APEX/SPIN: a free test platform to measure speech intelligibility

OBJECTIVES: Measuring speech intelligibility in quiet and noise is important in clinical practice and research. An easy-to-use free software platform for conducting speech tests is presented, called APEX/SPIN. DESIGN: The APEX/SPIN platform allows the use of any speech material in combination with any noise. A graphical user interface provides control over a large range of parameters, such as number of loudspeakers, signal-to-noise ratio and parameters of the procedure. An easy-to-use graphical interface is provided for calibration and storage of calibration values. To validate the platform, perception of words in quiet and sentences in noise were measured both with APEX/SPIN and with an audiometer and CD player, which is a conventional setup in current clinical practice. STUDY SAMPLE: Five normal-hearing listeners participated in the experimental evaluation. RESULTS: Speech perception results were similar for the APEX/SPIN platform and conventional procedures. CONCLUSIONS: APEX/SPIN is a freely available and open source platform that allows the administration of all kinds of custom speech perception tests and procedures.