Understanding the role of pitch cues in multi-speaker environments

现有的声音分离和听觉技术的基础研究集中在使用空间线索来引导听觉注意。因此，音高线索是一个潜在的丰富和未开发的领域，在语音可懂度的显着改善可以找到。我的假设如下：音高线索有助于显着的听力退化，在多说话人的听力环境中的性能经历的患者在老化和听力损失恢复访问这些音高线索将提高语音噪声性能我建议博士研究是一个跨学科的项目，旨在更好地了解神经机制的基础上，如何扬声器在多说话人，听力损失患者了解扬声器环境，并探索潜在的干预措施来改善这一点。描述在多说话者环境中听到语音时音高线索的相对重要性2。描述多说话者环境中语音理解的神经生理学相关性3。开发临床上有用的诊断测试的语音噪声性能4。探索使用有针对性的音高线索，以提高语音清晰度在多扬声器环境中的项目福尔斯属于医疗保健技术的职权范围。该项目的总体目标是确定音高线索在多扬声器环境中的重要性，以改善听力损失干预。这包括预测在嘈杂环境中使用听力设备所获得的性能益处。因此，该研究将支持听力设备的优化，因此福尔斯属于EPSRC的职权范围。

Existing basic research in sound segregation and hearing technology focus on the use of spatial cues to guide auditory attention. Therefore, pitch cues are a potentially rich and unexplored field where significant improvements in speech intelligibility could be found.My hypotheses are as follows:Pitch cues contribute significantly to the degradation of hearing in a multi-talker listening environment performance experienced by patients during ageing and hearing lossRestoring access to these pitch cues will improve speech-in-noise performanceMy proposed DPhil research is an interdisciplinary project aiming to better understand the neural mechanisms underpinning how speakers in multi-speaker environments are understood by patients with hearing loss and explore potential interventions to improve this.I propose the following broad areas of investigation:1. Characterise the relative importance of pitch cues in hearing speech in multi-speaker environments2. Characterise the neurophysiological correlates of speech understanding in multi-speaker environments3. Develop clinically useful diagnostic tests of speech in noise performance4. Explore using targeted pitch cues to improve speech intelligibility in a multi-speaker environmentThe project falls within the remit of healthcare technologies. The overall aim of the project is to determine the importance of pitch cues in multi-speaker environments in order to improve hearing loss interventions. This includes predict performance benefit gained from hearing device use in noisy environments. As such, the research will underpin the optimisation of hearing devices and therefore falls within the EPSRC remit.