Journal article
Influence of Telecommunication Modality, Internet Transmission Quality, and Accessories on Speech Perception in Cochlear Implant Users.
- Mantokoudis G lnselspital, Bern University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Koller R lnselspital, Bern University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Guignard J lnselspital, Bern University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Caversaccio M lnselspital, Bern University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Kompis M lnselspital, Bern University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Senn P lnselspital, Bern University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- 2017-04-26
Published in:
- Journal of medical Internet research. - 2017
cochlear implants
communication aids for disabled
hearing loss
speech discrimination tests
telecommunications devices for the deaf
telephone
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Cochlear Implants
Female
Humans
Internet
Language
Male
Microcomputers
Middle Aged
Speech Intelligibility
Speech Perception
Telecommunications
Telephone
Young Adult
English
BACKGROUND
Telecommunication is limited or even impossible for more than one-thirds of all cochlear implant (CI) users.
OBJECTIVE
We sought therefore to study the impact of voice quality on speech perception with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) under real and adverse network conditions.
METHODS
Telephone speech perception was assessed in 19 CI users (15-69 years, average 42 years), using the German HSM (Hochmair-Schulz-Moser) sentence test comparing Skype and conventional telephone (public switched telephone networks, PSTN) transmission using a personal computer (PC) and a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) telephone dual device. Five different Internet transmission quality modes and four accessories (PC speakers, headphones, 3.5 mm jack audio cable, and induction loop) were compared. As a secondary outcome, the subjective perceived voice quality was assessed using the mean opinion score (MOS).
RESULTS
Speech telephone perception was significantly better (median 91.6%, P<.001) with Skype compared with PSTN (median 42.5%) under optimal conditions. Skype calls under adverse network conditions (data packet loss > 15%) were not superior to conventional telephony. In addition, there were no significant differences between the tested accessories (P>.05) using a PC. Coupling a Skype DECT phone device with an audio cable to the CI, however, resulted in higher speech perception (median 65%) and subjective MOS scores (3.2) than using PSTN (median 7.5%, P<.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Skype calls significantly improve speech perception for CI users compared with conventional telephony under real network conditions. Listening accessories do not further improve listening experience. Current Skype DECT telephone devices do not fully offer technical advantages in voice quality.
Telecommunication is limited or even impossible for more than one-thirds of all cochlear implant (CI) users.
OBJECTIVE
We sought therefore to study the impact of voice quality on speech perception with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) under real and adverse network conditions.
METHODS
Telephone speech perception was assessed in 19 CI users (15-69 years, average 42 years), using the German HSM (Hochmair-Schulz-Moser) sentence test comparing Skype and conventional telephone (public switched telephone networks, PSTN) transmission using a personal computer (PC) and a digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT) telephone dual device. Five different Internet transmission quality modes and four accessories (PC speakers, headphones, 3.5 mm jack audio cable, and induction loop) were compared. As a secondary outcome, the subjective perceived voice quality was assessed using the mean opinion score (MOS).
RESULTS
Speech telephone perception was significantly better (median 91.6%, P<.001) with Skype compared with PSTN (median 42.5%) under optimal conditions. Skype calls under adverse network conditions (data packet loss > 15%) were not superior to conventional telephony. In addition, there were no significant differences between the tested accessories (P>.05) using a PC. Coupling a Skype DECT phone device with an audio cable to the CI, however, resulted in higher speech perception (median 65%) and subjective MOS scores (3.2) than using PSTN (median 7.5%, P<.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Skype calls significantly improve speech perception for CI users compared with conventional telephony under real network conditions. Listening accessories do not further improve listening experience. Current Skype DECT telephone devices do not fully offer technical advantages in voice quality.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- gold
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.2196/jmir.6954
- PMID 28438727
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/140332
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