Normative psychoacoustic data using portable automated rapid testing (PART) iPad application

Abstract

Psychoacoustic tasks have been used to evaluate auditory processing capabilities throughout many decades. Here, we present data for Spatial Release from Masking (SRM), gap detection thresholds (GDTs), and spectrotemporal modulation (STM) sensitivity on a large group of listeners varying in age and hearing acuity collected using the PART iPad application (https://braingamecenter.ucr.edu/games/p-a-r-t/). Coordinate Response Measure (CRM) sentences were used to quantify SRM. A 4 Hz-2 c/o spectrotemporally modulated broadband noise was used to quantify STM sensitivity. Broadband Gaussian noise was used to measure gap detection thresholds. Initial analyses revealed similar thresholds between traditional methods found in the literature and data collected through the PART application for all psychoacoustic tasks. The ease with which the data is collected using PART application is expected to aid clinicians in rapidly characterizing difficulties perceived by individuals in everyday listening scenarios and in evaluating patient progress with hearing aid adjustments and aural rehabilitation over time.