What are the A§E intonation tests?

A§E Prosody

The A§E prosodic tests are based on pseudo-words and pseudo-sentences. They aim to assess the coding of the temporal fine structure of complex sounds. They are constructed in such a way that the fundamental frequency F0 is 200 Hz. Prosodic tests are used in discrimination (pseudo-sentences) and identification (pseudo-words) tasks.

Intonation is imposed as a spectral glide of the fundamental frequency from:

F0=200 Hz to F0 = (200+∆)Hz

An adaptive algorithm is used to seek the just noticeable difference, i.e. the smallest ∆ that is perceived by the listener.

Low-pass filtering is possible to rule out all spectral information above 300 Hz.

A§E Synthetics

The A§E synthetic tests are based on synthesized complex sounds (harmonic complexes, harmonic intonating sounds, and disharmonic intonating sounds). They aim to assess the coding of the temporal fine structure of complex sounds.

A§E synthetic tests consist of a (1) fundamental frequency, (2) three harmonics, and a (3) low-level background noise. The reference fundamental frequency F0 is 200 Hz. The sounds are used in a discrimination task.

Spectral differences are imposed at the level of the fundamental frequency. This is either (1) stationary in the sense that a second sound is presented with a fundamental frequency F0 = (200+∆)Hz, or (2) intonational in the sense that the second sound shows a spectral glide of the fundamental frequency from:

F0=200 Hz to F0 = (200+∆)Hz.

An adaptive algorithm is used to seek the just noticeable difference, i.e. the smallest ∆ that is perceived by the listener.

Read these publications for more scientific background:

• Vaerenberg B, Pascu A, Del Bo L, Schauwers K, De Ceulaer G, Daemers K, Coene M, Govaerts PJ.  Clinical assessment of pitch perception.  Otol Neurotol 2011; 32:736-41.
• Heeren W; Coene M; Vaerenberg B; Avram A; Cardinaletti A; del Bo L; Pascu A; Volpato F; Govaerts PJ.  Development of the A§E test battery for assessment of pitch perception in speech.  Cochlear Implants Intl 2012; 13(4): 206-19.
• Schauwers K, Coene M, Heeren W, Del Bo L, Pascu A, Vaerenberg, PJ Govaerts.  Perception of pitch changes in hearing impaired adults with aided and unaided hearing loss.  J Hear Science  2012; 2(3): OA25-34.

And on the adaptive algorithm used:

• Vaerenberg B, Heeren W, Govaerts PJ.  Managed Estimation of Psychophysical Thresholds.  J Hear Sci  2013; 3(3): 19-31.

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