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Underlying Factors in Speech Intelligibility: rationale, construction, and evaluation of a series of tests

Brännström, Jonas (2002) AUD414 20021
Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology
Abstract
The objective of the present study is to outline, generate, and evaluate a series of tests,
which pertains to establish if there is a relationship between speech intelligibility and
presence of dead regions. An extensive speech test was constructed using low-pass
and band-pass filtered City University of New York- sentences (CUNY's) and vowelconsonat-
vowel-utterances (VCV's). Furthermore, a test of frequency resolution,
Psychophysical Tun i ng Curves (PTC), using simultaneous narrowband maskers with
pulsing probe tones was generated. To gether with two other tests, Dead regions' test
(Moore et al., 2000) and Transiently Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE), they
conslitute the test setup. The stimuli and the equipment used were... (More)
The objective of the present study is to outline, generate, and evaluate a series of tests,
which pertains to establish if there is a relationship between speech intelligibility and
presence of dead regions. An extensive speech test was constructed using low-pass
and band-pass filtered City University of New York- sentences (CUNY's) and vowelconsonat-
vowel-utterances (VCV's). Furthermore, a test of frequency resolution,
Psychophysical Tun i ng Curves (PTC), using simultaneous narrowband maskers with
pulsing probe tones was generated. To gether with two other tests, Dead regions' test
(Moore et al., 2000) and Transiently Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE), they
conslitute the test setup. The stimuli and the equipment used were thoroughly
evaluated and adjusted to minimize their impact on the results. Five normal hearing
subjects participated in the present stud y That the y indeed had normal hearing was
established using screening with Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA). Four of the subjects
participated in only the first part of the test, which included TEOAE, PTC, and the
Dead regions' test. One subject participated in the first and the seeond part of the test.
The seeond part included speech tests using CUNY's and VCV's in the different
filtered conditions at two different levels in quiet and one in noise. The results
indicated that the five subjects display normal outer hair cell function, normal PTA
thresholds, and normal frequency resolution. The resulls from the Dead regions' test
indicate that on average the Threshold Equalizing Noise test is working properl y but
there are individual differences. Generall y, the results from the speech tests indicate
that the scares correct increase with increasing cut-off frequency in the low-pass
filtered conditions for both CUNY's and VCV's. In the same manner the speech scares
i nerease with decreasing onset frequency in the band-pass filtered conditions. The
conclusions were drawn that the series of tests are working as intended. However, in
the speech tests an ad justment needs to be made regarding one of the two presentation
levels in quiet to avoid obtaining scares correct that are too similar to the other. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Brännström, Jonas
supervisor
organization
course
AUD414 20021
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
language
English
id
2968840
date added to LUP
2012-08-07 20:23:45
date last changed
2012-08-07 20:23:45
@misc{2968840,
  abstract     = {{The objective of the present study is to outline, generate, and evaluate a series of tests,
which pertains to establish if there is a relationship between speech intelligibility and
presence of dead regions. An extensive speech test was constructed using low-pass
and band-pass filtered City University of New York- sentences (CUNY's) and vowelconsonat-
vowel-utterances (VCV's). Furthermore, a test of frequency resolution,
Psychophysical Tun i ng Curves (PTC), using simultaneous narrowband maskers with
pulsing probe tones was generated. To gether with two other tests, Dead regions' test
(Moore et al., 2000) and Transiently Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE), they
conslitute the test setup. The stimuli and the equipment used were thoroughly
evaluated and adjusted to minimize their impact on the results. Five normal hearing
subjects participated in the present stud y That the y indeed had normal hearing was
established using screening with Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA). Four of the subjects
participated in only the first part of the test, which included TEOAE, PTC, and the
Dead regions' test. One subject participated in the first and the seeond part of the test.
The seeond part included speech tests using CUNY's and VCV's in the different
filtered conditions at two different levels in quiet and one in noise. The results
indicated that the five subjects display normal outer hair cell function, normal PTA
thresholds, and normal frequency resolution. The resulls from the Dead regions' test
indicate that on average the Threshold Equalizing Noise test is working properl y but
there are individual differences. Generall y, the results from the speech tests indicate
that the scares correct increase with increasing cut-off frequency in the low-pass
filtered conditions for both CUNY's and VCV's. In the same manner the speech scares
i nerease with decreasing onset frequency in the band-pass filtered conditions. The
conclusions were drawn that the series of tests are working as intended. However, in
the speech tests an ad justment needs to be made regarding one of the two presentation
levels in quiet to avoid obtaining scares correct that are too similar to the other.}},
  author       = {{Brännström, Jonas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Underlying Factors in Speech Intelligibility: rationale, construction, and evaluation of a series of tests}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}