The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility
We have previously identified neurons tuned to spectral contrast of wideband sounds in auditory cortex of awake marmoset monkeys. Because additive noise alters the spectral contrast of speech, contrast-tuned neurons, if present in human auditory cortex, may aid in extracting speech from noise. Given...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2016-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01145/full |
| _version_ | 1818940102638829568 |
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| author | Nathaniel J Killian Nathaniel J Killian Paul Watkins Paul Watkins Lisa Davidson Dennis L. Barbour |
| author_facet | Nathaniel J Killian Nathaniel J Killian Paul Watkins Paul Watkins Lisa Davidson Dennis L. Barbour |
| author_sort | Nathaniel J Killian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We have previously identified neurons tuned to spectral contrast of wideband sounds in auditory cortex of awake marmoset monkeys. Because additive noise alters the spectral contrast of speech, contrast-tuned neurons, if present in human auditory cortex, may aid in extracting speech from noise. Given that this cortical function may be underdeveloped in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss, incorporating biologically-inspired algorithms into external signal processing devices could provide speech enhancement benefits to cochlear implantees. In this study we first constructed a computational signal processing algorithm to mimic auditory cortex contrast tuning. We then manipulated the shape of contrast channels and evaluated the intelligibility of reconstructed noisy speech using a metric to predict cochlear implant user perception. Candidate speech enhancement strategies were then tested in cochlear implantees with a hearing-in-noise test. Accentuation of intermediate contrast values or all contrast values improved computed intelligibility. Cochlear implant subjects showed significant improvement in noisy speech intelligibility with a contrast shaping procedure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T06:34:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4399d100886d456db89a9cc76451a3b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T06:34:18Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4399d100886d456db89a9cc76451a3b62022-12-21T19:50:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782016-08-01710.3389/fpsyg.2016.01145202205The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibilityNathaniel J Killian0Nathaniel J Killian1Paul Watkins2Paul Watkins3Lisa Davidson4Dennis L. Barbour5Washington University in St. LouisMassachusetts General HospitalWashington University in St. LouisGlobal Solutions Network, Inc.Washington University School of MedicineWashington University in St. LouisWe have previously identified neurons tuned to spectral contrast of wideband sounds in auditory cortex of awake marmoset monkeys. Because additive noise alters the spectral contrast of speech, contrast-tuned neurons, if present in human auditory cortex, may aid in extracting speech from noise. Given that this cortical function may be underdeveloped in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss, incorporating biologically-inspired algorithms into external signal processing devices could provide speech enhancement benefits to cochlear implantees. In this study we first constructed a computational signal processing algorithm to mimic auditory cortex contrast tuning. We then manipulated the shape of contrast channels and evaluated the intelligibility of reconstructed noisy speech using a metric to predict cochlear implant user perception. Candidate speech enhancement strategies were then tested in cochlear implantees with a hearing-in-noise test. Accentuation of intermediate contrast values or all contrast values improved computed intelligibility. Cochlear implant subjects showed significant improvement in noisy speech intelligibility with a contrast shaping procedure.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01145/fullAuditory Cortexhumancochlear implantContrast EnhancementNoise Reduction |
| spellingShingle | Nathaniel J Killian Nathaniel J Killian Paul Watkins Paul Watkins Lisa Davidson Dennis L. Barbour The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility Frontiers in Psychology Auditory Cortex human cochlear implant Contrast Enhancement Noise Reduction |
| title | The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility |
| title_full | The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility |
| title_fullStr | The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility |
| title_short | The effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility |
| title_sort | effects of auditory contrast tuning upon speech intelligibility |
| topic | Auditory Cortex human cochlear implant Contrast Enhancement Noise Reduction |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01145/full |
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