Auditory perceptual efficacy of nonlinear frequency compression used in hearing aids: A review

• Published in: Journal of otology (Beijing) Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 97 - 111
• Main Authors: Mao, Yitao, Yang, Jing, Hahn, Emily, Xu, Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd 01.09.2017; Communication Sciences and Disorders, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA%Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, USA%Communication Sciences and Disorders, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA; Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Chinese PLA General Hospital; Tsinghua University Press
• Subjects: aids; compression; frequency; Hearing; Hearing aids; Hearing loss; loss; Music; Music perception; Nonlinear; Nonlinear frequency compression; perception; Review; Speech; Speech perception; Nonlinear frequency compression; Hearing aids; Music perception; Hearing loss; Speech perception
• ISSN: 1672-2930
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joto.2017.06.003

Many patients with sensorineural hearing loss have a precipitous high-frequency loss with relatively good thresholds in the low frequencies.This present paper briefly introduces and compares the basic principles of four types of frequency lowering algorithms with emphasis on nonlinear frequency compression (NLFC). A review of the effects of the NLFC algorithm on speech and music perception and sound quality appraisal is then provided. For vowel perception, it seems that the benefits provided by NLFC are limited, which are probably related to the parameter settings of the compression. For consonant perception, several studies have shown that NLFC provides improved perception of highfrequency consonants such as /s/ and /z/. However, a few other studies have demonstrated negative results in consonant perception. In terms of sentence recognition, persistent use of NLFC might provide improved performance. Compared to the conventional processing, NLFC does not alter the speech sound quality appraisal and music perception as long as the compression setting is not too aggressive. In the subsequent section, the relevant factors with regard to NLFC settings, time-course of acclimatization, listener characteristics, and perceptual tasks are discussed. Although the literature shows mixed results on the perceptual efficacy of NLFC, this technique improved certain aspects of speech understanding in certain hearing-impaired listeners. Little research is available on speech perception outcomes in languages other than English. More clinical data are needed to verify the perceptual efficacy of NLFC in patients with precipitous high-frequency hearing loss. Such knowledge will help guide clinical rehabilitation of those patients.