PARAMETER SELECTION TO OPTIMIZE SPEECH RECOGNITION WITH THE NUCLEUS IMPLANT

Speech coding strategy, frequency boundary assignment table, acid spee ch processor program minimum and maximum stimulation levels are parame ters of the Nucleus Cochlear Implant System whose selection affects sp eech recognition performance in adults and children. Research studies show that speech recognition is significantly better with (1) the Spec tral Peak than with the Multipeak speech coding strategy and (2) frequ ency boundary assignment Table 7 than with Table 9 in an individual's speech processor program (MAP). Minimum and maximum stimulation levels in this MAP ape based on psychophysical measurements on each electrod e but often need to be modified for optimum use in everyday life. Many children and adults have increases, decreases, or fluctuations in ele ctrical hearing that require changes in the MAP minimum and maximum le vels to maintain their ability to recognize speech and other sounds.