Comparison of Directional Microphone and Digital Noise Reduction Algorithms in Hearing Aid Users

Abstract

The hearing aid users often have difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise. With improved technology in hearing aids, directional microphones have demonstrated an improvement in speech perception in noisy situation. Whereas, digital noise reduction algorithms (DNR) provide more comfort but not significant assistance in improving speech perception in noise. With this focus the present study aimed to compare the performance of directional microphone and digital noise reduction algorithms (DNR), in hearing aid users. The study included two groups: 10 naive and 10 experienced hearing aid users. Acceptable noise level (ANL), speech perception in noise using SNR 50 and horizontal localization were evaluated. The participants of both groups were evaluated in directional microphone and digital noise reduction algorithms (DNR) conditions enabled independently and together. The results revealed that naive hearing aid users had poor performance compared to experienced hearing aid users. Both groups performed better in directional microphone + DNR on and directional microphone on condition compared to DNR alone condition.