Free-field correction values for Interacoustics DD 45 supra-aural audiometric earphones

This paper report free-field correction values for the Interacoustics DD 45 audiometric earphones. The free-field correction values for earphones provide the loudness based equivalence to loudspeaker presentation. Correction values are especially used for the calibration of audiometric equipment for speech audiometry performed with headphones. Calibration values may be found in e.g. the ISO 389 series of standards. The free-field correction values were determined by means of loudness balance measurements of one-third octave noises (centre frequencies 125 Hz to 8000 Hz) presented alternately from a loudspeaker in a free field and from the earphones. The procedure was essentially in accordance with the free-field frequency response procedure described in IEC 60268-7: Headphones and earphones. The study sample consisted of four earphones and 14 test subjects. Free field correction values are reported for the acoustic coupler IEC 60318-3 (NBS 9-A) and for the ear simulator IEC 60318-1. The results are in good agreement with the results of another independent investigation. The reported free-field correction values may be used as part of the basis for future standardization of the DD 45 earphone

Reference hearing threshold levels for chirp signals delivered by an ER-3A insert earphone

Objective: To establish reference hearing threshold levels for chirps and frequency-specific chirps. Design: Hearing thresholds were determined monaurally for broad-band chirps and octave-band chirps using the Etymotic Research, ER-3A insert earphone. The chirps were presented using two repetition rates, 20 and 90 stimuli/s, and with alternating polarity in blocks of one second duration. The test procedure and test conditions were in accordance with the recommendations given in ISO 389-9 (2009). The ascending method (ISO 8253-1, 2010) was applied using a step size of 5 dB. The chirps were played back from a Tucker Davies Technologies System II, and a Matlab program controlled the test setup. The results are specified in dB peak-to-peak equivalent threshold sound pressure levels (dB peETSPL). Study sample: The test group consisted of 25 otologically-normal young adults (age 18–25 years). Results: The results are in good agreement with the results from another investigation of hearing thresholds using the same chirp stimuli, and the values for the octave-band chirps are in line with the standardized reference values for corresponding tone bursts (ISO 389-6, 2007). Conclusions: The results of the present investigation are relevant for the international standard on short duration signals, ISO 389-6 (2007)

Smartphone hearing screening with integrated quality control and data management

OBJECTIVE : To determine if a smartphone application could be used as a calibrated screening audiometer with real-time noise monitoring for school screening using automated test sequences. DESIGN : The investigation comprised three studies. Study 1 evaluated calibration accuracy across four Samsung S5301 smartphones (Android v4.0.4) using commercial Sennheiser HD202 headphones. Study 2 involved referencing smartphone microphone sensitivity to narrowband noise intensity as measured in octave bands by a sound-level meter between 30 and 75 dB SPL (5 dB increments). Study 3 compared screening outcomes of smartphone based and conventional hearing screening. STUDY SAMPLE : Study 2: 15 normal-hearing subjects (age range, 18 – 22 years; all female). Study 3: 162 children (324 ears) aged 5 to 7 years. RESULTS : Smartphone calibration at 20, 30, and 40 dB was within 1 dB of recommended reference equivalent thresholds levels. Microphone calibration for noise monitoring had maximum variability across phones of 0.9, 0.6, and 2.9 dB at 1, 2, and 4 kHz, respectively, from reference intensities (30 to 75 dB SPL). Screening outcomes demonstrated no signifi cant difference between smartphone and conventional audiometry with an overall referral rate of 4.3% and 3.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS : The newly developed smartphone application can be accurately calibrated for audiometry with valid real-time noise monitoring, and clinical results are comparable to conventional screening.http://informahealthcare.com/loi/ijahb201