The Intelligibility of Processed Helium Speech at Diving Depths Greater Than 1000 Feet

摘要

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intelligibility for a helium speech unscrambler undergoing development by the Admiralty Research Laboratory, Teddington, England. Tapes of divers reading sentence lists at three depths in a helium-rich environment were played to listening panels, consisting of fifteen members each. Fifty words within each sentence list were chosen for evaluation. The overall mean intelligibility scores for two divers at 1250 and 1500 feet and one diver at 1250 feet was 92.2 percent. The average score at the deepest depth was slightly lower than 1050 feet. For the limited conditions evaluated, the unscrambler appeared to operate effectively. Additional evaluation under various conditions using standardized intelligibility test material is necessary to determine the overall applicability and effectiveness of this device. (Author)