Automated Subjective Assessment of Speech Intelligibility Under Diotic and Dichotic Listening

Abstract

The articulation tests of noised and reverberated speech were carried out under different listening modes: (1) diotic speech presentation through headphones, (2) diotic speech presentation through computer speakers, and (3) dichotic speech presentation through headphones. Developed software toolkit was used for automation of subjective assessment of speech intelligibility. The results of the articulation tests showed that the diotic representation of the speech through headphones or computer speakers leads to almost identical results provided that the distance between the listener and the computer speakers is close to critical distance value. This result is of practical value, since it means the admissibility of using computer loudspeakers during articulation tests. Articulation testing for dichotic speech presentation through headphones has showed that a room can be seen as filter which can reduce speech intelligibility and that direct sound has a greater effect on speech intelligibility compared to earlier reflections.