Evaluation of a Binaural Spatialization Method for Hearing Aids

NCT ID: NCT02693704

Last Updated: 2016-10-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2/PHASE3
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2016-02-29
• Study Completion Date: 2016-07-31

Brief Summary

This study investigates the possible benefits of using binaural spatialization techniques in digital wireless microphone systems for hearing aids. Speech intelligibility tests, speaker localization tests and preference tests are performed. The results of a diotic (current rendering) and a binaural (suggested rendering) rendering are compared.

Detailed Description

The signal processing laboratory (LTS2) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) has developed a new feature of sound rendering in hearing aids. This is a collaboration between EPFL and the Swiss company Phonak Communications AG. The new functionality works with the range of Roger products from Phonak, a new generation of FM systems that use a digital transmission.

FM technology refers to a type of wireless system that helps people better understand speech in noisy situations. FM systems commonly work together with a user's hearing aids, although systems are also available for those with otherwise normal hearing (such as people who suffer from APD, ADHD etc.). An FM system works like this: the person speaking wears or holds a transmitter microphone, or the transmitter is placed in the middle of the group (picking up speech from all around). Using harmless radio waves, the FM system sends speech signal(s) to the listener, who wears a tiny FM receiver behind the ear.

The new feature of such systems performs processing of the speaker's speech signal so that it renders information related to their spatial location. This so-called sound "spatialization" is a natural property of the human binaural auditory system, which allows us to localize sounds. However, this sound spatialization is not delivered by the current FM systems. Thanks to the new technology from EPFL and Phonak, it is now possible to include a binaural spatialization of the speech signal in the Roger product of Phonak hearing devices.

Conditions

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Normal hearing

People showing no hearing loss (\< 20 dB HL). Introduction of speech signal via the DAI of two hearing aids Phonak Naida IX SP.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hearing Aids

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The only intervention consists in applying a specific processing on some recorded speech signals, and comparing the performance obtained with such processed samples with ones that have not been processed. The applied processing is a binaural spatialization method that consists in filtering an original audio signal to get a left and right versions (for the two ears). The binaural rendering gives the impression that the speech signal (and thus the speaker) is located in a desired position in the environment.

Moderate hearing impaired

Patients showing moderate hearing loss (40-60 dB HL).

Introduction of speech signal via the DAI of two hearing aids among:

PhonakAudéo V-13 Phonak Baseo Q-P, Q-SP, Q-M13 Phonak Bolero Q-P, Q-SP, Q-M13, Boléro V-P, V-SP Phonak Naida Q-CRT, Q-SP, Q-UP Phonak Sky Q-RIC, Q-SP, Q-UP, Q-M13 Phonak Ambra microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Cassia microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Dalia microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Naida S SP, S UP, S CRT Phonak Solana microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Certéna micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro Phonak Exélia micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro Phonak Milo Plus micro, Plus SP, Plus UP Phonak Naida SP, SP Junior, UP, UP Junior Phonak Nios micro, S H20 Phonak Versata micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hearing Aids

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The only intervention consists in applying a specific processing on some recorded speech signals, and comparing the performance obtained with such processed samples with ones that have not been processed. The applied processing is a binaural spatialization method that consists in filtering an original audio signal to get a left and right versions (for the two ears). The binaural rendering gives the impression that the speech signal (and thus the speaker) is located in a desired position in the environment.

Severe hearing impaired

Patients showing severe hearing loss (60-80 dB HL).

Introduction of speech signal via the DAI of two hearing aids among:

PhonakAudéo V-13 Phonak Baseo Q-P, Q-SP, Q-M13 Phonak Bolero Q-P, Q-SP, Q-M13, Boléro V-P, V-SP Phonak Naida Q-CRT, Q-SP, Q-UP Phonak Sky Q-RIC, Q-SP, Q-UP, Q-M13 Phonak Ambra microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Cassia microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Dalia microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Naida S SP, S UP, S CRT Phonak Solana microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Certéna micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro Phonak Exélia micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro Phonak Milo Plus micro, Plus SP, Plus UP Phonak Naida SP, SP Junior, UP, UP Junior Phonak Nios micro, S H20 Phonak Versata micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hearing Aids

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The only intervention consists in applying a specific processing on some recorded speech signals, and comparing the performance obtained with such processed samples with ones that have not been processed. The applied processing is a binaural spatialization method that consists in filtering an original audio signal to get a left and right versions (for the two ears). The binaural rendering gives the impression that the speech signal (and thus the speaker) is located in a desired position in the environment.

Profound hearing impaired

Patients showing profound hearing loss (> 80 dB HL).

Introduction of speech signal via the DAI of two hearing aids among:

PhonakAudéo V-13 Phonak Baseo Q-P, Q-SP, Q-M13 Phonak Bolero Q-P, Q-SP, Q-M13, Boléro V-P, V-SP Phonak Naida Q-CRT, Q-SP, Q-UP Phonak Sky Q-RIC, Q-SP, Q-UP, Q-M13 Phonak Ambra microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Cassia microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Dalia microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Naida S SP, S UP, S CRT Phonak Solana microP, SP, M H20 Phonak Certéna micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro Phonak Exélia micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro Phonak Milo Plus micro, Plus SP, Plus UP Phonak Naida SP, SP Junior, UP, UP Junior Phonak Nios micro, S H20 Phonak Versata micro, Art M, Art P, Art SP, Art micro

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Hearing Aids

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The only intervention consists in applying a specific processing on some recorded speech signals, and comparing the performance obtained with such processed samples with ones that have not been processed. The applied processing is a binaural spatialization method that consists in filtering an original audio signal to get a left and right versions (for the two ears). The binaural rendering gives the impression that the speech signal (and thus the speaker) is located in a desired position in the environment.

Interventions

Hearing Aids

The only intervention consists in applying a specific processing on some recorded speech signals, and comparing the performance obtained with such processed samples with ones that have not been processed. The applied processing is a binaural spatialization method that consists in filtering an original audio signal to get a left and right versions (for the two ears). The binaural rendering gives the impression that the speech signal (and thus the speaker) is located in a desired position in the environment.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

Hearing instruments

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• French-native speakers and adults.
• Normal otoscopy.
• No conductive pathology.
• Normal hearing, or moderate to severe, sloping or flat, symmetrical hearing loss.
• User of bilateral Phonak hearing aids, for more than 6 months (hearing-impaired only).

Exclusion Criteria

• History of tinnitus or hyperacusis.
• Visual impairment, after correction with glasses or not.
• History of chronic or terminal illness or psychiatric disturbance,.
• History of epilepsy or other reactions associated with the proximity to a video screen.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 85 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Sonova AG

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Gilles Courtois

PhD Student

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Gilles Courtois, Enginner

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sonova AG

Locations

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Lausanne, , Switzerland

Countries

Switzerland

References

Courtois G, Lissek H, Estoppey P, Oesch Y, Gigandet X. Effects of Binaural Spatialization in Wireless Microphone Systems for Hearing Aids on Normal-Hearing and Hearing-Impaired Listeners. Trends Hear. 2018 Jan-Dec;22:2331216517753548. doi: 10.1177/2331216517753548.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 29457537 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

BHALS - 001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id