Speech recognition outcomes in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with fine structure processing

Abstract

Conclusion: Mandarin-speaking adults can use the Fine Structure Processing (FSP) coding strategy as well as the Continuous Interleaved Sampling (CIS+) coding strategy. No loss in performance was observed after switch-over. Tone identification improves over time with the FSP coding strategy, which is of benefit to tonal-language users. After some time, fine structure was preferred.

Objective: This study aimed to determine speech perception, tone perception, and the subjective preferences of Mandarin-speaking adults who received the FSP coding strategy, at upgrade from the CIS + coding strategy.

Methods: Thirteen Mandarin-speaking subjects were tested at switch-over from CIS + to the FSP coding strategy ∼1-month after switch-over, 2-months after switch-over, and 3-months after switch-over with the Mandarin Hearing in Noise Test (M-HINT), the Mandarin Tone Identification in Noise Test (M-TINT), and a visual analogue scale assessing Sound and Speech Assessment (SSA).

Results: There were no significant differences in the M-HINT between presentation levels (62 dB SPL vs 65 dB SPL), over time, nor when compared to the CIS + coding strategy. Tone perception improved significantly over time with the FSP coding strategy. Subjects rated the FSP coding strategy with the OPUS 2 as significantly more ‘full’ and ‘rich’ than with the CIS + coding strategy after 3-months.

Keywords:

• Mandarin
• cochlear implant
• fine structure
• sound coding strategy
• tone identification

Acknowledgements

We thank all participants for their support on this research and Una Doyle from MED-EL for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.