gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Speech perception especially in a roving level environment is challenging especially for Cochlear-Implant (CI) users. Therefore different pre-processing algorithms are available from Cochlear^TM to support difficult environment and further improve speech performance with CI in difficult listening situations. A combination of ADRO+ASC was used to compare speech performance with CochlearTM Nucleus ® Freedom^TM sound processor without pre-processing.

Method: The Roving Level Test was conducted under sound field conditions at 65 dB SPL with a roving level condition of ±15 dB. Each trial contains 30 sentences. Each sentence contains a different presentation level and a different SNR in order to measure the Speech Reception Threshold (SRT). Each test condition will be repeated.

Results: Fourteen patients were measured. The average SRT without pre-processing in this extremely difficult environment was 5.2 dB and with pre-processing (ASC+ADRO) 3.8 dB. After cleaning the data to remove floor- and ceiling effects, pre-processing with ASC+ADRO (2.4 dB) provided significantly (p= 0.003) better speech performance under roving level conditions than without pre-processing (4.7 dB).

Conclusion: Speech performance under roving level conditions with pre-processing (ASC+ADRO) will be improved significantly by 2.3 dB. Pre-Processing algorithms are used to support speech performance in difficult environments. Dependent on the environment different pro-processing combinations, called SmartSound2, are available.

Even the roving level test is an artificial lab test, Cochlear’s^TM SmartSound2 option did provide significant improvement in under this test conditions.