Callsign Acquisition Test (CAT): speech intelligibility in noise

OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to assess the effects of noise on the intelligibility of speech elements used in the Callsign Acquisition Test (CAT), developed by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. The CAT consists of 126 test items, or callsigns, each of which is made up of a two-syllable word selected from the 18-item military alphabet (Alpha-Zulu) followed by a one-syllable number (all numbers from 1 to 8, excluding 7). DESIGN: The CAT items were mixed with one of three different types of background noises (pink noise, white noise, and multitalker babble) and presented to 18 listeners. Speech-to-noise ratio for all three noises and the overall level of pink noise were varied in two separate experiments to determine how these variables affected speech intelligibility of the CAT items pronounced by a male talker. CONCLUSIONS: Test results demonstrate speech-to-noise ratio has a significant effect on speech intelligibility of the CAT items under all conditions. Pink noise generated the lowest speech intelligibility scores followed by multitalker babble and then white noise. A change in the overall level of pink noise had only small effect on CAT intelligibility.