Abstract
ObjectiveTo determine the impact of the fixed and adaptive beamforming technology of the new MED-EL SONNET cochlear implant audio processor on speech perception in noise.MethodsThe study cohort comprises 18 postlingually deafened adult cochlear implant recipients with at least six months of experience. Speech reception thresholds were measured with the Oldenburg Sentence Test in continuous, speech-shaped noise. Target sentences were presented in front of the listener, with noise sources placed at -135° and 135°, respectively. Outcome measures were the differences in speech reception threshold using omnidirectional, fixed and adaptive beamformer microphone settings.ResultsThe use of directional microphones significantly improved speech reception thresholds: fixed beamformer vs. omnidirectional: 4.3 dB (95%-CI [3.1; 5.5]), p<0.0001; adaptive beamformer vs. omnidirectional: 6.1 dB (95%-CI [4.9; 7.3]), p<0.0001; and adaptive beamformer vs. fixed beamformer: 1.8 dB (95%-CI [0.7; 3.0]), p = 0.001.ConclusionThis study confirms the previously reported improvements in speech perception in noise of the fixed beamformer microphone setting and is the first to report significant improvements in speech perception in noise when applying the adaptive beamformer microphone settings of the SONNET audio processor. Cochlear implant users may be able to benefit from improved hearing performance especially in difficult listening situations.
Highlights
Cochlear implants (CIs) present a safe and effective treatment for severe-to-profound hearing loss, and many confidence intervals (CI) users achieve remarkable levels of speech perception in quiet [1]
The use of directional microphones significantly improved speech reception thresholds: fixed beamformer vs. omnidirectional: 4.3 dB (95%-CI [3.1; 5.5]), p
Cochlear implant users may be able to benefit from improved hearing performance especially in difficult listening situations
Summary
Cochlear implants (CIs) present a safe and effective treatment for severe-to-profound hearing loss, and many CI users achieve remarkable levels of speech perception in quiet [1]. Bilateral implantation results in improvement in challenging listening situations as well as improved coding strategies and the preservation of low frequency hearing [4,5,6,7] Despite these innovations, CI users have inferior speech perception in noise compared to normal hearing subjects [8, 9]. Further refinements have been established to improve patient outcome in challenging environments, including algorithms optimizing input dynamic compression and range, automatic gain control, single channel and multi-channel noise reduction techniques. Another effective strategy to decrease the effects of competing noise on speech perception is the use of multiple microphones and beamforming algorithms. The use of adaptive beamforming technology may result in even better speech perception [13] since the algorithm constantly detects the direction the noise is coming from and adapts the polar pattern to attenuate the sound coming from this direction
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