Noise Attenuation Effects on Speech Recognition of Cochlear Implant Users Inside Helicopters.

The speech recognition levels of cochlear implant (CI) users are still incompatible with ICAO hearing requirements for civil aviation pilots testing in the noisy background condition of the helicopter cockpit. In this study, we evaluated noise attenuation effects on speech recognition in the same background condition. The study involved the evaluation of 12 Portuguese-speaking CI users with post-lingual deafness and with a pure tone average up to 35 dB HL between 500 and 2000 Hz and up to 50 dB at 3000 Hz on at least one of the ears, and of three normal hearing pilots (controls).

Speech Recognition of Cochlear Implant Users Inside a Noisy Helicopter Environment.

Unlabelled: In this study, we tested whether the speech recognition, through radio communications, of cochlear implant (CI) users inside a noisy helicopter cockpit is adequate for safe flight.

Method: Speech recognition tests (sentences, numbers and disyllables) through a very-high-frequency radio were administered to 12 CI users in a soundproof booth, inside a helicopter with the engine turned off and turned on.

Results: In quiet environments, radio communications were impacted only for disyllable intelligibility, but in noisy situations, all tests were affected.