Qi Shuang, Chen Xueqing, Yang Jing, Wang Xianhui, Tian Xin, Huang Hsuanyun, Rehmann Julia, Kuehnel Volker, Guan Jingjing, Xu Li
Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Capital Medical University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
Front Neurosci. 2021 Aug 13;15:722970. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.722970. eCollection 2021.
This study was aimed at examining the effects of an adaptive non-linear frequency compression algorithm implemented in hearing aids (i.e., SoundRecover2, or SR2) at different parameter settings and auditory acclimatization on speech and sound-quality perception in native Mandarin-speaking adult listeners with sensorineural hearing loss.
Data consisted of participants' unaided and aided hearing thresholds, Mandarin consonant and vowel recognition in quiet, and sentence recognition in noise, as well as sound-quality ratings through five sessions in a 12-week period with three SR2 settings (i.e., SR2 off, SR2 default, and SR2 strong).
Twenty-nine native Mandarin-speaking adults aged 37-76 years old with symmetric sloping moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss were recruited. They were all fitted bilaterally with Phonak Naida V90-SP BTE hearing aids with hard ear-molds.
The participants demonstrated a significant improvement of aided hearing in detecting high frequency sounds at 8 kHz. For consonant recognition and overall sound-quality rating, the participants performed significantly better with the SR2 default setting than the other two settings. No significant differences were found in vowel and sentence recognition among the three SR2 settings. Test session was a significant factor that contributed to the participants' performance in all speech and sound-quality perception tests. Specifically, the participants benefited from a longer duration of hearing aid use.
Findings from this study suggested possible perceptual benefit from the adaptive non-linear frequency compression algorithm for native Mandarin-speaking adults with moderate-to-profound hearing loss. Periods of acclimatization should be taken for better performance in novel technologies in hearing aids.
本研究旨在探讨助听器中实施的自适应非线性频率压缩算法（即SoundRecover2，或SR2）在不同参数设置和听觉适应情况下，对患有感音神经性听力损失的成年普通话使用者的语音和音质感知的影响。
数据包括参与者的未佩戴助听器和佩戴助听器时的听力阈值、安静环境下的普通话辅音和元音识别、噪声环境下的句子识别，以及在12周内通过五个阶段对三种SR2设置（即SR2关闭、SR2默认、SR2增强）进行的音质评分。
招募了29名年龄在37 - 76岁之间、患有对称性中度至重度感音神经性听力损失的成年普通话使用者。他们均双侧佩戴峰力Naida V90 - SP BTE助听器及硬耳模。
参与者在检测8kHz高频声音时，佩戴助听器后的听力有显著改善。对于辅音识别和整体音质评分，参与者在SR2默认设置下的表现明显优于其他两种设置。三种SR2设置在元音和句子识别方面未发现显著差异。测试阶段是影响参与者在所有语音和音质感知测试中表现的一个重要因素。具体而言，参与者从更长时间使用助听器中受益。
本研究结果表明，自适应非线性频率压缩算法可能会给患有中度至重度听力损失的成年普通话使用者带来感知上的益处。对于助听器中的新技术，应给予适应期以获得更好的表现。
