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The Articulation Index (AI) was used to evaluate an "adaptive frequency response" (AFR) hearing aid with amplification characteristics that automatically change to become more high-pass with increasing levels of background noise. Speech intelligibility ratings of connected discourse by normal-hearing subjects were predicted well by an empirically derived AI transfer function. That transfer function was used to predict aided speech intelligibility ratings by 12 hearing-impaired subjects wearing a master hearing aid with the Argosy Manhattan Circuit enabled (AFR-on) or disabled (AFR-off). For all subjects, the AI predicted no improvements in speech intelligibility for the AFR-on versus AFR-off condition, and no significant improvements in rated intelligibility were observed. The ability of the AI to predict aided speech intelligibility varied across subjects. However, ratings from every hearing-impaired subject were related monotonically to AI. Therefore, AI calculations may be used to predict relativebut not absolutelevels of speech intelligibility produced under different amplification conditions.
Note:
Currently affiliated with Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
KEY WORDS: hearing aids, speech perception, noise, articulation index, sensorineural hearing loss
Submitted on January 29, 1990
Accepted on May 17, 1990
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