Communication test system
AssigneeDuke University
InventorsRaymond A. Sturner, James H. Heller, Michael D. Feezor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of screening communication functions in a human subject comprises (a) presenting a verbal auditory stimulus to the subject, and then (b) scoring a response to the verbal auditory stimulus, with the response being an expressive response, a receptive response, or both. These steps are then cyclically repeated to provide an evaluation of the subject's response to a plurality of verbal auditory stimuli. Once the evaluation is complete, the evaluation is used to determine whether the subject should receive further diagnostic testing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, subjects are deliberately confounded during the receptive portion of the test.
Claims24
A human communication test apparatus for screening hearing, speech, and language functions in a human subject, comprising:
- (a) sound generator means for presenting verbal auditory stimuli to a subject, which stimuli may be vocalized by said subject;
- (b) video generator means operatively associated with said sound generator means for presenting a plurality of visual scenes to said subject in conjunction with the presentation of any one of said verbal auditory stimuli, one of said scenes corresponding to said verbal auditory stimulus presented;
- (c) first scoring means operatively associated with said video generator means for providing an evaluation of whether said subject can identify said scene corresponding to said verbal auditory stimulus;
- (d) second scoring means operatively associated with said sound generator means for providing an evaluation of a vocalization by said subject of said verbal auditory stimulus presented;
- and
- (e) second sound generator means for presenting masking noise concurrently with said verbal auditory stimulus to said subject.
A human communication test apparatus for screening hearing and language functions in a human subject, comprising:
- (a) sound generator means for presenting verbal auditory stimuli to a subject;
- (b) video generator means operatively associated with said sound generator means for presenting a plurality of visual scenes to said subject in conjunction with the presentation of any one of said verbal auditory stimuli, one of said scenes corresponding to said verbal auditory stimulus presented;
- (c) scoring means operatively associated with said video generator means for providing an evaluation of whether said subject can identify said scene corresponding to said verbal auditory stimulus;
- and
- (d) second sound generating means for presenting masking noise concurrently with said verbal auditory stimulus to said subject.
A method of screening communication functions in a human subject, comprising:
- (a) concurrently presenting (i) masking noise and (ii) a verbal auditory stimulus to said subject;
- (b) scoring a response to said verbal auditory stimulus;
- said response selected from the group consisting of:
- (i) said subject's vocalization of said verbal auditory stimulus presented;
- (ii) said subject's identification of one scene from a plurality of scenes, wherein only said one scene corresponds to said verbal auditory stimulus presented;
- and
- (iii) both (i) and (ii) above;
- (c) cyclically repeated steps (a) through (b) above to provide an evaluation of said subject's response to said verbal auditory stimuli;
- and then
- (d) determining whether said subject should receive further diagnostic tests of communicative development based upon said evaluation.
A method of testing hearing and language functions in a human subject, comprising:
- (a) presenting a verbal auditory stimuli to a subject, wherein said verbal auditory stimuli is selected from the group consisting of test words and test phrases;
- and
- (b) presenting a plurality of visual scenes to said subject, wherein one scene corresponds to said verbal auditory stimuli;
- and wherein at least one other of said scenes corresponds to a word or phrase differing in sound from said verbal auditory stimulus by a single sound unit only;
- (c) detecting whether or not said subject can identify said one scene which corresponds to said verbal auditory stimuli;
- and
- (d) presenting masking noise concurrently with said verbal auditory stimulus to said subject.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.