A model framework for simulating spatial hearing of bilateral cochlear implant users

Bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) greatly improve spatial hearing acuity for CI users, but substantial gaps still exist compared to normal-hearing listeners. For example, users have poorer localization skills, little or no binaural unmasking, and reduced release from masking. Multiple factors been identified that limit with CIs. These include degradation of cues due the various sound processing stages, viability electrode-neuron interface, impaired brainstem neurons, deterioration in connectivity between different cortical layers. To help quantify relative importance inter-relationship these factors, computer models can arguably should be employed. While exploring single stages are often good agreement selected experimental data, their combination does not yield a comprehensive accurate simulation perception. Here, we combine information computational auditory model modular open-source framework, resembling an artificial bilateral user. The main (a) signal generation optional head-related impulse response filtering, (b) generic restricted specific manufacturer, (c) electrode-to-neuron transmission, (d) interaction, (e) decision model. function outputs demonstrated examples experiments. However, framework is tailored dataset. It offers selection coding strategies allows third-party extensions substitutions; thus, it possible employ wide range applications even educational purposes.