Contribution
Speech Reception Threshold Assessment in Interactive Virtual Reality: A Comparison with Conventional Methods
* Presenting author
Abstract:
Traditional methods for assessing speech reception thresholds (SRTs) are limited by their non-interactive nature and inability to replicate real-world communication. These tests typically involve presenting a listener with a single, static speech signal in background noise at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), which may not accurately reflect an individual's ability to understand speech in everyday life. In contrast, using interactive communication in virtual reality (VR) stimulates more natural behavior in participants at relevant SNRs. Thus, embedding speech-in-noise tests within interactive conversations can create a more immersive and dynamic environment that more closely simulates real-world communication than traditional methods.Our results show that participants behave more naturally in SRT tests when these tests are interwoven with interactive conversations in VR. This approach allows for the analysis of SRT benefits while maintaining natural communication behavior, providing a more ecologically valid way to measure hearing aid benefits. This method may be particularly useful for evaluating the effectiveness of hearing aid algorithms that interact with human behavior. By using avatars to represent interlocutors and speak test sentences, a more realistic communication scenario can be achieved.Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation)—Project-ID 352015383—SFB 1330.