Graeme Clark Collection

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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.