The experiments presented in this application examine techniques to better enable users of cochlear implants to enjoy music and to understand speech when there are competing sounds. The difficulty of implantees in these situations is at least partially related to the poor or misleading information about the fundamental frequency of complex sounds which is transmitted by current speech processors. I plan to use amplitude modulation as a cue the fine temporal information that is missing from the output of current processing strategies. I will examine the ability of amplitude modulation to convey pitch and fundamental frequency information on a single electrode, and in-phase across multiple electrodes. Additionally, I will look at the ability of decorrolated phase differences on corresponding electrodes of binaural implants to convey vowel information. Successfully confirmed hypothesis will lead to new processing strategies that will improve music and speech perception.
| Landsberger, David M; McKay, Colette M (2005) Perceptual differences between low and high rates of stimulation on single electrodes for cochlear implantees. J Acoust Soc Am 117:319-27 |
