Abstract: The invention relates to a test to measure the ability of a subject to discriminate between speech sounds. The speech sounds may be selected from the worlds most widely spoken languages to enable the test to be carried out irrespective of the language spoken by the subject. Speech sounds may be presented in sequences, such as triplets. The subject would then be required to detect which speech sound in each sequence is different from the others. The test may be provided on a computer or similar device, in an embodiment a tablet computer, enabling the subject to conduct a self-assessment. The test may be performed on hearing aid users to determine the likelihood of a hearing aid user obtaining better test results after receiving one or two cochlear implants.

Abstract: An input sequence of unwarped signal samples is stored in an input buffer (101). A pitch and voicing analysis unit (103), which analyzes voicing classification data from the input buffer (101), provides a voicing classification variable indicating whether the voicing classification data is voiced or unvoiced and a preliminary estimate of the signal period in the interval spanned by the voicing classification data to a pitch pulse detection unit (104). The pitch pulse detection unit (104), also using analysis frame data from the input buffer (101), provides a set of locations of unwarped pitch pulses contained in the interval spanned by the analysis frame data to a mapping optimization unit (105). The mapping optimization unit (105) provides a set of parameters describing a mapping from an unwarped time-scale to a warped time-scale, to a warped sampling instant calculation unit (106).