HIGH RESOLUTION TACTILE AID FOR DEAF/BLIND

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE EVALUATION OF A WEARABLE, HIGH-RESOLUTION, MICROPROCESSOR-BASED TACTILE SENSORY AID FOR THE DEAF AND DEAF-BLIND. USING A PUBLISHED BATTERY OF MINIMAL AUDITORY CAPABILITIES (THE MAC TEST), THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A NEWLY COMPLETED LABORATORY PROTOTYPE OF WEARABLE SENSORY AID, AS COMPARED WITH A NON-WEARABLE VERSION WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING EVALUATION IN CLASSROOMS FOR THE DEAF AND OTHER RESEARCH SETTINGS. THE NEW LABORATORY PROTOTYPE DIFFERS FROM THE EARLIER VERSION IN THE FOLLOWING RESPECTS: IT IS FULLY WEARABLE AND PORTABLE, ITS BANDPASS FILTER CHARACTERISTICS PROVIDE SHARPER DISCRIMINATION OF ACOUSTIC SPEECH CHARACTERISTICS, AND THE ALLOCATION OF CHANNELS HAS BEEN OPTIMIZED IN TERMS OF RELEVANT SPEECH INFORMATION. THIS RESEARCH IS PART OF AN ONGOING PROGRAM TO DEVELOP A COMMERCIALLY FEASIBLE SPEECH COMMUNICATION AND SPEECH TRAINING AID FOR PROFOUNDLY DEAF PERSONS WHO CANNOT UNDERSTAND SPEECH THROUGH CONVENTIONAL AMPLIFICATION HEARINGAIDS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS APPROACH WILL PROVIDE A NON SURGICAL ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE PERSONS FOR WHOM COCHLEAR IMPLANT PROCEDURES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE.