Development of a virtual bimodal Cochlea Implant listener

在过去的15年中，由于这些设备的有效性和候选资格的急剧增加，适合人工耳蜗植入（CI）的候选人数量大幅增加。这包括越来越多的人，他们在一只耳朵中植入耳蜗，但在另一只耳朵中具有通常由助听器支持的残余听觉。这些患者被称为双峰，但我们对电听觉和声听觉在日常复杂的听觉环境中如何相互作用的了解有限。这可能解释了观察到的双峰听众在理解语音方面有困难，特别是在社交场合。本项目将开发一个虚拟双模态CI听者，即基于这些听者的独特生理特征的计算机模型，用于模拟语音清晰度。这项工作将探讨：（1）声学和电听觉之间的相互作用的机制，（2）可用的和使用的双耳语音提示，以及（3）双模态听觉和使用中的最新信号处理策略之间的相互依赖性。这种计算机模型将有助于快速和低成本地对信号处理策略进行广泛的评估。这将为双峰听众带来更好的听力。

The number of candidates suitable for cochlear implants (CIs) has increased substantially over the last 15 years as a result of a dramatic increase in the effectiveness of and candidacy for these devices. This includes an increasing group of persons, who are cochlear-implanted in one ear but have residual acoustic hearing in the other ear that is typically supported with a hearing aid. These patients are known as bimodal, but we have only a limited understanding of how electric and acoustic hearing interact in everyday complex listening contexts. This may explain the observation that bimodal listeners have difficulty in understanding speech, especially in social situations. This project will develop a virtual bimodal CI listener, i.e. a computer model that is based on the unique physiological characteristics of these listeners for simulating speech intelligibility. The work will explore: (1) the mechanisms of the interaction between acoustic and electric hearing, (2) the usable and used binaural speech cues, and (3) the interdependencies between bimodal hearing and the most up-to-date signal processing strategies in use. This computer model will facilitate an extensive evaluation of signal processing strategies quickly and at low cost. This will result in better hearing for bimodal listeners.