A Spanish matrix sentence test for assessing speech reception thresholds in noise

Objective: To develop, optimize, and evaluate a new Spanish sentence test in noise. Design: The test comprises a basic matrix of ten names, verbs, numerals, nouns, and adjectives. From this matrix, test lists of ten sentences with an equal syntactical structure can be formed at random, with each list containing the whole speech material. The speech material represents the phoneme distribution of the Spanish language. The test was optimized for measuring speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in noise by adjusting the presentation levels of the individual words. Subsequently, the test was evaluated by independent measurements investigating the training effects, the comparability of test lists, open-set vs. closed-set test format, and performance of listeners of different Spanish varieties. Study sample: In total, 68 normal-hearing native Spanish-speaking listeners. Results: SRTs measured using an adaptive procedure were 6.2 ± 0.8 dB SNR for the open-set and 7.2 ± 0.7 dB SNR for the closed-set test format. The residual training effect was less than 1 dB after using two double-lists before data collection. Conclusions: No significant differences were found for listeners of different Spanish varieties indicating that the test is applicable to Spanish as well as Latin American listeners. Test lists can be used interchangeably.     

News and Product Update

The education of biomedical engineers in Canada is discussed, with reference to the Canadian health care system and related industry. Information on specific educational programmes, with enrolment data, is presented. The paper concludes with brief comments on the certification of clinical engineers in Canada.     

Longitudinal Study of Changes in Speech Perception between 70 and 81 Years of Age

As part of a large gerontological study in Göteborg, Sweden, 376 randomly selected men and women born in 1901–1902 underwent pure-tone and speech audiometry at the age of 70 years in 1971-1972. The survivors of the 1901–1902 cohort were tested again at the ages of 75, 79 and 81 years. A second group consisting of 297 men and women born in 1906 was also tested with pure-tone and speech audiometry at the ages of 70 and 75 years. We found that the median speech discrimination scores for the 1901–1902 cohort decreased moderately with increasing age: between the ages of 70 and 81 years scores decrease 10% for men and 8% for women for the worse ear and 7 and 6% for the better ear in this group. The median speech reception threshold increased 15 dB over the 11-year period for both men and women, an increase in good agreement with the increase in the pure-tone threshold over this period. Those born in 1906 had a slightly lower discrimination score (4%) when tested at the age of 70 years compared to those born in 1901 tested at the same age. As many as half of the 81-year-old persons would have a theoretical benefit from hearing aid amplification.     

Supplementary formulas and tables for calculating and interconverting speech recognition scores in transformed arcsine units

Formulas that convert speech recognition scores, in percent or proportions, into units based on the arcsine transform have been described previously. This report reviews that work and presents various supplementary equations and tables for calculating and interconverting the proposed units. The relative merits of these data and their application to scores from closed-set tests are also discussed.     

The effects of reverberation on a listener's ability to recognize target sentences in the presence of up to three synchronized masking sentences

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effects of room reverberation on target sentence recognition in the presence of 0-to-3 synchronous masking sentences. Design: Target and masker sentences were presented through four loudspeakers (±90° and ±45° azimuth; 1m from the listener) in rooms having reverberation times (RT) of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 1.1 s. Study Sample: Four groups of 13 listeners each participated in the study (N = 52). Results: In rooms with RTs of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 s, mean speech recognition scores (SRSs) were similar, with scores ranging from 96–100%, 90–95%, 75–80%, and 53–60%, when 0, 1, 2, and 3 competing sentences were present, respectively. However, in the room with a RT = 1.1 s, SRSs deteriorated significantly faster as the number of competing sentences increased; mean scores were 93%, 73%, 26%, and 10%, in the 0, 1, 2, 3, competing sentence condition, respectively. The majority of errors in SRSs (98%) resulted from listeners reporting words presented in masking sentences along with those in target sentences (mixing errors). Conclusions: Results indicate that reverberation has a similar influence on SRSs measured in multi-talker environments, when room reverberation is ≤ 0.6 s. However, SRSs are dramatically reduced in the room with a RT = 1.1 s, even when only one competing talker is present.

Sumario

Objetivo: Determinar los efectos de la reverberación de un cuarto para el reconocimiento de oraciones blanco, en presencia sincrónica de 0–3 oraciones enmascarantes. Diseño: Las oraciones blanco y las enmascarantes se presentaron por medio de cuatro altoparlantes (+90° y ±45° azimuth; a 1m del oyente) en cuartos que tenían tiempos de reverberación (RT) de 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 y 1.1 seg. Muestra de estudio: Participaron en este estudio, cuatro grupos de 13 oyentes cada uno (N=52). Resultados: En cuartos con RT de 0.2, 0.4 y 0.6 seg, las puntuaciones medias de reconocimiento del habla (SRS) fueron similares, con puntuaciones que variaron de 96–100%, 90–95%, 75–80%, y 53–60%, cuando se presentaron, respectivamente, 0, 1, 2, y 3 oraciones competitivas. Sin embargo, en el cuarto con RT=1.1 seg, las SRS se deterioraron significativamente más rápido, conforme el número de frases competitivas se incrementó; las puntuaciones medias fueron de 93%, 73%, 26%, y 10%, en las condiciones de 0, 1, 2 y 3 oraciones competitivas, respectivamente. La mayoría de los errores en las SRS (98%) resultaron de oyentes que reportaron palabras presentes en las oraciones enmascarantes junto con aquellas de las oraciones blanco. (mezcla de errores). Conclusiones: Los resultados indican que la reverberación tiene una influencia similar en las SRS, medidas en ambientes de hablantes múltiples, cuando la reverberación es ≦0.6 sec. Sin embargo, las SRS se reducen dramáticamente en un cuarto con un RT=1.1 seg, incluso cuando solamente está presente un mensaje competitivo.     

正颌手术对骨性Ⅲ类错畸形患者语音功能的影响

目的: 探讨正颌手术对骨性Ⅲ类错畸形患者术后语音功能的影响。方法: 选择 31例骨性Ⅲ类错畸形成人患者,分别在术前1周、术后 3个月采集颌面 CT 扫描数据、语音数据。将采集的CT数据导入Dolphin软件,对咽部解剖结构进行测量、分析及头颅X线头影测量分析;对语音数据进行主观和客观评价。采用SPSS 24.0软件包进行统计学分析。结果: 正颌手术后,软腭下缘到咽后壁的距离、会厌上缘到咽后壁的距离及其相应的横截面积和口咽、喉咽的体积较术前均有显著差异（P<0.01）。头颅X线片分析显示,术前和术后SNA、SNB、ANB、OJ、OBJ差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。正颌患者术后语音情况较术前发生改变,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。正颌手术前、后,元音/a/B2、B3、B4,/i/B1、B2,/u/B1、B2、B4的差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）,辅音/x/、/zh/、/s/下限频率及/zh/能量值的变化有统计学意义（P<0.05）,辅音/z/的语图形态变化有统计学意义（P<0.05）。上颌骨前移距离与△S1、△VOP、语音变化存在高度相关或显著相关。结论: 正颌手术对上、下颌骨的移动,引起咽腔解剖结构改变,导致术后语音改变。     

Quantifying Auditory Handicap: A New Approach

This report describes a new audiovisual test procedure for the quantification of auditory handicap (QUAH). The QUAH test attempts to recreate in the laboratory a series of everyday listening situations. Individual test items represent psychomotor tasks. Data on 53 normal-hearing listeners described performance as a function of the message-to-competition ratio (MCR). Results indicated that, for further studies, an MCR of 0 dB represents the condition above which the task seemed too easy and below which the task appeared too difficult for normal-hearing subjects.

The QUAH approach to the measurement of auditory handicap seems promising as an experimental tool. Further studies are needed to describe the relation of QUAH results (1) to clinical audiologic measures and (2) to more traditional indices of auditory handicap.

Nous décrivons une épreuve qui a pour but de quantifier l'handicap auditif (QUAH). Le test QUAH est un test audio-visuel et psycho-moteur qui comporte 25 questions et qui essaie de recréer les situations auditives de la vie quotidienne. Nous avons effectué le test chez 53 sujets normaux, utilisant plusieurs rapports signal de message/signal concurrentiel; les résultats nous ont montré qu'un rapport égal à 0 dB était la condition standard à retenir (étant ni trop facile, ni trop difficile).

La méthode QUAH semble bien ětre un instrument d'expérience prometteur pour préciser l'handicap auditif. Des éludes supplémentaires sont cependant nécessaires afin d'établir la relation entre QUAH et 1) les mesures audiologiques cliniques et 2) les autres indices plus traditionnels de l'handicap auditif.