Binaural hearing with devices

Todd Andrew Ricketts*, Alan Kan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Hearing assistance and restoration devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants were originally designed for unilateral use to improve speech communications. However, the demands of understanding a conversation in noisy situations have led to these devices being increasingly prescribed bilaterally, in the hope that hearing-impaired listeners might be able to access the benefits of binaural hearing enjoyed by normal-hearing listeners. Although bilateral hearing with devices have led to some improvements compared with those for unilateral use, there is still a gap in performance between listening with assistive devices and normal hearing. This chapter first covers a brief history of hearing aids and cochlear implants to explain how some of the design choices motivated by the desire to improve unilateral speech communications have affected access to binaural cues. Research investigating binaural hearing abilities with current hearing aids and cochlear implants is reviewed, along with a discussion of the factors that affect bilateral hearing with devices.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBinaural hearing
Subtitle of host publicationwith 93 illustrations
EditorsRuth Y. Ruth Y., Matthew J. Goupell, Richard R. Fay, Arthur N. Popper
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherSpringer, Springer Nature
Chapter13
Pages385-417
Number of pages33
ISBN (Electronic)9783030571009
ISBN (Print)9783030570996
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Publication series

NameSpringer Handbook of Auditory Research
PublisherSpringer
Volume73
ISSN (Print)0947-2657
ISSN (Electronic)2197-1897

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