In this paper, a hybrid active noise barrier (ANB) with sound masking capability is considered. To protect the speech privacy, several sound masking techniques have been developed. However, these sound masking techniques based on the superposition of the masker and original sound will lead to increase in the loudness of the sound after masking. Against this problem, this paper proposes a soundp...

The effect of masking due to fluctuating sources on speech intelligibility is a phenomenon difficult to predict. Intelligibility scores vary with the efficiency of the energetic masking while the linguistic content of the message and listener’s cognitive performances add to the general incertitude that peaks for the case of masking speech. The present contribution proposes a signal-based assess...

This paper investigates the use and performance of some recently proposed models for temporal masking in wideband audio quality assessment algorithms. Three published temporal masking models are incorporated into the ITU-standardised PEAQ (Perceptual Evaluation of Audio Quality) algorithm, to assess the accuracy of such models in predicting subjective audio quality. The PEAQ algorithm already i...

A mask that has a common onset but delayed offset with the target produces substitution masking, which can be distinguished from pattern masking and metacontrast masking. This study tests the spatial properties of substitution masking: specificity to the target location and asymmetry to the central and the peripheral sides of the target. Results revealed that substitution declined gradually as ...

The purpose of this study is to determine the relative impact of reverberant self-masking and overlap-masking effects on speech intelligibility by cochlear implant listeners. Sentences were presented in two conditions wherein reverberant consonant segments were replaced with clean consonants, and in another condition wherein reverberant vowel segments were replaced with clean vowels. The underl...

Facial masking in Parkinson's disease is the reduction of automatic and controlled expressive movement of facial musculature, creating an appearance of apathy, social disengagement or compromised cognitive status. Research in western cultures demonstrates that practitioners form negatively biased impressions associated with patient masking. Socio-cultural norms about facial expressivity vary ac...

background: although studies have shown that porcelain veneers are very effi cient for treating discolored teeth, they did not address in particular the minimum thickness of a multilayer ips e.max press (ivoclarvivadent, schaan, liechtenstein) restoration required to mask discolored tooth. the aim of this study was to determine the minimum thickness of a multilayer porcelain restoration require...