Randomized Controlled Trial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Otorhinolaryngol. May 28, 2016; 6(2): 45-49
Published online May 28, 2016. doi: 10.5319/wjo.v6.i2.45
Word perception in noise at different channels in simulated cochlear implant listeners
Prawin Kumar, Himanshu Kumar Sanju, Sudhir Kumar, Varun Singh
Prawin Kumar, Himanshu Kumar Sanju, Sudhir Kumar, Varun Singh, Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Karnataka 570006, India
Author contributions: Kumar P conceived the study; Kumar P and Sanju HK designed the study; Sanju HK and Kumar S analyze the data; Sanju HK, Kumar S and Singh V performed the data collection; Kumar P, Sanju HK and Singh V wrote the manuscript; all authors critically reviewed the manuscript and reviewed it.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru-6, Karnataka, India.
Clinical trial registration statement: This study is registered at All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru-6, Karnataka, India.
Informed consent statement: Written consent taken from all participants.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No.
Data sharing statement: We are ready to share data.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Himanshu Kumar Sanju, Research Officer, Post Graduate in Audiology, Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru-6, Karnataka 570006, India. himanshusanjuaiish@gmail.com
Telephone: +91-740-6093279
Received: January 30, 2016
Peer-review started: February 1, 2016
First decision: March 1, 2016
Revised: March 17, 2016
Accepted: April 7, 2016
Article in press: April 11, 2016
Published online: May 28, 2016
Processing time: 100 Days and 13.2 Hours
Abstract

AIM: To find out effect of different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) on word perception at different number of channels.

METHODS: Thirty participants with normal hearing in the age range of 18-25 years (mean age 23.6 years) were involved in the study. For word perception test, there were 28 key-words embedded in sentences comprises of four lists processed for different channels (4, 8 and 32 channel) using AngelSim program at -5, 0 and +5 SNRs. The recorded stimuli were routed through audiometer connected with computer with CD player and presented in free field condition with speakers kept at 0° azimuth in a sound treated room.

RESULTS: Repeated measure ANOVA showed significant main effect across different SNRs at 4 channel, 8 channel and at 32 channel. Further, Bonferroni multiple pairwise comparisons shows significant differences between all the possible combinations (4, 8 and 32 channel) at +5 dB SNR, 0 dB SNR and -5 dB SNR.

CONCLUSION: Present study highlights the importance of more number of channels and higher signal to noise ratio for better perception of words in noise in simulated cochlear implantees.

Keywords: Cochlear implants; Perception; Signal-to-noise ratio; Speech; Noise

Core tip: Present study highlights the effect of different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) on word perception at different number of channels. Thirty young adults with normal hearing were involved in the study. Word perception test were carried out at different channels with multiple SNRs. Result showed significant main effect across different SNRs at 4, 8 and 32 channel. Further, Bonferroni multiple pairwise comparisons shows significant differences between all the possible combinations (4, 8 and 32 channel) at +5, 0 and -5 dB SNR. The present study highlights the significance of more number of channels and higher SNR for better word perception in noise in simulated cochlear implantees.