How hearing aid delay and acoustic coupling affect spatial hearing in an audiovisual paradigm

Key Points

• The study aims to understand how delays in hearing aids and their acoustic coupling affect spatial hearing capabilities.
• Analyzed spatial hearing abilities in different conditions involving hearing aids.
• Examined the influence of processing delay and acoustic coupling on binaural and spectral cues.
• Used an audiovisual paradigm to simulate real-world communication scenarios.
• Hearing aid delays disrupt binaural and spectral cues needed for effective spatial hearing.
• Acoustic coupling significantly impacts the user's ability to determine sound direction.
• Findings indicate that optimal acoustic settings are crucial for enhancing spatial hearing.