Evaluating a Noise Reduction Algorithm With Cochlear Implant Users

In this study, a noise reduction algorithm will be implemented in various listening situations to evaluate its effectiveness in improving speech understanding for cochlear implant users ages 12 and older.

Participants will complete up to 4 experiments evaluating the use of the Speech Enhancement using Dynamic thresholding Approach (SEDA) algorithm. Each testing session will take between 4-6 hours to complete. Testing sessions will continue until the completion of the experiments.

Speech Enhancement using Dynamic thresholding Approach (SEDA) is a software algorithm that removes background noise.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized in noisy listening conditions while using the SEDA Noise Reduction (NR) algorithm.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized in noisy listening conditions without SEDA NR.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized in quiet listening conditions while using the SEDA NR.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized in quiet listening conditions with SEDA NR.

Participants will be presented with two buttons: one button will play a sample with SEDA NR and the other will play a sample without SEDA NR. Listeners will report which sample was preferable by clicking on a horizontal visual analog scale (VAS). VAS ratings will be scored on a scale of -10 to 10 where positive numbers indicate a preference for SEDA NR and negative numbers indicate a preference for not using SEDA NR. The magnitude of the absolute value of the score indicates the strength of the preference.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized in noisy listening conditions while using a clinical NR algorithm.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized in quite listening conditions while using a clinical NR algorithm.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized without SEDA NR.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized with Standard SEDA NR.

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized with the Low-Computation SEDA NR, which is designed to have minimal computation while maintaining an Extended Short-Time Objective Intelligibility Predictor (ESTOI) value similar to the "standard" SEDA implementation

Participants will listen to sentences and repeat all the words they heard. This outcome measures the percent of words correctly recognized with the Very Low-Computation SEDA NR, which is designed to have a reasonable ESTOI value with minimal computational requirements.

Inclusion Criteria: At least 12 years of age. Be post-lingually deafened cochlear implant recipients with at least 6 months experience regardless of manufacturer. The PI must also deem the child to be developmentally able to complete the experiments. Exclusion Criteria: • Anyone who is not a cochlear implant user or is aged under 12 years.

The de-identified participant data from the final research dataset used in the published manuscript will be shared upon reasonable request beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication or as required by a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research provided the investigator who proposes to use the data executes a data use agreement with NYU Langone Health. Requests may be directed to: David.landsberger@nyulangone.com. The protocol and statistical analysis plan will be made available on Clinicaltrials.gov only as required by federal regulation or as a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.

Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication or as required by a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.

The investigator who proposed to use the data will be granted access upon reasonable request. Requests should be directed to David.landsberger@nyulangone.com. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement.