![]() However, subjective ratings of listening effort indicated a decrease of listening effort with SoftVoice at a speech level of 33 dBA. Pupillometry did not show significant effects of SoftVoice at any speech level. At higher speech levels, SoftVoice did not significantly affect speech recognition. At an average speech level of 33 dBA (SRT –5 dB) and 38 dBA (SRT +0 dB) in quiet, significant improvements of 17% and 9% on speech-recognition scores were found with SoftVoice, respectively. SoftVoice did not affect the SRT in steady state, speech-weighted noise of 60 dB. The average SRT in quiet without SoftVoice was 38 dBA. Our results revealed a significant improvement of 2.0 dB on the SRT in quiet with SoftVoice. To verify whether SoftVoice had any negative effects on speech perception in noise, we determined the SRT in steady state, speech-weighted noise of 60 dBA. Listening effort was measured at each of these speech levels subjectively by using a rating scale, and objectively by determining pupil dilation with pupillometry. Based on the individual subjects’ SRTs, we investigated speech-recognition scores at fixed speech levels, namely SRT −5 dB, SRT +0 dB, SRT +5 dB, and SRT +10 dB, again in quiet and using the Matrix test. The effect of SV on speech recognition was tested by determining the SRT in quiet using the Matrix test. Seventeen adult Advanced Bionics CI recipients were recruited and tested in two sessions. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of SV on speech recognition and listening effort. The algorithm “SoftVoice” (SV) was developed by Advanced Bionics to enhance the perception of soft speech by reducing the system noise in speech processors. The ability to perceive soft speech by cochlear implant (CI) users is restricted in part by the inherent system noise produced by the speech processor, and in particular by the microphone(s). The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. Christiaan Stronks, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands. for critical revision first drafts.Īddress for correspondence: H. for critical revision first drafts and J. for designing experiments, and critical revision of first drafts J. was responsible for data collection, data analysis, and draft writing R. was responsible for designing experiments, IRB approval, data analysis, and critical revision of first drafts E. 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leiden University Medical Center, the NetherlandsĢ Advanced Bionics GmbH, European Research Center, Hannover, Germanyģ Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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