Performance of the Piecewise Rate Modulation Strategy to Convey Mandarin Tonal Information for Cochlear Implant Using Neural Network Simulation

Abstract:

In order to improve the pitch perception of cochlear implant (CI) users speaking tonal language, it has been suggested to frequency-modulate the electric stimulus rate by the spectral information of the tonal language. A piecewise CI rate modulation strategy has been recently proposed, which not only encoded the spectral information but also took account of the psychological perception feature for the stimulus rate variation by CI users. This paper further examines its performance to convey Mandarin tonal information by a neural-network-based simulation. The experimental results shown that the correct rates to identify the four Mandarin tones of 80 Mandarin monosyllabic words were 95%, 95%, 100% and 100%, respectively, indicating that the piecewise rate modulation strategy might efficiently convey Mandarin tonal information. Therefore, the piecewise rate modulation strategy could help to design novel CI electric stimulator and enhance the speech perception ability of CI users speaking tonal language, such as Mandarin.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 474-476)
• Pages: 1049-1052
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.474-476.1049
• Online since: April 2011
• Authors: Tian Guan, Qin Gong, Tong Zhou
• Keywords: Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Cochlear Implant, Fundamental Frequency

References

[1] Huang T.S., Wang N.M., and Liu S.Y. Tone perception of Mandarin-speaking postlingually deaf implantees using the Nucleus 22-Channel Cochlear Mini System. Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol. 1995, 166: 294-298.

[2] Wei C.G., Cao K.L., Wang Z.Z., and Zeng F.G. Rate discrimination and tone recognition in mandarin-speaking cochlear-implant listeners. Chin. J. Otorhinolaryngol. 1999, 34: 84-88.

[3] Wei W.I., Wong R., Hui Y., Au D.K.K., et al. Chinese tonal language rehabilitation following cochlear implantation in children. Acta Otolaryngol. 2000, 120: 218-221.

DOI: 10.1080/000164800750000955

[4] Wu J.L. and Yang H.M. Speech perception of Mandarin Chinese speaking young children after cochlear implant use: effect of age at implantation. Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. 2003, 67: 247-253.

DOI: 10.1016/s0165-5876(02)00378-6

[5] Lan N., Nie K.B., Gao S.K., and Zeng F.G. A novel speech processing strategy incorporating tonal information for cochlear implants. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 2004, 51: 752-760.

DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2004.826597

[6] Chen H.B. and Zeng F.G. Frequency modulation detection in cochlear implant subjects. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 2004, 116: 2269-2277.

[7] Nie K.B., Stickney G., and Zeng F.G. Encoding frequency modulation to improve cochlear implant performance in noise. IEEE. Trans. Biomed. Eng. 2005, 52: 64-73.

DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2004.839799

[8] Zeng F.G. Temporal pitch in electric hearing. Hearing Research. 2002, 174: 101-106.

DOI: 10.1016/s0378-5955(02)00644-5

[9] Guan T., Gong Q., and Ye D.T. Electric-stimulus rate encoding algorithm of Mandarin tonal information in cochlear implant. Progress in Natural Science, 2006, 16 (12): 1315-1321.

DOI: 10.1080/10020070612330147

[10] Chao Y.R. A system of tone letters. Le Maître Phonétique, 1930, 45: 24-27.

[11] Guan T. ，Gong Q. A study on the effects of spectral information encoding in Mandarin speech recognition in white noise. ICIC Express Letters，2009: 3(3): 415-419.