The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals

One of the most frequent complaints of individuals with hearing impairment is listening comfort in noisy environments. In order to improve listening comforts in background noise, digital noise reduction (DNR) systems are incorporated into hearing aids (HAs). Each hearing aid manufacturer has its...

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Main Authors: Nurul Najwa Nazri, Wan Syafira Ishak, Chong Foong Yen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2024
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/1/JSKM_22_1_2.pdf
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author Nurul Najwa Nazri,
Wan Syafira Ishak,
Chong Foong Yen,
author_facet Nurul Najwa Nazri,
Wan Syafira Ishak,
Chong Foong Yen,
author_sort Nurul Najwa Nazri,
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description One of the most frequent complaints of individuals with hearing impairment is listening comfort in noisy environments. In order to improve listening comforts in background noise, digital noise reduction (DNR) systems are incorporated into hearing aids (HAs). Each hearing aid manufacturer has its proprietary algorithm for the DNR system. The amount of attenuation (dB) provided by the DNR system can be quantified using the hearing aid analyser. However, the standard test signals in the hearing aid analyser could not quantify the attenuation of DNR for speech mixed with noise signals. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) develop speech-plus-noise test signals that incorporate Malay sentences and (ii) quantify the efficacy of DNR systems in commercial hearing aids using the newly developed test signals. Six different brands of hearing aids with identical technology but from different manufacturers were subjected to electroacoustic testing utilising newly created Malay speech-in-noise test signals with and without DNR enabled. The total root-mean square (RMS) gain reduction for each HA was calculated. The results show that the types of noise, the signal-to-noise ratio and the gender of the speaker have a significant effect (p<0.05) on the amount of gain reduction in the HA output as a result of the DNR system in each HA . In conclusion, the newly developed Malay speech-in-noise test signals can be used to verify the efficacy of DNR system in commercial hearing aids.
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spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:233712024-04-18T01:08:28Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/ The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals Nurul Najwa Nazri, Wan Syafira Ishak, Chong Foong Yen, One of the most frequent complaints of individuals with hearing impairment is listening comfort in noisy environments. In order to improve listening comforts in background noise, digital noise reduction (DNR) systems are incorporated into hearing aids (HAs). Each hearing aid manufacturer has its proprietary algorithm for the DNR system. The amount of attenuation (dB) provided by the DNR system can be quantified using the hearing aid analyser. However, the standard test signals in the hearing aid analyser could not quantify the attenuation of DNR for speech mixed with noise signals. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) develop speech-plus-noise test signals that incorporate Malay sentences and (ii) quantify the efficacy of DNR systems in commercial hearing aids using the newly developed test signals. Six different brands of hearing aids with identical technology but from different manufacturers were subjected to electroacoustic testing utilising newly created Malay speech-in-noise test signals with and without DNR enabled. The total root-mean square (RMS) gain reduction for each HA was calculated. The results show that the types of noise, the signal-to-noise ratio and the gender of the speaker have a significant effect (p<0.05) on the amount of gain reduction in the HA output as a result of the DNR system in each HA . In conclusion, the newly developed Malay speech-in-noise test signals can be used to verify the efficacy of DNR system in commercial hearing aids. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2024 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/1/JSKM_22_1_2.pdf Nurul Najwa Nazri, and Wan Syafira Ishak, and Chong Foong Yen, (2024) The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals. Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 22 (1). pp. 13-24. ISSN 1675-8161 https://ejournals.ukm.my/jskm/issue/view/1607
spellingShingle Nurul Najwa Nazri,
Wan Syafira Ishak,
Chong Foong Yen,
The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals
title The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals
title_full The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals
title_fullStr The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals
title_full_unstemmed The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals
title_short The electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with Malay speech-plus-noise test signals
title_sort electroacoustic performance of digital noise reduction systems in commercial hearing aids with malay speech-plus-noise test signals
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23371/1/JSKM_22_1_2.pdf