Acoustic and articulatory measures of sibilant production with and without auditory feedback from a cochlear implant

Area of Science:

• Speech Science
• Audiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Cochlear implants restore hearing but their impact on speech articulation requires further investigation.
• Understanding the role of auditory feedback in speech production for cochlear implant users is essential.

Observation:

• Articulator positions were measured using an electromagnetic midsagittal articulometer (EMMA) with and without auditory feedback.
• Acoustic analysis focused on sibilant spectral properties and general speech characteristics like rate and sound level.

Findings:

• Tongue blade position correlated with /integral of/ spectra, but spectral contrast changes were independent of speech rate or sound level.
• Auditory feedback from the cochlear implant facilitated phonemic contrast maintenance between /s/ and /integral of/.

Implications:

• Cochlear implants offer valuable auditory cues for speech monitoring in individuals with hearing loss.
• Speech motor control and phonemic distinctiveness can be enhanced through auditory feedback in cochlear implant users.