Speech Locator In-car Performance Evaluation

NCT05054816 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: SRF-459
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Listeners will conduct sound quality ratings of recordings talkers in a moving car processed using three different microphone processing strategies: an investigational adaptive directional microphone, an omnidirectional microphone and a fixed directional microphone. Participants will listen to the recordings streamed via commercially-available and individually-prescribed hearing aids, and conduct ratings onsite in the lab. The procedure will involve a training session and within-subject repeated measures. Stimuli will be randomized.

Conditions

Hearing Loss

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Speech Clarity

  The sound quality ratings will be conducted via a computer-based questionnaire that contains sound samples that participants listen to and rate. Sound quality rating scales are continuous and range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) with 5 descriptors unique to the dimension at 5 intervals on the scale (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) Participants will be instructed to "Please rate the clarity of speech". Speech clarity ratings will be measured on a 100-point continuous slider from worst to best (0-Very unclear, 25- Unclear, 50-Slightly clear, 75-Clear, 100-Very clear). Speech clarity ratings are expected to be impacted by how intelligible the speech is. Participants will rate and compare speech clarity between the investigational and comparator features.

  Up to 6 hours over 3 2-hour sessions

• Noise Annoyance

  The sound quality ratings will be conducted via a computer-based questionnaire that contains sound samples that participants listen to and rate. Sound quality rating scales are continuous and range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) with 5 descriptors unique to the dimension at 5 intervals on the scale (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) Participants will be instructed to "Please rate how annoying the noise is". Noise annoyance ratings will be measured on a 100-point continuous slider from worst to best (0- Extremely annoying, 25-Very annoying, 50-Moderately annoying, 75-Slightly annoying, 100-Not at all annoying). Noise annoyance ratings are expected to be impacted by how bothersome the background noise in the recordings is. Participants will rate and compare noise annoyance between the investigational and comparator features.

  Up to 6 hours over 3 2-hour sessions

• Spatialization

  The sound quality ratings will be conducted via a computer-based questionnaire that contains sound samples that participants listen to and rate. Sound quality rating scales are continuous and range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) with 5 descriptors unique to the dimension at 5 intervals on the scale (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) Participants will be instructed to "Please rate your confidence that the talker is in \[a location\]", with the local being either passenger of rear left. Spatialization ratings will be measured on a 100-point continuous slider from worst to best (0-I don't know where the talker is, 25-The talker might be to my \[location\], 50-The talker is probably to my \[location\], 75-The talker is to my \[location\], 100-The talker is definitely to my \[location\]). Spatialization ratings are expected to be impacted by how well the recordings preserve spatial perception. Participants will rate and compare spatialization between the investigational and comparator features.

  Up to 6 hours over 3 2-hour sessions

• Transition Annoyance

  The sound quality ratings will be conducted via a computer-based questionnaire that contains sound samples that participants listen to and rate. Sound quality rating scales are continuous and range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) with 5 descriptors unique to the dimension at 5 intervals on the scale (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) Participants will be instructed to "Please rate how annoying the transitions are". Transitions annoyance ratings will be measured on a 100-point continuous slider from worst to best (0-Extremely annoying, 25-Very annoying, 50-Moderately annoying, 75-Slightly annoying, 100-Not at all annoying). Transition annoyance ratings are expected to be influenced by presence of unexpected sounds or transitions that occur in different microphone modes and different listening situations. Participants will rate and compare transition annoyance between the investigational and comparator features.

  Up to 6 hours over 3 2-hour sessions

• Overall Impression

  The sound quality ratings will be conducted via a computer-based questionnaire that contains sound samples that participants listen to and rate. Sound quality rating scales are continuous and range from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) with 5 descriptors unique to the dimension at 5 intervals on the scale (0, 25, 50, 75, 100) Participants will be instructed to "All things considered, please rate overall preferences". Overall preferences ratings will be measured on a 100-point continuous slider from worst to best (0-Bad, 25-Poor, 50-Fair, 75-Good, 100-Excellent). Overall impression ratings are expected to be impacted by participants' overall preferences for the different stimuli. Participants will rate and compare overall impression between the investigational and comparator features.

  Up to 6 hours over 3 2-hour sessions

Study Arms (1)

Participants with hearing loss.

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants with hearing loss.

Device: Investigational adaptive directional microphone strategy; Device: Comparator omnidirectional microphone strategy; Device: Comparator fixed directional microphone strategy

Interventions

Investigational adaptive directional microphone strategy DEVICE

A receiver-in-canal hearing aid developed by the Study Sponsor used with the investigational adaptive directional microphone strategy that is expected to improve sound quality of speech in a car.

Participants with hearing loss.

Comparator omnidirectional microphone strategy DEVICE

A receiver-in-canal hearing aid developed by the Study Sponsor used with the comparator omnidirectional microphone strategy that is used with the default settings as specified in the manufacturer's fitting software.

Participants with hearing loss.

Comparator fixed directional microphone strategy DEVICE

A receiver-in-canal hearing aid developed by the Study Sponsor used with the comparator fixed directional microphone strategy that is used with the default settings as specified in the manufacturer's fitting software.

Participants with hearing loss.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 99 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults (18-99 years) with ≥3 months hearing aid experience
• binaural, symmetric, sensorineural N2 (mild) to N5 (severe) hearing loss
• fluent in English

You may not qualify if:

• children/teenagers
• normal hearing or hearing loss exceeding N5 (severe) by 10 dB

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sonova AG: lead
• Sonova Canada Inc.: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Sonova Innovation Centre Toronto

Mississauga, Ontario, L5L1J3, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hearing Loss

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hearing Disorders; Ear Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Sensation Disorders; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Jinyu Qian, PhD; VP Sonova Innovation Centre Toronto
• Organization: Sonova Canada

jinyu.qian@sonova.com

647-262-4826

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Hearing aid processing settings are randomized and double blinded.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: A single cohort of participants will receive and be assessed in all treatment/intervention

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2021
• First Posted: September 23, 2021
• Study Start: February 11, 2022
• Primary Completion: March 11, 2022
• Study Completion: March 11, 2022
• Last Updated: August 17, 2025
• Results First Posted: August 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2021-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)