Electro-tactile stimulation (ETS) enhances cochlear-implant Mandarin tone recognition

Juan Huang; Janice Chang; Fan-Gang Zeng

World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Dec 2017)

Electro-tactile stimulation (ETS) enhances cochlear-implant Mandarin tone recognition

Juan Huang,
Janice Chang,
Fan-Gang Zeng

Affiliations

Juan Huang: Mind and Brain Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
Janice Chang: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
Fan-Gang Zeng: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Hearing Research, 110 Medical Science E, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697–5320, USA; Biomedical Engineering, Center for Hearing Research, 110 Medical Science E, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697–5320, USA; Cognitive Sciences, Center for Hearing Research, 110 Medical Science E, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697–5320, USA; Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Center for Hearing Research, 110 Medical Science E, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697–5320, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Hearing Research, 110 Medical Science E, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697–5320, USA. Fax: +1 949 824 5907.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 3, no. 4
pp. 219 – 223

Abstract

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Objective: Electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS) is an effective method to enhance cochlear-implant performance in individuals who have residual low-frequency acoustic hearing. To help the majority of cochlear implant users who do not have any functional residual acoustic hearing, electro-tactile stimulation (ETS) may be used because tactile sensation has a frequency range and perceptual capabilities similar to that produced by acoustic stimulation in the EAS users. Methods: Following up the first ETS study showing enhanced English sentence recognition in noise,1 the present study evaluated the effect of ETS on Mandarin tone recognition in noise in two groups of adult Mandarin-speaking individuals. The first group included 11 normal-hearing individuals who listened to a 4-channel, noise-vocoded, cochlear-implant simulation. The second group included 1 unilateral cochlear-implant user and 2 bilateral users with each of their devices being tested independently. Both groups participated in a 4-alternative, forced-choice task, in which they had to identify a tone that was presented in noise at a 0-dB signal-to-noise ratio via electric stimulation (actual or simulated cochlear implants), tactile stimulation or the combined ETS. Results: While electric or tactile stimulation alone produced similar tone recognition (∼40% correct), the ETS enhanced the cochlear-implant tone recognition by 17–18 percentage points. The size of the present ETS enhancement effect was similar to that of the previously reported EAS effect on Mandarin tone recognition. Psychophysical analysis on tactile sensation showed an important role of frequency discrimination in the ETS enhancement. Conclusion: Tactile stimulation can potentially enhance Mandarin tone recognition in cochlear-implant users who do not have usable residual acoustic hearing. To optimize this potential, high fundamental frequencies need to be transposed to a 100–200 Hz range. Keywords: Tactile aid, Cochlear implant, Electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS), Electro-tactile stimulation (ETS), Mandarin, Tones

Published in World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

ISSN: 2095-8811 (Print); 2589-1081 (Online)
Publisher: Wiley
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Otorhinolaryngology; Medicine: Surgery
Website: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25891081

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