Effect of auditory efferent time-constant duration on speech recognition in noise

The human auditory efferent system may play a role in improving speech-in-noise recognition with an associated range of time constants. Computational auditory models with efferent-inspired feedback demonstrate improved speech-in-noise recognition with long efferent time constants (2000 ms). This study used a similar model plus an Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) system to investigate the role of shorter time constants. ASR speech recognition in noise improved with efferent feedback (compared to no-efferent feedback) for both short and long efferent time constants. For some signal-to-noise ratios, speech recognition in noise improved as efferent time constants were increased from 118 to 2000 ms.