The effect of presentation level on spectrotemporal modulation detection.

The understanding of speech in noise relies (at least partially) on spectrotemporal modulation sensitivity. This sensitivity can be measured by spectral ripple tests, which can be administered at different presentation levels. However, it is not known how presentation level affects spectrotemporal modulation thresholds.

Real-time loudness normalisation with combined cochlear implant and hearing aid stimulation.

Background: People who use a cochlear implant together with a contralateral hearing aid-so-called bimodal listeners-have poor localisation abilities and sounds are often not balanced in loudness across ears. In order to address the latter, a loudness balancing algorithm was created, which equalises the loudness growth functions for the two ears. The algorithm uses loudness models in order to continuously adjust the two signals to loudness targets.

APEX/SPIN: a free test platform to measure speech intelligibility.

Objectives: Measuring speech intelligibility in quiet and noise is important in clinical practice and research. An easy-to-use free software platform for conducting speech tests is presented, called APEX/SPIN.

Design: The APEX/SPIN platform allows the use of any speech material in combination with any noise.

Assessing temporal modulation sensitivity using electrically evoked auditory steady state responses.

Temporal cues are important for cochlear implant (CI) users when listening to speech. Users with greater sensitivity to temporal modulations show better speech recognition and modifications to stimulation parameters based on modulation sensitivity have resulted in improved speech understanding. Behavioural measures of temporal sensitivity require cooperative participants and a large amount of time.

Binaural unmasking of multi-channel stimuli in bilateral cochlear implant users.

Previous work suggests that bilateral cochlear implant users are sensitive to interaural cues if experimental speech processors are used to preserve accurate interaural information in the electrical stimulation pattern. Binaural unmasking occurs in adults and children when an interaural delay is applied to the envelope of a high-rate pulse train. Nevertheless, for speech perception, binaural unmasking benefits have not been demonstrated consistently, even with coordinated stimulation at both ears.

Spatial speech perception benefits in young children with normal hearing and cochlear implants.

Objectives: Several studies have demonstrated better speech perception performance in children using two rather than one cochlear implant (CI). The extent to which bilaterally implanted children benefit from binaural cues to segregate speech and noise in a spatial configuration is less clear. Although better-ear effects are expected to be similar to adults, it is unknown whether electrical stimulation allows true binaural processing of speech signals in noise.

Three-year postimplantation auditory outcomes in children with sequential bilateral cochlear implantation.

Objectives: We report on the auditory abilities and speech performance in quiet and noise of 35 children with sequential bilateral cochlear implantation after 3 years of bilateral implant use.

Methods: Testing was done in bilateral and both unilateral listening conditions. The assessments took place before the second implantation and at several time intervals after fitting.

Earlier intervention leads to better sound localization in children with bilateral cochlear implants.

We present sound localization results from 30 children with bilateral cochlear implants. All children received their implants sequentially, at ages from 6 months to 9 years for the first implant and 1.5-12 years for the second implant, with delays of 10 months to 9 years.

Functional outcome of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in young children: 36 months postoperative results.

Objective: To examine the effects of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation (CI) on the life of young children after 36 months of bilateral implant use.

Method: Thirty-five children were assessed prior to and 3 until 36 months after activation of the second CI. Main outcome measures were: the Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP), Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR), communication mode, classroom placement, parent reports and the Würzburg questionnaire.

Subjective benefits of sequential bilateral cochlear implantation in young children after 18 months of implant use.

Objective: To investigate the subjective benefits of bilateral cochlear implantation in 33 young children after 18 months of second implant use.

Method: The Wurzburg questionnaire inquiring into a range of hearing functions was filled out by the parents. Additional data concerning the daily life and well-being of the children were gathered with an open-ended questionnaire and the Categories of Auditory Performance.

Sound localization, sound lateralization, and binaural masking level differences in young children with normal hearing.

Objectives: In this study, procedures for measuring sound localization, sound lateralization, and binaural masking level differences (BMLDs) in young children were developed. Sensitivity for these tasks was assessed in large groups of children between 4 and 9 yr of age to investigate potential developmental trends.

Design: Sound localization was measured in the sound field, with a broadband bell-ring presented from one of nine loudspeakers positioned in the frontal horizontal field.

Bilateral cochlear implants in children: binaural unmasking.

Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) may offer deaf children a range of advantages compared to unilateral CIs. However, speech perception in noise is mainly facilitated by better-ear effects and much less by interaural comparisons or true 'binaural' hearing. Little is known about the development of the binaural auditory system with CIs provided at a young age.

Hearing benefits of second-side cochlear implantation in two groups of children.

Objective: To investigate the additional bilateral benefits of a second cochlear implant (CI) in a group of young children (<6 years of age) and a group of older children (>6 years of age).

Method: This is a Belgian tertiary multi-centre study in which 33 CI-children with a second implant between the age of 2 and 12 participated. Assessments took place pre-second implant and at several time intervals post-fitting on pure tone audiometry and speech recognition in quiet and noise (+10 dBSNR).

Speech understanding in background noise with the two-microphone adaptive beamformer BEAM in the Nucleus Freedom Cochlear Implant System.

Objective: This paper evaluates the benefit of the two-microphone adaptive beamformer BEAM in the Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant (CI) system for speech understanding in background noise by CI users.

Design: A double-blind evaluation of the two-microphone adaptive beamformer BEAM and a hardware directional microphone was carried out with five adult Nucleus CI users. The test procedure consisted of a pre- and post-test in the lab and a 2-wk trial period at home.

Horizontal localization with bilateral hearing aids: without is better than with.

This paper studies the effect of bilateral hearing aids on directional hearing in the frontal horizontal plane. Localization tests evaluated bilateral hearing aid users using different stimuli and different noise scenarios. Normal hearing subjects were used as a reference.