scholarly journals Initial Development of a Spatially Separated Speech-in-Noise and Localization Training Program

2010 ◽  
Vol 21 (06) ◽  
pp. 390-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Tyler ◽  
Shelley A. Witt ◽  
Camille C. Dunn ◽  
Wenjun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Spatial Separation ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Training System ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Home Based

Objective: This article describes the initial development of a novel approach for training hearing-impaired listeners to improve their ability to understand speech in the presence of background noise and to also improve their ability to localize sounds. Design: Most people with hearing loss, even those well fit with hearing devices, still experience significant problems understanding speech in noise. Prior research suggests that at least some subjects can experience improved speech understanding with training. However, all training systems that we are aware of have one basic, critical limitation. They do not provide spatial separation of the speech and noise, therefore ignoring the potential benefits of training binaural hearing. In this paper we describe our initial experience with a home-based training system that includes spatially separated speech-in-noise and localization training. Results: Throughout the development of this system patient input, training and preliminary pilot data from individuals with bilateral cochlear implants were utilized. Positive feedback from subjective reports indicated that some individuals were engaged in the treatment, and formal testing showed benefit. Feedback and practical issues resulted from the reduction of an eight-loudspeaker to a two-loudspeaker system. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest we have successfully developed a viable spatial hearing training system that can improve binaural hearing in noise and localization. Applications include, but are not limited to, hearing with hearing aids and cochlear implants.

scholarly journals Benefits of bilateral cochlear implants and/or hearing aids in children

2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (sup1) ◽  
pp. 78-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Y. Litovsky ◽  
Patti M. Johnstone ◽  
Shelly P. Godar
Keyword(s):  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants

Performance in children with hearing aids or cochlear implants: Bilateral stimulation and binaural hearing

2006 ◽  
Vol 45 (sup1) ◽  
pp. 108-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Y.C. Ching ◽  
Emma van Wanrooy ◽  
Mandy Hill ◽  
Paula Incerti
Keyword(s):  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Bilateral Stimulation

scholarly journals Functional Consequences of Poor Binaural Hearing in Development: Evidence From Children With Unilateral Hearing Loss and Children Receiving Bilateral Cochlear Implants

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 233121652110512
Author(s):  
Claire McSweeny ◽  
Sharon L. Cushing ◽  
Jennifer L. Campos ◽  
Blake C. Papsin ◽  
Karen A. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Unilateral Hearing Loss ◽  
Visuospatial Memory ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants ◽  
Academic Deficits

Poor binaural hearing in children was hypothesized to contribute to related cognitive and academic deficits. Children with unilateral hearing have normal hearing in one ear but no access to binaural cues. Their cognitive and academic deficits could be unique from children receiving bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) at young ages who have poor access to spectral cues and impaired binaural sensitivity. Both groups are at risk for vestibular/balance deficits which could further contribute to memory and learning challenges. Eighty-eight children (43 male:45 female, aged 9.89  ±  3.40 years), grouped by unilateral hearing loss ( n = 20), bilateral CI ( n = 32), and typically developing ( n = 36), completed a battery of sensory, cognitive, and academic tests. Analyses revealed that children in both hearing loss groups had significantly poorer skills (accounting for age) on most tests than their normal hearing peers. Children with unilateral hearing loss had more asymmetric speech perception than children with bilateral CIs ( p < .0001) but balance and language deficits ( p = .0004, p < .0001, respectively) were similar in the two hearing loss groups ( p > .05). Visuospatial memory deficits occurred in both hearing loss groups ( p = .02) but more consistently across tests in children with unilateral hearing loss. Verbal memory was not significantly different than normal ( p > .05). Principal component analyses revealed deficits in a main cluster of visuospatial memory, oral language, mathematics, and reading measures (explaining 46.8% data variability). The remaining components revealed clusters of self-reported hearing, balance and vestibular function, and speech perception deficits. The findings indicate significant developmental impacts of poor binaural hearing in children.

scholarly journals Binaural hearing effect in children wearing cochlear implants and hearing aids-Comparison with children wearing only cochlear implants-

2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-119
Author(s):  
Naoe Mori ◽  
Juichi Ito ◽  
Toshiko Mori ◽  
Harukazu Hiraumi ◽  
Shinobu Yamaguchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Binaural Hearing

Bilateral Cochlear Implants in Children: Acquisition of Binaural Hearing

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ángel Ramos-Macías ◽  
Leopoldo Deive-Maggiolo ◽  
Ovidio Artiles-Cabrera ◽  
Rocío González-Aguado ◽  
Silvia A. Borkoski-Barreiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants

scholarly journals Studies on Bilateral Cochlear Implants at the University of Wisconsin’s Binaural Hearing and Speech Laboratory

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (06) ◽  
pp. 476-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Y. Litovsky ◽  
Matthew J. Goupell ◽  
Shelly Godar ◽  
Tina Grieco-Calub ◽  
Gary L. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Free Field ◽  
Spatial Hearing ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Spatial Cues ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
The Impact

This report highlights research projects relevant to binaural and spatial hearing in adults and children. In the past decade we have made progress in understanding the impact of bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs) on performance in adults and children. However, BiCI users typically do not perform as well as normal hearing (NH) listeners. In this article we describe the benefits from BiCIs compared with a single cochlear implant (CI), focusing on measures of spatial hearing and speech understanding in noise. We highlight the fact that in BiCI listening the devices in the two ears are not coordinated; thus binaural spatial cues that are available to NH listeners are not available to BiCI users. Through the use of research processors that carefully control the stimulus delivered to each electrode in each ear, we are able to preserve binaural cues and deliver them with fidelity to BiCI users. Results from those studies are discussed as well, with a focus on the effect of age at onset of deafness and plasticity of binaural sensitivity. Our work with children has expanded both in number of subjects tested and age range included. We have now tested dozens of children ranging in age from 2 to 14 yr. Our findings suggest that spatial hearing abilities emerge with bilateral experience. While we originally focused on studying performance in free field, where real world listening experiments are conducted, more recently we have begun to conduct studies under carefully controlled binaural stimulation conditions with children as well. We have also studied language acquisition and speech perception and production in young CI users. Finally, a running theme of this research program is the systematic investigation of the numerous factors that contribute to spatial and binaural hearing in BiCI users. By using CI simulations (with vocoders) and studying NH listeners under degraded listening conditions, we are able to tease apart limitations due to the hardware/software of the CI systems from limitations due to neural pathology.

scholarly journals Phonological Awareness at 5 years of age in Children Who Use Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Y. C. Ching ◽  
Linda Cupples
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Profound Hearing Loss ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants ◽  
Increase With Increase ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Children With Hearing Loss

Children with hearing loss typically underachieve in reading, possibly as a result of their underdeveloped phonological skills. This study addressed the questions of (1)whether or not the development of phonological awareness (PA) is influenced by the degree of hearing loss and (2) whether or not performance of children with severe-profound hearing loss differed according to the hearing devices used. Drawing on data collected as part of the Longitudinal Outcomes of Children with Hearing Impairment (LOCHI,www.outcomes.nal.gov.au) study, the authors found that sound-matching scores of children with hearing loss ranging from mild to profound degrees were, on average, within the normal range. The degree of hearing loss did not have a significant impact on scores, but there was a non-significant tendency for the proportion of children who achieved zero scores to increase with increase in hearing loss. For children with severe hearing loss, there was no significant group difference in scores among children who used bilateral hearing aids, bimodal fitting (a cochlear implant and a hearing aid in contralateral ears), and bilateral cochlear implants. Although there is a need for further prospective research, professionals have an important role in targeting PA skills for rehabilitation of young children with hearing loss.

scholarly journals Involving Children and Teenagers With Bilateral Cochlear Implants in the Design of the BEARS (Both EARS) Virtual Reality Training Suite Improves Personalization

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Vickers ◽  
Marina Salorio-Corbetto ◽  
Sandra Driver ◽  
Christine Rocca ◽  
Yuli Levtov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Young People ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Spatial Hearing ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Protocol ◽  
Bilateral Cochlear Implants ◽  
Speech In Noise

Older children and teenagers with bilateral cochlear implants often have poor spatial hearing because they cannot fuse sounds from the two ears. This deficit jeopardizes speech and language development, education, and social well-being. The lack of protocols for fitting bilateral cochlear implants and resources for spatial-hearing training contribute to these difficulties. Spatial hearing develops with bilateral experience. A large body of research demonstrates that sound localisation can improve with training, underpinned by plasticity-driven changes in the auditory pathways. Generalizing training to non-trained auditory skills is best achieved by using a multi-modal (audio-visual) implementation and multi-domain training tasks (localisation, speech-in-noise, and spatial music). The goal of this work was to develop a package of virtual-reality games (BEARS, Both EARS) to train spatial hearing in young people (8–16 years) with bilateral cochlear implants using an action-research protocol. The action research protocol used formalized cycles for participants to trial aspects of the BEARS suite, reflect on their experiences, and in turn inform changes in the game implementations. This participatory design used the stakeholder participants as co-creators. The cycles for each of the three domains (localisation, spatial speech-in-noise, and spatial music) were customized to focus on the elements that the stakeholder participants considered important. The participants agreed that the final games were appropriate and ready to be used by patients. The main areas of modification were: the variety of immersive scenarios to cover age range and interests, the number of levels of complexity to ensure small improvements were measurable, feedback, and reward schemes to ensure positive reinforcement, and an additional implementation on an iPad for those who had difficulties with the headsets due to age or balance issues. The effectiveness of the BEARS training suite will be evaluated in a large-scale clinical trial to determine if using the games lead to improvements in speech-in-noise, quality of life, perceived benefit, and cost utility. Such interventions allow patients to take control of their own management reducing the reliance on outpatient-based rehabilitation. For young people, a virtual-reality implementation is more engaging than traditional rehabilitation methods, and the participatory design used here has ensured that the BEARS games are relevant.

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