SECCIMA: Singing and Ear Training for Children with Cochlear Implants via a Mobile Application

Cochlear implants (CI) can restore part of the hearing of people with severe hearing loss, but these devices are far from perfect. Although this technology allows many users to perceive speech in a quiet room, it is not so successful for music perception. Many public spaces are awash with music, but many CI users do not find music enjoyable or reassuring. This brings multiple challenges to their everyday lives, especially in a world that is saturated with music. Research shows that music training can improve music perception and appreciation for CI users. However, compared to multiple computer-assisted solutions for language training, few such systems for music training are available for children with CI. Existing systems are either targeting a different audience or have complex interfaces that are not suitable for children. In this study, we examined the design limitations of a prior application (MOGAT) and developed a new system with more suitable interfaces. The new system, SECCIMA, was crafted through an iterative design process that involved 16 participants, and the final system was evaluated and compared against MOGAT with another 12 participants. Our results show that SECCIMA is more intuitive and user-friendly than MOGAT.