Recent research in the area of vibrotactile speech communication devices for the deaf shows that these devices can be beneficial to speech reception and language development in children. However, demonstrated gains are less than predicted by audiovisual analogies to tactile-visual perception. The goals of the proposed research are 1) To understand perceptual processes of cross-modal integration and attention in tactile-visual speech perception; 2) To study speech perception and lipreading during long-term use of a commercial tactile aid; and 3) To evaluate and model lipreading of sentences. Three projects are proposed. For Project I, in years 1-3, five experiments are designed to study tactile-visual and audiovisual integration of speech information and attentional processes in normal hearing and hearing impaired adults. In Project II, years 4-5, a wearable commercial vibrotactile aid will be used by 15 adult profoundly deaf subjects. Tests of tactile- visual speech perception and lipreading will be conducted at pre-, mid-, and post-test times, and weekly lipreading training will be given over an 18-month period. Project III, years 1-4, uses computational and statistical methods to analyze errors made in lipread sentences. Normal hearing and hearing impaired subjects will be tested in a study on individual differences among lipreaders. Project III will result in a model of sentence lipreading and design for clinical assessment materials. Now that tactile aids are being produced commercially and scientific and clinical debates are taking place concerning the benefits of tactile vs. cochlear implant supplements for speech communication, research must go beyond questioning whether tactile aids can help to questions of how they work, their limitations, their long-term effects on perception, and methods for accurate of potential users.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
8R01DC000695-02
Application #
3217351
Study Section
Communication Sciences and Disorders (CMS)
Project Start
1988-07-01
Project End
1993-06-30
Budget Start
1989-07-01
Budget End
1990-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Gallaudet University
Department
Type
Other Specialized Schools
DUNS #
003259439
City
Washington
State
DC
Country
United States
Zip Code
20002
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Eberhardt, S P; Bernstein, L E; Demorest, M E et al. (1990) Speechreading sentences with single-channel vibrotactile presentation of voice fundamental frequency. J Acoust Soc Am 88:1274-85