Audio Demonstrations to Accompany
PERCEPTUAL CONSEQUENCES OF COCHLEAR DAMAGE
The demonstrations on this compact disc are intended to accompany the book "Perceptual Consequences of Cochlear Damage" by Brian C.J. Moore (Oxford University Press, 1995, ISBN 0198523300). Chapters referred to below are chapters from this book. The demonstrations were produced by Brian C.J. Moore, Brian R. Glasberg, Michael A. Stone and Thomas Baer, with the exception of demonstration 8, which is adapted, with permission, from a demonstration originally produced by Mead C. Killion. The CD consists mainly of simulations of what it is like to have a hearing impairment. It should be of interest to researchers and educators concerned with hearing impairment and hearing aids. It may also be used by those who wish to demonstrate the consequences of hearing impairment, for example as part of hearing-conservation programs or to give insight to relatives and friends of hearing-impaired people.
Demonstrations 1 and 4 simulate the effect of the threshold elevation and loudness recruitment typically associated with cochlear damage (Chapter 3). They also illustrate the effect of linear amplification combined with frequency-response shaping, applied prior to the simulation. The linear amplification is performed according to the NAL(R) prescription, and represents what might be achieved with a very high quality, well adjusted, "conventional" hearing aid. Finally, the effect of dual-channel fast-acting compression, applied prior to the simulation, is illustrated. The simulations are described in Chapter 7, and in the following publications:
Moore, B. C. J., and Glasberg, B. R. (1993). "Simulation of the effects of loudness recruitment and threshold elevation on the intelligibility of speech in quiet and in a background of speech," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 94, 2050-2062.
Moore, B. C. J., Glasberg, B. R., and Vickers, D. A. (1995). "Simulation of the effects of loudness recruitment on the intelligibility of speech in noise," Brit. J. Audiol. 29, 131-143.
Demonstrations 2 and 5 simulate the effect of the reduced frequency selectivity typically associated with cochlear damage. The simulations are described in Chapter 7, and in the following publications:
Baer, T., and Moore, B. C. J. (1993). "Effects of spectral smearing on the intelligibility of sentences in the presence of noise," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 94, 1229-1241.
Baer, T., and Moore, B. C. J. (1994). "Effects of spectral smearing on the intelligibility of sentences in the presence of interfering speech," J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 95, 2277-2280.
Demonstrations 3 and 6 simulate the effect of reduced frequency selectivity combined with threshold elevation and loudness recruitment. The sounds were first processed to simulate the effects of reduced frequency selectivity and then processed to simulate the effects of threshold elevation and recruitment.
Demonstration 7 illustrates a spectral enhancement algorithm intended to improve speech intelligibility for people with cochlear damage. Examples of such algorithms are described in Chapter 8 and in the following publications:
Baer, T., Moore, B. C. J., and Gatehouse, S. (1993). "Spectral contrast enhancement of speech in noise for listeners with sensorineural hearing impairment: effects on intelligibility, quality and response times," J. Rehab. Res. Devel. 30, 49-72.
Simpson, A. M., Moore, B. C. J., and Glasberg, B. R. (1990). "Spectral enhancement to improve the intelligibility of speech in noise for hearing-impaired listeners," Acta Otolaryngol. Suppl. 469, 101-107.
Demonstration 8 illustrates the occlusion effect often experienced by users of hearing aids; their own voice sounds unnatural and sometimes unpleasantly loud.
The CD may be obtained by writing to: Prof. Brian C.J. Moore, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, England, enclosing a cheque for £12 (sterling) or a check for $25 (US), payable to B.C.J. Moore.