Effects of automatic auditory scene classification on speech perception in noise and real-world functional communication in children using cochlear implants.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of automatic scene classification (SCAN) on speech perception in noise and real-world functional performance in children using cochlear implants (CIs).

Methods: We used a within-subjects repeated measures design in two studies. The first study assessed speech perception in noise with or without SCAN enabled in 25 school-aged children.

The Thomas More Lists: A Phonemically Balanced Dutch Monosyllabic Speech Audiometry Test.

Speech audiometry tests are a crucial tool in clinical care and research. In Dutch, the common practice is to use lists of monosyllabic words with a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) structure. However, there are relatively few lists, and they are short.

Feasibility of an implanted microphone for cochlear implant listening.

This study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of an implanted microphone for cochlear implants (CI) by comparison of hearing outcomes, sound quality and patient satisfaction of a subcutaneous microphone to a standard external microphone of a behind-the-ear sound processor. In this prospective feasibility study with a within-subject repeated measures design comparing the microphone modalities, ten experienced adult unilateral CI users received an implantable contralateral subcutaneous microphone attached to a percutaneous plug. The signal was pre-processed and fed into their CI sound processor.

A multicentre clinical evaluation of paediatric cochlear implant users upgrading to the Nucleus(®) 6 system.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether experienced paediatric cochlear implant users could show benefits to speech perception outcomes from the introduction of noise reduction and automated scene classification technologies as implemented in the Nucleus(®) 6 sound processor. Previous research with adult cochlear implant users had shown significant improvements in speech intelligibility for listening in noisy conditions and good user acceptance for upgrading to the Nucleus 6 processor. In adults, these improvements for listening in noise were primarily attributed to the use of a range of new input processing technologies including noise reduction, as well as introduction of automatic scene classification technology.