Digital communication is a significant part of modern society. Still, it can pose challenges for people with hearing loss, especially in noisy environments where speech perception becomes more difficult. These environments are common in daily life and can affect how people with hearing loss participate in society. The project examines how textual support, such as speech-to-text technology, can facilitate digital communication for this group. The aim is to identify the optimal time span between the display of text and speech to achieve the greatest possible benefit and to provide practical recommendations for the implementation of this technology.
Timing and its impact on speech comprehension
Earlier research has shown that both people with and without hearing loss can use textual support in noisy environments. When text is displayed before speech, the spoken words are perceived as clear and easy to understand. However, delays in text presentation are common in digital contexts: if the delay exceeds 500 milliseconds, the effectiveness of the textual support decreases.
The project is funded by The Swedish Association of Hard of Hearing People.
