Benefits of Higher Maximum Force Output for BAHS Users Measured through Pupillometry - OMAI 2018- The 10th International Symposium on Objective Measures in Auditory Implants

Dorothea Wendt ^1,2 Christina Wassard ³ Federica Bianchi ³ Thomas Lunner ^1,2,4,5,6 Tove Rosenbom ³

¹Cognitive Hearing Science, Eriksholm Research Centre, Snekkersten, Denmark
²Department of Electrical Engineering, Hearing Systems Group, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
³Oticon Medical, Oticon, Smørum, Denmark
⁴Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning,, Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Linköping, Denmark
⁵Linköping University, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping, Sweden
⁶Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping

Background

All bone anchored devices suffer from device limitations in the form of low maximum force output (MFO). The MFO will determine how much the speech signal is distorted due to saturation. Recent developments include sound processors with significantly higher MFO.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare listening effort, as estimated via pupillometry, during a speech intelligibility task in BAHS users wearing three different processors: Ponto Pro (PP), Ponto 3 (P3), and Ponto 3 Super Power (P3SP). The hypothesis was that listeners would allocate lower listening effort with the P3SP than with the PP, as a consequence of a higher MFO and less distortions in the signal.

Methods

Pupil dilations were recorded during a speech intelligibility task, at an individually adjusted signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) leading to 95% correct. The three processors were tested in random order with a single-blinded experimental design. Two conditions were tested at the same SNR, with Condition 2 tested at -5 dB overall sound level relative to Condition 1.

Results

The P3SP led to higher speech intelligibility than the PP in both conditions. Lower pupil dilations, indicating a decrease in listening effort, were obtained with the P3SP relative to the PP in condition 1. In condition 2, the effect of processor on pupil dilation was not significant.

Conclusions

An increase in speech intelligibility and a decrease in listening effort were obtained with the P3SP relative to the PP, suggesting that the increase in MFO may help BAHS users in their everyday listening scenarios.