Internet video telephony allows speech reading by deaf individuals and improves speech perception by cochlear implant users

Mantokoudis, Georgios; Dähler, Claudia; Dubach, Patrick; Kompis, Martin; Caversaccio, Marco; Senn, Pascal (2013). Internet video telephony allows speech reading by deaf individuals and improves speech perception by cochlear implant users. PLoS ONE, 8(1), e54770. Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pone.0054770

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OBJECTIVE

To analyze speech reading through Internet video calls by profoundly hearing-impaired individuals and cochlear implant (CI) users.

METHODS

Speech reading skills of 14 deaf adults and 21 CI users were assessed using the Hochmair Schulz Moser (HSM) sentence test. We presented video simulations using different video resolutions (1280 × 720, 640 × 480, 320 × 240, 160 × 120 px), frame rates (30, 20, 10, 7, 5 frames per second (fps)), speech velocities (three different speakers), webcameras (Logitech Pro9000, C600 and C500) and image/sound delays (0-500 ms). All video simulations were presented with and without sound and in two screen sizes. Additionally, scores for live Skype™ video connection and live face-to-face communication were assessed.

RESULTS

Higher frame rate (>7 fps), higher camera resolution (>640 × 480 px) and shorter picture/sound delay (<100 ms) were associated with increased speech perception scores. Scores were strongly dependent on the speaker but were not influenced by physical properties of the camera optics or the full screen mode. There is a significant median gain of +8.5%pts (p = 0.009) in speech perception for all 21 CI-users if visual cues are additionally shown. CI users with poor open set speech perception scores (n = 11) showed the greatest benefit under combined audio-visual presentation (median speech perception +11.8%pts, p = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

Webcameras have the potential to improve telecommunication of hearing-impaired individuals.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders (ENT)

UniBE Contributor:

Mantokoudis, Georgios, Dubach, Patrick, Kompis, Martin, Caversaccio, Marco, Senn, Pascal

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1932-6203

Publisher:

Public Library of Science

Language:

English

Submitter:

Lilian Tschan

Date Deposited:

07 Mar 2014 11:58

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:29

Publisher DOI:

10.1371/journal.pone.0054770

PubMed ID:

23359119

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.43456

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/43456

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