Speech Intelligibility in High Noise Environments as a Function of Ear Protection

Speech Intelligibility in High Noise Environments as a Function of Ear Protection PDF Author: Shena Laughland Wileman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Deafness
Languages : en
Pages : 106

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Speech Intelligibility in High Noise Environments as a Function of Ear Protection

Speech Intelligibility in High Noise Environments as a Function of Ear Protection PDF Author: Shena Laughland Wileman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Deafness
Languages : en
Pages : 106

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Effect of Electronic Hearing Protectors on Speech Intelligibility

Effect of Electronic Hearing Protectors on Speech Intelligibility PDF Author: John Durkin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Government publications
Languages : en
Pages : 28

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The Effects of Hearing Protection on Speech Intelligibility in Noise

The Effects of Hearing Protection on Speech Intelligibility in Noise PDF Author: Kathleen S. Bauman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309092965
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
Millions of Americans experience some degree of hearing loss. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates programs that provide cash disability benefits to people with permanent impairments like hearing loss, if they can show that their impairments meet stringent SSA criteria and their earnings are below an SSA threshold. The National Research Council convened an expert committee at the request of the SSA to study the issues related to disability determination for people with hearing loss. This volume is the product of that study. Hearing Loss: Determining Eligibility for Social Security Benefits reviews current knowledge about hearing loss and its measurement and treatment, and provides an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the current processes and criteria. It recommends changes to strengthen the disability determination process and ensure its reliability and fairness. The book addresses criteria for selection of pure tone and speech tests, guidelines for test administration, testing of hearing in noise, special issues related to testing children, and the difficulty of predicting work capacity from clinical hearing test results. It should be useful to audiologists, otolaryngologists, disability advocates, and others who are concerned with people who have hearing loss.

Speech Levels in Various Noise Environments

Speech Levels in Various Noise Environments PDF Author: Karl S. Pearsons
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Acoustic measurement
Languages : en
Pages : 82

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Improving Speech Intelligibility Without Sacrificing Environmental Sound Recognition

Improving Speech Intelligibility Without Sacrificing Environmental Sound Recognition PDF Author: Eric M. Johnson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Hearing disorders
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The three manuscripts presented here examine concepts related to speech perception in noise and ways to overcome poor speech intelligibility without depriving listeners of environmental sound recognition. Because of hearing-impaired (HI) listeners’ auditory deficits, there is a substantial need for speech-enhancement (noise reduction) technology. Recent advancements in deep learning have resulted in algorithms that significantly improve the intelligibility of speech in noise, but in order to be suitable for real-world applications such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, these algorithms must be causal, talker independent, corpus independent, and noise independent. Manuscript 1 involves human-subjects testing of a novel, time-domain-based algorithm that fulfills these fundamental requirements. Algorithm processing resulted in significant intelligibility improvements for both HI and normal-hearing (NH) listener groups in each signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and noise type tested. In Manuscript 2, the range of speech-to-background ratios (SBRs) over which NH and HI listeners can accurately perform both speech and environmental recognition was determined. Separate groups of NH listeners were tested in conditions of selective and divided attention. A single group of HI listeners was tested in the divided attention experiment. Psychometric functions were generated for each listener group and task type. It was found that both NH and HI listeners are capable of high speech intelligibility and high environmental sound recognition over a range of speech-to-background ratios. The range and location of optimal speech-to-background ratios differed across NH and HI listeners. The optimal speech-to-background ratio also depended on the type of environmental sound present. Conventional deep-learning algorithms for speech enhancement target maximum intelligibly by removing as much noise as possible while maintaining the essential characteristics of the target speech signal. Manuscript 3 tests a new form of time-frequency masking that is designed to leave a small amount of background noise intact. The purpose of the unremoved background noise is to allow for environmental sound awareness while still providing significantly increased intelligibility. It was found that this type of processing resulted in significantly improved intelligibility and high environmental sound recognition performance for both types of listeners. It was also found that the same level of maximum attenuation provided the optimal balance of intelligibility and environmental sound recognition for both listener types.

Assessment and Standardization of Personal Hearing Protection Including Active Noise Reduction

Assessment and Standardization of Personal Hearing Protection Including Active Noise Reduction PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 21

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Hearing Conservation

Hearing Conservation PDF Author: Vishakha Rawool
Publisher: Thieme
ISBN: 1604062576
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
According to the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, approximately 30 million employees are exposed to dangerous noise levels at work and an additional nine million workers are at risk for hearing loss from other ototoxins such as metals and solvents. Millions of children and young adults are also at risk for noise-induced hearing loss in non-occupational settings. Hearing Conservation: In Occupational, Recreational, Education, and Home Settingsis the most current text to cover all major topics related to noise-induced hearing loss, including the military, construction, manufacturing, mining, transportation, the music industry, the home environment, education settings, and recreational arenas. From the underlying principles of hearing loss to audiometric testing procedures to assessment of hearing conservation programs, this book is packed with information for audiologists and other members of the interdisciplinary team who provide hearing conservation services for at-risk groups.Special Features: Many examples of audiometric data, that enhance understanding of all types of hearing impairment, test procedures, and standard threshold shift calculations Protocols for comprehensive audiological, tinnitus, and auditory processing evaluations Clinical pathways and follow-up action steps when a standard threshold shift is confirmed, including decisions about worker compensation in occupational settings Assessment of the effectiveness of a wide range of hearing conservation programs and correction of deficiencies, along with training, educational, and motivational techniques The most current information about hearing protection and enhancement devices, related regulations, selection and fitting, and training workers in how to use them for optimal results A set of discussion questions at the end of each chapter that stimulate review and classroom dialogue Comprehensive in scope, easily accessible, and useful to both clinicians and investigators,Hearing Conservation: In Occupational, Recreational, Education, and Home Settings is essential for audiologists, occupational hearing conservationists, otolaryngologists, internists, occupational nurses, noise control engineers, and any other practitioner who plays a role in developing, implementing, and maintaining hearing conservation measures. It is also an excellent text for graduate level audiology courses in hearing conservation.

The Effect of Ear Protectors on Speech Intelligibility in Noise

The Effect of Ear Protectors on Speech Intelligibility in Noise PDF Author: S. Hutchinson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 35

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The Factors Affecting the Psychometric Function for Speech Intelligibility

The Factors Affecting the Psychometric Function for Speech Intelligibility PDF Author: Alexandra MacPherson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Older listeners often report difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments. Increasing the level of the speech relative to the background - e.g. by way of a hearing aid - usually leads to an increase in intelligibility. The amount of perceptual benefit that can be gained from a given improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), however, is not fixed: it instead depends entirely on the slope of the psychometric function. The shallower the slope, the less benefit the listener will receive. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to better understand the factors which lead to shallow slopes. A systematic survey of published psychometric functions considered the factors which affect slope. Speech maskers, modulated-noise maskers, and target/masker confusability were all found to contribute to shallow slopes. Experiment 1 examined the role of target/masker confusion by manipulating masker intelligibility. Intelligible maskers were found to give shallower slopes than unintelligible ones but subsequent acoustic analysis demonstrated that modulation differences between the maskers were responsible for this effect. This was supported by the fact that the effect was seen at low SNRs. Experiment 2 confirmed that the effects of modulation and target/masker confusion occur at different SNRs. Experiments 3 and 4 demonstrated that directing attention to the target speech could "undo" the effects of target/masker confusion. In Experiments 5 and 6 a new method was developed to study whether slope effects are relevant to "real-world" situations. The results suggested that using continuous speech targets gave shallower slopes than standard speech-in-noise tests. There was little evidence found to suggest that shallow slopes are exacerbated for older or hearing-impaired listeners. It is concluded that in the complex demands of everyday listening environments the perceptual benefit received from a given gain in SNR may be considerably less than would be predicted by standard speech-in-noise paradigms.