From Spikes to Speech: NeuroVoc -- A Biologically Plausible Vocoder Framework for Auditory Perception and Cochlear Implant Simulation
Journal:
arXiv
Published Date:
Jun 4, 2025
Abstract
We present NeuroVoc, a flexible model-agnostic vocoder framework that
reconstructs acoustic waveforms from simulated neural activity patterns using
an inverse Fourier transform. The system applies straightforward signal
processing to neurogram representations, time-frequency binned outputs from
auditory nerve fiber models. Crucially, the model architecture is modular,
allowing for easy substitution or modification of the underlying auditory
models. This flexibility eliminates the need for
speech-coding-strategy-specific vocoder implementations when simulating
auditory perception in cochlear implant (CI) users. It also allows direct
comparisons between normal hearing (NH) and electrical hearing (EH) models, as
demonstrated in this study. The vocoder preserves distinctive features of each
model; for example, the NH model retains harmonic structure more faithfully
than the EH model. We evaluated perceptual intelligibility in noise using an
online Digits-in-Noise (DIN) test, where participants completed three test
conditions: one with standard speech, and two with vocoded speech using the NH
and EH models. Both the standard DIN test and the EH-vocoded groups were
statistically equivalent to clinically reported data for NH and CI listeners.
On average, the NH and EH vocoded groups increased SRT compared to the standard
test by 2.4 dB and 7.1 dB, respectively. These findings show that, although
some degradation occurs, the vocoder can reconstruct intelligible speech under
both hearing models and accurately reflects the reduced speech-in-noise
performance experienced by CI users.
