Evaluating a Deep Neural Noise-Reduction Algorithm for Hearing Aids

ConditionHearing Loss, Cochlear

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexAll

Age18+

SponsorPurdue University

About this trial

This study is designed to understand how different hearing-aid noise-reduction technologies affect a listener's ability to hear speech in noisy environments. Participants will listen to speech at several background-noise levels while trying different processing settings. By comparing performance across these conditions, the study aims to identify which types of noise reduction improve speech intelligibility the most. We expect that some noise-reduction strategies will help listeners understand speech better than others, especially in more difficult listening situations.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

A hearing aid candidate with mild-to-moderate cochlear hearing loss, based on audiometric profile (at least 20 dB of hearing loss at 2000 Hz, with progressively worse hearing levels at higher frequencies).

Disqualifiers

Normal hearing

Severe or profound hearing loss

Conductive hearing loss

Neural hearing loss

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

Hearing Aid Noise Reduction - Off
Device
No neural noise suppression applied. Baseline processing condition.
Hearing Aid Noise Reduction - Low
Device
Neural noise suppression using the lower-strength algorithm parameters.
Hearing Aid Noise Reduction - High
Device
Neural noise suppression using the higher-strength algorithm parameters.
Negative SNR
Other intervention
Noise levels higher than speech levels
Zero signal-to-noise ratio
Other intervention
Equal speech and noise levels
Positive SNR
Other intervention
Speech levels higher than noise levels

Treatment groups

50 Participants

are divided into 2 treatment groups

Group A: Hearing Aid Noise-Reduction ProcessingExperimental treatment 3 interventions

Group B: Signal-to-Noise RatioExperimental treatment 3 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Immediate Speech Recall

Accuracy of immediate verbal repetition of the first sentence in each dual-sentence trial. Participants hear Sentence A followed by Sentence B; they immediately repeat Sentence A aloud. Performance is scored as the number of keywords correctly recalled per sentence. This measure assesses speech intelligibility under different noise-reduction processing conditions and signal-to-noise ratios.

Time frame

During a single study visit (approximately 1-2 hours), assessed immediately following presentation of each dual-sentence trial.

Delayed Speech Recall (Cognitive Demand)

Accuracy of delayed recall of the second sentence in each dual-sentence trial. Participants hear Sentence A followed by Sentence B, repeat the first sentence immediately, and then type the second sentence from memory. Performance is scored as the number of keywords correctly recalled per sentence. This measure reflects the combined effects of speech intelligibility, working-memory load, and cognitive demand under each noise-reduction processing condition and signal-to-noise ratio.

Time frame

During a single study visit (approximately 1-2 hours), assessed immediately following presentation of each dual-sentence trial.

Sponsors and contacts

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Purdue University

Lead sponsor

Oticon

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

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