Effect of a processing delay between direct and delayed sound in simulated open fit hearing aids on speech intelligibility in noise.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Subjects with mild to moderate hearing loss today often receive hearing aids (HA) with open-fitting (OF). In OF, direct sound reaches the eardrums with minimal damping. Due to the required processing delay in digital HA, the amplified HA sound follows some milliseconds later. This process occurs in both ears symmetrically in bilateral HA provision and is likely to have no or minor detrimental effect on binaural hearing. However, the delayed and amplified sound are only present in one ear in cases of unilateral hearing loss provided with one HA. This processing alters interaural timing differences in the resulting ear signals.

Methods

In the present study, an experiment with normal-hearing subjects to investigate speech intelligibility in noise with direct and de

SUBMITTER: Roth S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10805375 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature