title: Speech perception at positive signal-to-noise ratios using adaptive adjustment of time compression.
abstract: Positive signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) characterize listening situations most relevant for hearing-impaired listeners in daily life and should therefore be considered when evaluating hearing aid algorithms. For this, a speech-in-noise test was developed and evaluated, in which the background noise is presented at fixed positive SNRs and the speech rate (i.e., the time compression of the speech material) is adaptively adjusted. In total, 29 younger and 12 older normal-hearing, as well as 24 older hearing-impaired listeners took part in repeated measurements. Younger normal-hearing and older hearing-impaired listeners conducted one of two adaptive methods which differed in adaptive procedure and step size. Analysis of the measurements with regard to list length and estimation strategy for thresholds resulted in a practical method measuring the time compression for 50% recognition. This method uses time-compression adjustment and step sizes according to Versfeld and Dreschler [(2002). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 111, 401-408], with sentence scoring, lists of 30 sentences, and a maximum likelihood method for threshold estimation. Evaluation of the procedure showed that older participants obtained higher test-retest reliability compared to younger participants. Depending on the group of listeners, one or two lists are required for training prior to data collection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Ofener Straße 16/19, D-26121 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schlueter
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: Phonak AG, Science & Technology, Laubisrütistrasse 28, CH-8712 Stäfa, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lemke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Ofener Straße 16/19, D-26121 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nitzschner
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kollmeier
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Ofener Straße 16/19, D-26121 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holube
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D044962:Data Compression; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013995:Time; D055815:Young Adult