Graeme Clark Collection

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Author: Blamey, Peter × Author: Cowan, Robert × Author: Galvin, Karyn × Subject: Tickle Talker × Subject: multichannel electro-tactile speech processor × Subject: otolaryngology ×

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    The Tickle Talker: a speech perception aid for profoundly hearing impaired children [Abstract]
    Cowan, Robert S. C. ; Sarant, Julia Z. ; Galvin, Karyn L. ; Alcantara, Joseph I. ; Blamey, Peter J. ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 1990)
    Fifteen prelingually profoundly hearing-impaired children participated in speech perception training and evaluation, to assess potential benefits from use of the Tickle Talker. This device, a multichannel electrotactile speech processor, developed by Cochlear Pty. Ltd. and the University of Melbourne, presents speech as a pattern of electrical sensations felt on the fingers. The eight small electrodes are located over the digital nerve bundles, on both sides of the four fingers of the non-dominant hand. Speech processing hardware is similar to that used in the 22-channel cochlear implant. In the encoding strategy, second formant frequency (F2) is presented as electrode position, speech waveform amplitude as stimulus strength, and fundamental frequency (FO) as rate of stimulation. Each child participated in an ongoing training program involving clinicians, teachers and parents. The evaluation program included measures of sound and speech detection thresholds, and discrimination of speech features, words and open-set sentences. Both individual and mean scores for all the children demonstrate significant improvements in speech perception scores when input from the Tickle Talker is combined with either aided-residual hearing, or aided residual hearing and lipreading. These results are consistent with those previously reported for profoundly hearing-impaired adults using the Tickle Talker, and indicate that children are able to integrate speech information provided through the tactual modality with information from vision or residual hearing.
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    Speech processing strategies in an electrotactile aid for hearing-impaired adults and children
    Cowan, Robert S. C. ; Blamey, Peter J. ; Sarant, Julia Z. ; Galvin, Karyn L. ; Clark, Graeme M. (Australian Speech Science and Technology Association, 1990)
    An electrotactile speech processor (Tickle Talker) for hearing-impaired children and adults has been developed and tested. Estimates of second format frequency, fundamental frequency and speech amplitude are extracted from the speech input, electrically encoded and presented to the user through eight electrodes located over the digital nerve bundles on the fingers of the non-dominant hand. Clinical results with children and adults confirm that tactually-encoded speech features can be recognized, and combined with input from vision or residual audition to improve recognition of words in isolation or in sentences. Psychophysical testing suggests that alternative encoding strategies using multiple-electrode stimuli are feasible. Preliminary results comparing encoding of consonant voiced/voiceless contrasts with new encoding schemes are discussed.