Method and apparatus for training of sensory and perceptual systems in LLI subjects

• US 5,927,988 A
• Filed: 12/17/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scientific Learning Corp. (Carnegie Learning, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Learning Corp. (Carnegie Learning, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jenkins, William M., Merzenich, Michael M., Peterson, Bret E., Tallal, Paula, Miller, Steven Lamont
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/982,189
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/112, 434/116, 434/156, 434/157, 434/167, 434/169, 434/185, 434/307 R, 434/308, 434/365, 704/243, 704/265, 704/270, 704/503, 704/504
• US Class Current: 434/116
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/14 with provision for individual teacher-student communication
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training

Abstract

An apparatus and method for training the sensory perceptual system in a language learning impaired (LLI) subject is provided. The apparatus and method incorporates a number of different programs to be played by the subject. The programs artificially process selected portions of language elements, called phonemes, so they will be more easily distinguished by an LLI subject, and gradually improves the subject'"'"'s neurological processing of the elements through repetitive stimulation. The programs continually monitor a subject'"'"'s ability to distinguish the processed language elements, and adaptively configures the programs to challenge and reward the subject by altering the degree of processing. Through adaptive control and repetition of processed speech elements, and presentation of the speech elements in a creative fashion, a subject'"'"'s temporal processing of acoustic events common to speech are significantly improved.

Claims

1. A method for training the sensory perceptual system in a human on a computer, the method comprising:

a) repetitively providing a first acoustic event to the human, the first acoustic event being stretched in the time domain;

b) sequentially after a) providing a second acoustic event to the human for recognition, the second acoustic event being stretched in the time domain;

c) requiring the human to recognize the second acoustic event within a predetermined time window; and

d) if the human recognizes the second acoustic event within the predetermined time window, reducing the amount that the first and second acoustic events are stretched.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensory perceptual system that is being trained is the processing of temporal acoustic events common in speech.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the temporal acoustic events common in speech are phonemes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the human has abnormal processing of temporal acoustic events.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the human is a language-learning impaired (LLI) child.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first acoustic event is a distractor phoneme.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the distractor phoneme is provided to the human a random number of times.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the random number of times that the distractor phoneme is provided varies between 3 and 8.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a) further comprises:

a1) separating each provision of the first acoustic event by a predetermined inter-stimulus interval (ISI).

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the ISI is initially set to 500 ms.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein b) occurs after the same predetermined ISI.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second acoustic event is a target phoneme.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein both the first and second acoustic events are stretched in the time domain, without alteration of their frequency components.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein both the first and second acoustic events are phonemes that are initially stretched 150 percent in the time domain.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein c) further comprises:

C1) requiring the human to indicate recognition of the second acoustic event by release of a computer button.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein c) further comprises:

C1) requiring the human to indicate recognition of the second acoustic event by depressing a computer button.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined time window is selected to accurately determine whether the human as distinguished between the repetitively provided first acoustic event and the second acoustic event.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

e) reducing the amount that the first and second acoustic events are stretched to 125 percent of normal speech.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

a2) progressively reducing the ISI between provisions of the first acoustic event and the second acoustic event as the human successfully recognizes the second acoustic event.

20. A method for training an LLI subject to distinguish between frequency sweeps common in phonemes, the method comprising:

a) presenting a first frequency sweep that increases in frequency;

b) presenting a second frequency sweep that decreases in frequency, the first and second frequency sweeps separated by an inter-stimulus interval (ISI);

c) wherein a) and b) occur in random order;

d) requiring an individual to recognize the order of presentation of the first and second frequency sweeps;

e) reducing or increasing the ISI separating the first and second frequency sweeps as the individual recognizes or fails to recognize the order of presentation, respectively; and

f) reducing the duration of the first and second frequency sweeps as the individual repeatedly recognizes their order of presentation.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the frequency sweeps common in phonemes are sweeps of approximately sixteen octaves per second.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the frequency sweeps common in phonemes are at approximately 500 hz, 1 khz and 2 khz.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the first frequency sweep and the second frequency sweep, initially each have a duration of approximately 80 ms.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the first frequency sweep (F), and the second frequency sweep (S), are presented in the order:

F-F, F-S, S-F or S-S.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein d) further comprises:

d1) presenting a first graphic image associated with the first frequency sweep;

d2) presenting a second graphic image associated with the second frequency sweep;

d3) requiring the individual to select the first graphic image and the second graphic image, as appropriate, to correspond to the order of presentation of the first and second frequency sweeps.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the individual selects the first and second graphic images, as appropriate, by using a computer input device to designate selection.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the individual recognizes the order of presentation of the first and second frequency sweeps by selecting a graphical representation associated with each of the sweeps on a computer.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the ISI separating the first and second frequency sweeps is reduced when the individual properly recognizes their order of presentation in multiple trials.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the number of multiple trials that must be properly recognized before the ISI is reduced is 3.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein the ISI separating the first and second frequency sweeps is increased when the individual fails to recognize their order of presentation after a single trial.

31. The method of claim 20 wherein the duration of the first and second frequency sweeps is reduced after the individual repeatedly recognizes their order of presentation with an ISI that is common in speech.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the ISI that is common in speech is less than 130 ms.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the ISI that is common in speech is between 110 and 125 ms.

34. A method for repetitively and adaptively training a subject, having subnormal temporal acoustic processing capabilities, to distinguish between phonemes having similar acoustic characteristics, the method comprising:

a) providing a plurality of phoneme pairs, each pair having similar acoustic characteristics;

b) for each of the plurality of phoneme pairs, providing a pair of associated graphic images;

c) selecting from among the plurality of phoneme pairs, a phoneme pair to be presented to the subject;

d) processing the selected phoneme pair according to a predetermined skill level;

e) presenting to the subject the processed selected phoneme pair;

f) as a trial, requiring the subject to recognize one of the processed phonemes from the selected phoneme pair by selecting its associated graphic image; and

g) repeating c) through f).

35. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein the phoneme pairs comprise:

aba-ada;

ba-da;

be-de;

bi-di; and

va-fa.

36. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein each pair of phonemes contain a distractor phoneme and a target phoneme.

37. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein the associated graphic images are animals.

38. The method as recited in claim 37 wherein the animals appear to speak the phonemes.

39. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein d) comprises:

d1) determining the skill level for the processing;

d2) stretching the consonant portions of each of the phonemes in the phoneme pair;

d3) emphasizing selected frequency envelopes within each of the phonemes in the phoneme pair;

d4) separating the stretched and emphasized phonemes by an inter-stimulus interval (ISI);

d5) wherein the amount of stretching, emphasizing and separating applied by d2) through d4) depends on the determined skill level.

40. The method as recited in claim 39 wherein d1) stretches the consonant portions of each of the phonemes in the time domain, without significantly affecting frequency components of the phonemes.

41. The method as recited in claim 39 wherein d1) stretches the consonant portions of each of the phonemes between 100 and 150 percent depending on the determined skill level.

42. The method as recited in claim 39 wherein the selected frequency envelopes within each of the phonemes are emphasized between 0 and 20 dB depending on the determined skill level.

43. The method as recited in claim 39 wherein the stretched and emphasized phonemes are separated by an ISI of between 0 and 500 ms depending on the determined skill level.

44. The method as recited in claim 39 wherein the determined skill level is related to whether the subject correctly recognized one of the processed phonemes from the selected phoneme pair in a previous trial.

45. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein e) comprises:

e1) presenting one of the processed phoneme pairs as a target phoneme to the subject;

e2) after e1), presenting each of the processed phonemes within the phoneme pair, in random order, separated by an inter-stimulus interval (ISI); and

e3) during presenting each of the processed phonemes, graphically associating the presenting of each of the processed phonemes with their associated graphic images.

46. The method as recited in claim 45 wherein the subject recognizes the target phoneme, after e2), by selecting its associated graphic image.

47. The method as recited in claim 39 wherein the method contains a plurality of skill levels ranging from 150 percent stretching, 20 dB emphasis and 500 ms ISI to 100 percent stretching, 0 dB emphasis, and 0 ms ISI.

48. The method as recited in claim 34 wherein the predetermined skill level is determined according to the ability of the subject to recognize one of the processed phonemes from the selected phoneme pair.

49. The method as recited in claim 48 wherein as the subject repeatedly recognizes one of the processed phonemes from the selected phoneme pair, the skill level advances in difficulty.

50. The method as recited in claim 48 wherein as the subject fails to recognize one of the processed phonemes from the selected phoneme pair, the skill level decreases in difficulty.

51. A computer program product including a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied thereon for training the sensory perceptual system in a human, the computer program product comprising:

a) computer-readable code configured to repetitively provide a first acoustic event to the human, said first acoustic event being stretched in the time domain;

b) computer-readable code configured to provide, sequentially after a), a second acoustic event to the human for recognition, said second acoustic event being stretched in the time domain;

c) computer-readable code configured to require the human to recognize said second acoustic event within a predetermined time window; and

d) if the human recognizes said second acoustic event within said predetermined time window, computer-readable code configured to reduce an amount that said first and said second acoustic events are stretched.

52. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein a) further comprises:

a1) computer-readable code configured to separate each provision of said first acoustic event by a predetermined inter-stimulus interval (ISI).

53. The computer program product of claim 51 wherein both said first and said second acoustic events are stretched in the time domain, without alteration of their frequency components.

54. The computer program product of claim 51 further comprising:

e) if the human does not recognize said second acoustic event within said predetermined time window, computer-readable code configured to increase said amount that said first and said second acoustic events are stretched.