TY - GEN
T1 - Predictions of speech intelligibility with a model of the normal and impaired auditory-periphery
AU - Zilany, Muhammad S.A.
AU - Bruce, Ian C.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - A fall-off in speech intelligibility at higher-than-normal presentation levels has been observed for listeners with and without hearing loss [1]-[5]. Speech intelligibility predictors based on the acoustic signal properties, such as the articulation index and speech transmission index, cannot directly account for the effects of presentation level and hearing impairment. Recently, Elhilali et al. [6] introduced the spectro-temporal modulation index (STMI), a speech intelligibility predictor based on a model of how the auditory cortex analyzes the joint spectro-temporal modulations present in speech. However, the auditory-periphery model used by Elhilali et al. is very simple and cannot describe many of the nonlinear, level-dependent properties of cochlear processing, nor the effect of hair cell impairment on this processing. In this study, we quantify the effects of speech presentation level and cochlear impairment on speech intelligibility using the STMI with a more physiologically-accurate model of the normal and impaired auditory periphery developed by Zilany and Bruce [7]. This model can accurately represent the auditory-nerve responses to a wide variety of stimuli across a range of characteristic frequencies and intensities spanning the dynamic range of hearing. In addition, outer and inner hair cell impairment can be incorporated. Compared to experimental word recognition scores, this model-based STMI can qualitatively predict the effect of presentation levels on speech intelligibility for both normal and impaired listeners in a wide variety of conditions.
AB - A fall-off in speech intelligibility at higher-than-normal presentation levels has been observed for listeners with and without hearing loss [1]-[5]. Speech intelligibility predictors based on the acoustic signal properties, such as the articulation index and speech transmission index, cannot directly account for the effects of presentation level and hearing impairment. Recently, Elhilali et al. [6] introduced the spectro-temporal modulation index (STMI), a speech intelligibility predictor based on a model of how the auditory cortex analyzes the joint spectro-temporal modulations present in speech. However, the auditory-periphery model used by Elhilali et al. is very simple and cannot describe many of the nonlinear, level-dependent properties of cochlear processing, nor the effect of hair cell impairment on this processing. In this study, we quantify the effects of speech presentation level and cochlear impairment on speech intelligibility using the STMI with a more physiologically-accurate model of the normal and impaired auditory periphery developed by Zilany and Bruce [7]. This model can accurately represent the auditory-nerve responses to a wide variety of stimuli across a range of characteristic frequencies and intensities spanning the dynamic range of hearing. In addition, outer and inner hair cell impairment can be incorporated. Compared to experimental word recognition scores, this model-based STMI can qualitatively predict the effect of presentation levels on speech intelligibility for both normal and impaired listeners in a wide variety of conditions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34548443615&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/CNE.2007.369714
DO - 10.1109/CNE.2007.369714
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:34548443615
SN - 1424407923
SN - 9781424407927
T3 - Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering
SP - 481
EP - 485
BT - Proceedings of the 3rd International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering
T2 - 3rd International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering
Y2 - 2 May 2007 through 5 May 2007
ER -