Cognition, Spatial Sound & Noise Reduction (Q2 2016)-Cognition, Spatial Sound & Noise Reduction (Q2 2016)

Cognition, Spatial Sound & Noise Reduction (Q2 2016)

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This document discusses the concepts of cognition, hearing, and listening in relation to audiology and hearing aid fitting practices. Cognition is defined as the process of knowing, which includes attending, remembering, and reasoning. Hearing is simply perceiving sound, while listening involves the ability to apply meaning to sound. Listening is a complex ability that involves working memory, vocabulary, attention, and neural processing. Maximizing speech understanding in noise requires the sound to be heard by both ears, all speech sounds to be audible, and the signal-to-noise ratio to be maximized. Spatial sound and the ability to identify the location of the sound source is important for focusing the brain's attention. The brain uses ILDs and ITDs to determine the location of sound sources and prioritize important sounds. Noise reduction in hearing aids has been shown to positively impact cognitive processes and improve speech perception in noise. Advanced noise reduction technology is being developed to improve spatial perception and reduce the intrusiveness of noise in various listening environments. The processing power of modern hearing aids allows for the maintenance of ILDs and ITDs while amplifying sound. Overall, understanding the role of cognition, spatial sound, and noise reduction is crucial for improving hearing aid fittings and speech understanding in challenging listening situations.

Keywords

cognition

hearing

listening

audiology

hearing aid fitting

process of knowing

speech understanding

sound perception

noise reduction

spatial sound