Authors: Ingrid Gielow *1 ; Gracieth Batista 2; Marina Englert 1; Diana Faria 2; Osamu Saotome 2
Affiliations:
1 ProBrain
2 ITA
Background: Central auditory processing (CAP) disorders may affect people of all age groups, impacting their ability to understand, learn, and maintain focus. Also, those with hearing loss may have some kind of impact on CAP. Treatment approaches include direct skills remediation with computer-based training programs that may address both auditory and language components. “Afinando o Cérebro” (Tuning the Brain) is a platform that offers 180 activities that provide bottom-up and top down stimulation, and AudBility is an online screening tool that evaluates auditory skills, both platforms validated for Brazilian Portuguese.
Objective: To verify the effectiveness of AudioFoco, an intelligent integration of AudBility screening with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) recommendation of the Afinando o Cérebro activities.
Methods: An AI was developed according to the AudBility screening test outcomes and the abilities stimulated in each activity of the Afinando o Cérebro. According to the screening outcome, the AI recommended a sequence of activities based on each individual’s specific auditory skills in need of improvement. This AI recommendation was compared to those of a specialist speech-language pathologist. The training program consisted of eight 30-minutes sessions over a period of 30 days. To that end, 32 adults participated in the training program, with 18 using a validated protocol for auditory training with AudBility and Afinando o Cérebro, and 14 using the AI recommendation of AudioFoco.
Results: The post-training assessment showed no significant difference between the groups, and all auditory skills showed improvement. Four skills improved in score, and all seven skills improved in response time, with faster response times post-training.
Conclusions: AudioFoco was as effective as traditional specialist recommendations in improving auditory skills after just 30 days of training. This makes AudioFoco a potentially valuable online solution at a low cost.
