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PubMed1991

Signal processing for sensory aids: a unified view.

Sensory aids for hearing impairment have traditionally been categorized according to the modality of stimulation. They can also be categorized according to the degree of speech processing that is used. These two methods of categorization are independent of each other and provide a convenient framework for developing a unified treatment of sensory aids. An advantage of this approach to the categorization and evaluation of sensory aids is that it helps identify fundamental limitations that apply to all sensory aids. For example, many of the constraints limiting the effectiveness of cochlear implants apply equally well to hearing aids, as well as to visual and tactile aids. Two other important factors to be considered in categorizing and evaluating sensory aids are, method of noise reduction and ease of use.

Deafness↗

PubMed1988

Recurrent issues underlying the development of tactile sensory aids.

Research in sensory aids has exhibited a cyclic pattern in which periods of great activity, usually initiated by a new discovery or development, are followed by relatively inactive periods. The issues underlying the development of tactile aids are reviewed within this framework.

Cochlear Implants↗

PubMed1984

Learning spatial dimensions with a visual sensory aid: Molyneux revisited.

The relationship between sensory aid research and several areas of perceptual learning has been explored with five experiments on learning the use of the Binaural Sensory Aid, an electronic sensor in which pitch specifies distance and interaural amplitude difference (IAD) specifies direction. The training task required reaching to objects in near space, with tactile error feedback. Perceptual learning for both dimensions was demonstrated within 72 trials, giving a level of performance comparable to the use of a natural sound source, although performance with the direction cue did not reach asymptote until a second training session. Training was unaffected by various kinds of regularity in the spatial target sequences, or by a reduction in the number of spatial target locations until only two locations were used; at this point directional accuracy declines. Training only one dimension at a time did not produce additional improvement of performance on that dimension, but did impair generalization of the direction cue. Learning of the pitch-distance dimension was generally better than that of the IAD dimension, possibly because of its greater discriminability with this device. Generally, the pattern of results indicates that in learning to use such devices subjects readily determine the sensory dimensions of the codes and have considerable ability to generalize to new locations.

Distance Perception↗

PubMed1996

Effects of sensory aids on the quality of life and mortality of elderly people: a multivariate analysis.

The present study aimed at clarifying the relationships between the use of sensory aids and the quality of life (QOL) and mortality of elderly people suffering from sensory deprivation. We carried out a cross-sectional survey on the QOL and the sensory status of an elderly cohort and a 6-year longitudinal follow-up of mortality rates among 1192 non-institutionalized people aged 70-75 years in a North Italian town. We classified respondents into three groups: those with functionally adequate visual and hearing acuity (n = 275); those with sensory impairment, corrected by the use of sensory aids (n = 680), and those with uncorrected sensory impairment (n = 245). In the whole sample, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that an uncorrected sensory deprivation was associated with a significant and independent impairment of mood, self-sufficiency in instrumental activities of daily living and social relationships. Such impairments were not apparent in the subjects with sensory impairments who were using sensory aids. In men with uncorrected sensory impairment the unadjusted 6-year mortality rate was almost twice that of the other two groups, which did not differ from each other. No corresponding differences were detected in women. Multivariate analysis showed that the effect of the sensory aid status on mortality was indirect and mediated through the global physical health status and the social relationships. We conclude that our cross-sectional data demonstrate an association between uncorrected sensory deprivation and a low QOL; such an association was not present in subjects with corrected sensory deprivation.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1992

Sensory aids in conjunction with cochlear implants.

The use of cochlear implants in profoundly hearing-impaired individuals can restore varying degrees of auditory capabilities. Although very little auditory information is transmitted to these patients through amplification systems, we hypothesized that some of the cues obtained from sensory aids might be helpful when used in conjunction with the cochlear implant postoperatively. Eight patients implanted at NYU Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital Center, have used some sensory aid in addition to the Nucleus multichannel cochlear prosthesis. All subjects were evaluated using standard auditory tests including pure-tone and speech audiometry, portions of the Minimal Auditory Capabilities (MAC), Speech Pattern Contrast Perception (SPAC), Iowa test batteries; and the Early Speech Perception (ESP), Word Intelligibility by Picture Identification (WIPI), and Glendonald Auditory Screening Procedure (GASP), where appropriate. Subjects were evaluated under three conditions: implant alone, implant plus sensory aid, and sensory aid alone. Results indicate that the interaction between a multichannel cochlear implant and a sensory aid can provide some improved performance for adult implanted patients (i.e., they do better under the dual condition than in the implant-alone condition). Variables such as thresholds in the nonimplanted ear and usage time can affect the outcome.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Inherent problems of attempts to apply sonar and vibrotactile sensory aid technology to the perceptual needs of the blind.

A program of research dealing with two types of sensory aids for the blind--sonar and vibrotactile--is described. Rather than immediately assessing the aids in the mobility context, which has customarily been the case, the aids' capabilities are considered in terms of the major functions of vision, that is, the exteroceptive perception of objects, surfaces, and events of the environment, and the proprioceptive perception of the self, especially the self in relation to the environment. Although sonar aids function very well for localizing objects and for providing acoustic flow specifying self-movement, they do not provide high acuity pattern and shape information due to the long wavelength of ultrasound relative to light. This limitation is considered specifically with respect to the visual accomplishment of recovery of three-dimensional structure/motion from dynamic two-dimensional images. Vibrotactile sensory aids using optical imaging can deliver detailed pattern information to the skin and thus permit assessment of the extent to which a nonvisual system can mediate the recovery of structure problem. However, in even moderately cluttered or complicated environments the skin proves unable to resolve the amount of stimulation it receives vibrotactually. The limitations of sonar and vibrotactile sensory aids are discussed with respect to future sensory substitution efforts as well as their implications for understanding differences and similarities among the senses.

Blindness↗

PubMed1989

Comparison of sensory aids in deaf children.

A speech perception hierarchy has been developed and applied to assess the influence of cochlear implants and tactile aids on the acquisition of auditory, speech, and language skills in deaf children. Encouraging improvements were noted with both types of sensory aids at the detection level. The House 3M and Nucleus cochlear implant designs appear to offer advantages over the Tactaid II in providing ancillary speech perception cues to deaf children. Preliminary observations suggest that the multichannel cochlear implant design may be superior to the single-channel coding scheme.

Auditory Threshold↗

PubMed1986

Sensory aids for hearing impairment.

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Hearing Aids↗

PubMed1974

Sensory-aids workshop.

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Blindness↗

PubMed1983

Information transmission across the skin: high-resolution tactile sensory aids for the deaf and the blind.

New techniques are described for implementing high-resolution communication interfaces to the skin, by direct electrical stimulation of the sense of touch. The psychophysical properties of these displays are summarized, and a practical application is presented: an electrotactile sensory aid for profoundly deaf children, which displays acoustic information on the skin of the abdomen, via a belt of electrotactile stimulators. The resulting tactile patterns provide cues for recognizing environmental sounds, enhance the accuracy of lipreading, and enable the child to monitor his/her own voice. The tactile patterns corresponding to sounds must be learned, much like acquiring a second language; substantial training and experience is required. Other applications are discussed, both for the rehabilitation of sensory handicaps and for tactile communication in general.

Blindness↗

PubMed1974

Sensory aids.

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Humans↗

PubMed1998

Imitative consonant feature production by children with multichannel sensory aids.

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes over time in consonant feature production by children with profound hearing impairments who used either the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant or the multichannel vibrotactile aid, Tactaid 7. DESIGN: Imitative consonant productions of children with prelingual deafness were elicited and transcribed at two intervals: 1) before receiving their respective devices (predevice interval), and 2) after an average of 1.5 yr of device use (postdevice interval). The consonant productions were analyzed in terms of the percentage of consonant features (manner, place, and voicing) produced by the child that matched the features of the examiner's target. The percentage of features produced correctly was then averaged across repetitions, vowel environments, and participants within each group. RESULTS: At the predevice interval, the cochlear implant and Tactaid 7 participants demonstrated similar imitative consonant production abilities. After an average of 1.5 yr of device use, the cochlear implant participants demonstrated significantly greater gains than did the Tactaid 7 participants for the features of voicing and place of articulation. Although the cochlear implant participants showed a trend towards better production of the consonant manner features, this difference failed to reach significance. CONCLUSIONS: The current results suggest that the use of a multichannel sensory aid yields improvements in consonant feature production. Furthermore, use of a cochlear implant appears to promote the production of consonant voicing and place features to a greater degree than does the use of a multichannel tactile aid.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1975