developing more inclusive hearing aids that are suitable for cognitive impairment will benefit millions of aging Canadians by decreasing their social isolation and increasing their cognitive health and quality of life.

在老龄化人口中，大多数人患有听力障碍，其中助听器通常用于通过放大声音来改善交流。虽然这种方法通过使其足够响亮而使语音可听，但它并不使其清晰，特别是在嘈杂的环境中。众所周知，老龄化人口具有越来越多的认知衰退，这在很大程度上被当前的放大算法所忽视。认知能力可以通过测量听觉时间来评估，听觉时间是理解言语的重要组成部分。它对于在所有强度水平下感知语音的时间包络和精细结构至关重要。研究表明，对于严重听力损失的人和认知能力较低的人来说，在上下文线索较低的情况下，时间包络会影响语音清晰度。目前，助听器使用听力图的听力阈值来确定个体听力损失所需的必要增益或放大。然而，对于放大的开始/结束（称为压缩时间）没有单独的规定性方法。压缩器的起始时间（起音时间）是助听器放大声音所需的时间，而偏移时间（释放时间）是返回原始声级的时间长度。研究表明，攻击和释放时间的长度会对认知能力较低的人的言语得分产生影响。这项研究计划的目的是开发，第一次，个人脑电图措施的听觉计时，可用于程序助听器的压缩时间。 这项研究计划的长期目标是制定一个更具包容性的标准，用于开发考虑认知障碍的放大算法。这将通过对老年人进行研究来实现，这些老年人具有与年龄相关的认知能力下降，使用EEG测量沉默和噪音中的听觉时间。使用这些措施，压缩系统的激活开始将被修改（即攻击和释放时间）的一系列助听器和皮层语音处理将进行分析的语音噪声任务。这些研究的结果将导致使用单词识别任务的噪声中语音性能的进一步研究，并将这些算法应用于各种设备，如各种型号的助听器（即耳后式，耳道内接收器，海关，耳道内，耳内等），人工耳蜗和骨锚式助听器。这项研究将对助听器技术产生重大影响，因为它为使用听觉计时来解释助听器用户的认知差异开辟了新的视角。开发适合认知障碍的更具包容性的助听器将使数百万加拿大老年人受益，减少他们的社会孤立，提高他们的认知健康和生活质量。