JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

It has been noted in literature that, there is a gap between clinical assessment and real-world performance. Real-world conversations entail visual and information and yet there are not any audiological assessment tools that include visual information. Virtual reality (VR) technology has been applied to various areas including audiology. However, the use of VR in speech in noise perception has not been investigated yet. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of virtual space on speech performance and its feasibility to be used as a speech test instrument. Thirty individuals with normal hearing and twenty-five individuals with hearing loss completed puretone audiometry and the Korean version of the Hearing in Noise Test (K-HINT) in conventional K-HINT, VS on PC, and VS on head-mounted display at -10, -5, 0 and +5dB signal-to-noise ratios. Participants listened to target speech and repeated back to the tester for all conditions. Hearing aid users in the hearing loss group completed testing in unaided and aided conditions. A questionnaire was administered after testing. Provision of visual information had a significant impact on speech performance between the normal hearing and hearing impairment groups. Hearing aid use led to better integration of audio and visual cues. Statistical significance was observed for some conditions in each group and between hearing aid and non-hearing aid users. Participants reported positive responses across almost all items on the questionnaire except for the weight of the headset. Participants preferred a test method with visual imagery, but the headset was heavy. Findings are in line with previous literature that visual cues are beneficial for communication. This is the first study to include hearing aid users with a more naturalistic stimulus and a relatively “simple” test environment, suggesting the feasibility of virtual reality audiological testing in clinical practice.