Looking Beyond Speech Recognition To Evaluate Cochlear Implants

Sound quality from cochlear implants plays a much larger role in daily functioning and well-being.

Cochlear Implants NIH

An illustration of a cochlear implant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at the National Institutes of Health. Credit: NIH This image is a work of the National Institutes of Health, part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, taken or made as part of an employee’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cochlear_implant.jpg)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2025 – More than a million people around the world rely on cochlear implants (CIs) to hear. CI effectiveness is generally evaluated through speech recognition tests, and despite how widespread they are, CI sound quality is typically not considered an indicator of users’ quality of life.

In JASA Express Letters, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Ohio State University evaluated the relationships between sound quality, speech recognition, and…click to read more

From: JASA Express Letters
Article: Sound quality, not speech recognition, explains cochlear implant-related quality of life outcomes
DOI: 10.1121/10.0039069

More Press Releases

Tracking the Evolution of Taylor Swift’s Dialect

The pop star and her years of recorded interviews offer a glimpse into the shifting nature of speech patterns.

Taylor Swift performing during her Eras tour (credit: Maura Shapiro), with vocal frequency analysis overlaid (credit: Miski Mohamed and Matthew Winn).

Taylor Swift performing during her Eras tour (credit: Maura Shapiro), with vocal frequency analysis overlaid (credit: Miski Mohamed and Matthew Winn).

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2025 – Taylor Swift is one of the biggest pop singers in history, influencing millions of fans with her music. Thanks to years of recorded interviews, she is also influencing how we understand the ways that people adopt accents and regional dialects.

In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, a pair of researchers from the University of Minnesota analyzed years of…click to read more

From: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Acoustic analysis of Taylor Swift’s dialect changes across different eras of her career
DOI: 10.1121/10.0039052

More Press Releases

How To Find a Cryptic Animal: Recording the Elusive Beaked Whale in the Foz do Amazonas Basin

While finding the creatures takes a lot of work, the results are worth it.

A beaked whale sighting from the researchers’ field study in the Foz do Amazonas Basin. Credit: Machado et al.

A beaked whale sighting from the researchers’ field study in the Foz do Amazonas Basin. Credit: Machado et al.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2025 – Whale watching is a popular pastime on coastlines around the world. Cetaceans like blue whales, humpbacks, and orcas can be seen in the wild, and their characteristics are well categorized in science and popular culture. Other cetaceans, however, are less outgoing, preferring to stay out of the limelight.

Beaked whales are considered one of the least understood mammals in the world, which is due to their cryptic…click to read more

From: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Finding beaked whales in the Foz do Amazonas Basin: Visual and acoustic records of a deep diving cetacean
DOI: 10.1121/10.0038973

More Press Releases

A Twangy Timbre Cuts Through the Noise

Among loud noise, a brassy and bright voice can help speakers be understood.

A study by Tsai et al. showed that twangy, female voices are best understood amongst plane and train sounds. Credit: AIP

A study by Tsai et al. showed that twangy, female voices are best understood amongst plane and train sounds. Credit: AIP

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2025 — Twangy voices are a hallmark of country music and many regional accents. However, this speech type, often described as “brassy” and “bright,” can also be used to get a message across in a noisy environment.

In JASA Express Letters, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from Indiana University found that it was easier to understand twangy female voices compared to neutral voices when…click to read more

From: JASA Express Letters
Article: How vocal timbre impacts word identification and listening effort in traffic-shaped noises
DOI: 10.1121/10.0037043

More Press Releases

Would a Musical Triangle of Any Other Shape Sound as Sweet?

Would a Musical Triangle of Any Other Shape Sound as Sweet?

The surprising proof of resonance in the open-ended musical triangle could exist in circles and squares too.

musical triangle

For the triangle, researchers captured proof that resonance occurs even with the notched, open corner, and it may occur in other instrument shapes as well. Credit: Risako Tanigawa

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2025 – The triangle is a small instrument made of a metal rod bent into a triangle shape that is open at one corner. While small, its sound is distinct, with multiple overtones and nonharmonic resonance. But what causes the surprisingly powerful sound?

“The triangle instrument produces enchanting and beautiful tones, raising deep and profound questions about the connection between music and physics,” author Risako Tanigawa said. “Optical sound measurement has…click to read more

From: JASA Express Letters
Article: How the musical triangle’s shape influences its sound
DOI: 10.1121/10.0034851

Simulate Sound in 3D at a Finer Scale than Humans Can Perceive

Simulate Sound in 3D at a Finer Scale than Humans Can Perceive

Ambisonics algorithm helps create rich virtual soundscapes using a domed array of loudspeakers.

The AudioDome, a loudspeaker that can reproduce an entire surrounding acoustic field as if the listener is immersed in a real-life soundscape. Credit: sonible GmbH, Graz, Austria

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2025 – Surround-sound speakers can immerse you in a multimedia experience, but what if there was a speaker that could completely re-create a three-dimensional soundscape?

The AudioDome is more than just a loudspeaker arrangement — it’s a dome of speakers that can create an immersive sound experience that reproduces sound sources at any location when… click to read more

From: JASA
Article: Focality of sound source placement by higher (ninth) order ambisonics and perceptual effects of spectral reproduction errors
DOI: 10.1121/10.0036226