Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Perception of Auditory Distance in Normal-Hearing and Moderate-to-Profound Hearing-Impaired Listeners
 
research article

Perception of Auditory Distance in Normal-Hearing and Moderate-to-Profound Hearing-Impaired Listeners

Courtois, Gilles  
•
Grimaldi, Vincent  
•
Lissek, Hervé  
Show more
November 27, 2019
Trends in Hearing

The auditory system allows the estimation of the distance to sound-emitting objects using multiple spatial cues. In virtual acoustics over headphones, a prerequisite to render auditory distance impression is sound externalization, which denotes the perception of synthesized stimuli outside of the head. Prior studies have found that listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss are able to perceive auditory distance and are sensitive to externalization. However, this ability may be degraded by certain factors, such as non-linear amplification in hearing aids or the use of a remote wireless microphone. In this study, 10 normal-hearing and 20 moderate-to-profound hearing-impaired listeners were instructed to estimate the distance of stimuli processed with different methods yielding various perceived auditory distances in the vicinity of the listeners. Two different configurations of non-linear amplification were implemented, and a novel feature aiming to restore a sense of distance in wireless microphone systems was tested. The results showed that the hearing-impaired listeners, even those with a profound hearing loss, were able to discriminate nearby and far sounds that were equalized in level. Their perception of auditory distance was however more contracted than in normal-hearing listeners. Non-linear amplification was found to distort the original spatial cues, but no adverse effect on the ratings of auditory distance was evident. Finally, it was shown that the novel feature was successful in allowing the hearing-impaired participants to perceive externalized sounds with wireless microphone systems.

  • Files
  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1177/2331216519887615
Author(s)
Courtois, Gilles  
Grimaldi, Vincent  
Lissek, Hervé  
Estoppey, Philippe
Georganti, Eleftheria
Date Issued

2019-11-27

Published in
Trends in Hearing
Volume

23

Article Number

233121651988761

Subjects

spatial hearing

•

auditory distance perception

•

externalization

•

hearing aids

•

remote microphone systems

•

WDRC

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LTS2  
Available on Infoscience
November 27, 2019
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/163422
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés