Auditory cognitive test based on acoustics and personalised music training for people with hearing loss

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K14058
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Special needs education
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Matsubara Masaki 筑波大学, 図書館情報メディア系, 准教授 (90714494)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 聴覚障害者支援 / データ収集プラットフォーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to construct a sound cognition test for the hearing impaired. We found that it is important to consider factors related to listeners (hearing ability, type of disability, musical experience, interest in sound, etc.) and stimulus sounds (acoustic features, background information, sound types, etc.). In addition, we identified that there is a lack of data on environmental sounds themselves and data on correct/incorrect interpretations of those sounds. Therefore, we worked to build a platform for collecting and storing environmental sounds and their metadata. As a result, it was suggested that the correct answers are not uniquely determined due to differences in social and cultural communities, and it became clear that an essential issue is a data integration method that takes into account the characteristics of each respondent.

Free Research Field

認知工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

聴覚障害者の音認知能力は聴力レベルとは異なるということ，そして各個人の聴こえの様相は多様であることが示された．また，社会的・文化的背景によって主観的な反応が異なることもデータにより示された．個人の特性を考慮したデータ収集・データ統合技術が本質的な課題であると明らかとなった．本データ収集プラットフォームは聴覚障害者だけでなく健聴者・高齢難聴への応用も期待できる．