Evaluation of Special Hearing Aids for Deaf Children

1971 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 527-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman P. Erber

Two types of special hearing aid have been developed recently to improve the reception of speech by profoundly deaf children. In a different way, each special system provides greater low-frequency acoustic stimulation to deaf ears than does a conventional hearing aid. One of the devices extends the low-frequency limit of amplification; the other shifts high-frequency energy to a lower frequency range. In general, previous evaluations of these special hearing aids have obtained inconsistent or inconclusive results. This paper reviews most of the published research on the use of special hearing aids by deaf children, summarizes several unpublished studies, and suggests a set of guidelines for future evaluations of special and conventional amplification systems.

1984 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Gordon-Salant

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of low-frequency amplification on speech recognition performance by hearing-impaired listeners. Consonant identification performance by subjects with flat hearing losses and high-frequency hearing losses was assessed in three different hearing aid conditions, in quiet and noise. The experimental hearing aids all provided extra high-frequency amplification but differed in the amount of low-frequency amplification. The results showed that listeners with flat hearing losses benefited by low-frequency amplification, whereas subjects with high-frequency hearing losses exhibited deteriorating scores in conditions with greatest low-frequency amplification. Analyses of phonetic feature perception and individual consonant recognition scores revealed subtle interactions between hearing loss configuration and amplification contour.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (04) ◽  
pp. 414-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Welch ◽  
Margaret Dillon ◽  
Harold Pillsbury

AbstractHearing loss affects 30 million people in the United States, and a subset of these patients have normal low-frequency hearing and ski-sloped high-frequency hearing loss. For these patients, hearing aids alone may not provide adequate benefit. Cochlear implantation alone has been utilized to improve speech perception. The addition of high-frequency electric hearing to low-frequency acoustic hearing in these patients is beneficial. Technical improvements have allowed preservation of low-frequency hearing in cochlear implant recipients, allowing for electric and acoustic stimulation in the same ear with significant improvements in speech perception, sound localization, music appreciation, and quality of life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 233121652198990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Vaisberg ◽  
Steve Beaulac ◽  
Danielle Glista ◽  
Ewan A. Macpherson ◽  
Susan D. Scollie

Hearing aids are typically fitted using speech-based prescriptive formulae to make speech more intelligible. Individual preferences may vary from these prescriptions and may also vary with signal type. It is important to consider what motivates listener preferences and how those preferences can inform hearing aid processing so that assistive listening devices can best be tailored for hearing aid users. Therefore, this study explored preferred frequency-gain shaping relative to prescribed gain for speech and music samples. Preferred gain was determined for 22 listeners with mild sloping to moderately severe hearing loss relative to individually prescribed amplification while listening to samples of male speech, female speech, pop music, and classical music across low-, mid-, and high-frequency bands. Samples were amplified using a fast-acting compression hearing aid simulator. Preferences were determined using an adaptive paired comparison procedure. Listeners then rated speech and music samples processed using prescribed and preferred shaping across different sound quality descriptors. On average, low-frequency gain was significantly increased relative to the prescription for all stimuli and most substantially for pop and classical music. High-frequency gain was decreased significantly for pop music and male speech. Gain adjustments, particularly in the mid- and high-frequency bands, varied considerably between listeners. Music preferences were driven by changes in perceived fullness and sharpness, whereas speech preferences were driven by changes in perceived intelligibility and loudness. The results generally support the use of prescribed amplification to optimize speech intelligibility and alternative amplification for music listening for most listeners.


1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna M. Risberg ◽  
Robyn M. Cox

A custom in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid fitting was compared to two over-the-ear (OTE) hearing aid fittings for each of 9 subjects with mild to moderately severe hearing losses. Speech intelligibility via the three instruments was compared using the Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) test. The relationship between functional gain and coupler gain was compared for the ITE and the higher rated OTE instruments. The difference in input received at the microphone locations of the two types of hearing aids was measured for 10 different subjects and compared to the functional gain data. It was concluded that (a) for persons with mild to moderately severe hearing losses, appropriately adjusted custom ITE fittings typically yield speech intelligibility that is equal to the better OTE fitting identified in a comparative evaluation; and (b) gain prescriptions for ITE hearing aids should be adjusted to account for the high-frequency emphasis associated with in-the-concha microphone placement.


1968 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 204-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Dodds ◽  
Earl Harford

Persons with a high frequency hearing loss are difficult cases for whom to find suitable amplification. We have experienced some success with this problem in our Hearing Clinics using a specially designed earmold with a hearing aid. Thirty-five cases with high frequency hearing losses were selected from our clinical files for analysis of test results using standard, vented, and open earpieces. A statistical analysis of test results revealed that PB scores in sound field, using an average conversational intensity level (70 dB SPL), were enhanced when utilizing any one of the three earmolds. This result was due undoubtedly to increased sensitivity provided by the hearing aid. Only the open earmold used with a CROS hearing aid resulted in a significant improvement in discrimination when compared with the group’s unaided PB score under earphones or when comparing inter-earmold scores. These findings suggest that the inclusion of the open earmold with a CROS aid in the audiologist’s armamentarium should increase his flexibility in selecting hearing aids for persons with a high frequency hearing loss.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1932
Author(s):  
Weixuan Wang ◽  
Qinyan Xing ◽  
Qinghao Yang

Based on the newly proposed generalized Galerkin weak form (GGW) method, a two-step time integration method with controllable numerical dissipation is presented. In the first sub-step, the GGW method is used, and in the second sub-step, a new parameter is introduced by using the idea of a trapezoidal integral. According to the numerical analysis, it can be concluded that this method is unconditionally stable and its numerical damping is controllable with the change in introduced parameters. Compared with the GGW method, this two-step scheme avoids the fast numerical dissipation in a low-frequency range. To highlight the performance of the proposed method, some numerical problems are presented and illustrated which show that this method possesses superior accuracy, stability and efficiency compared with conventional trapezoidal rule, the Wilson method, and the Bathe method. High accuracy in a low-frequency range and controllable numerical dissipation in a high-frequency range are both the merits of the method.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 3157 ◽  
Author(s):  
O ◽  
Jin ◽  
Choi

In this paper, we propose a compact four-port coplanar antenna for cognitive radio applications. The proposed antenna consists of a coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna and three inner rectangular loop antennas. The dimensions of the proposed antenna are 42 mm × 50 mm × 0.8 mm. The UWB antenna is used for spectrum sensing and fully covers the UWB spectrum of 3.1–10.6 GHz. The three loop antennas cover the UWB frequency band partially for communication purposes. The first loop antenna for the low frequency range operates from 2.96 GHz to 5.38 GHz. The second loop antenna is in charge of the mid band from 5.31 GHz to 8.62 GHz. The third antenna operates from 8.48 GHz to 11.02 GHz, which is the high-frequency range. A high isolation level (greater than 17.3 dB) is realized among the UWB antenna and three loop antennas without applying any additional decoupling structures. The realized gains of the UWB antenna and three loop antennas are greater than 2.7 dBi and 1.38 dBi, respectively.


2015 ◽  
Vol 655 ◽  
pp. 182-185
Author(s):  
Ke Lan Yan ◽  
Run Hua Fan ◽  
Min Chen ◽  
Kai Sun ◽  
Xu Ai Wang ◽  
...  

The phase structure, and electrical and magnetic properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3(LSMO)-xAg (xis the mole ratio,x=0, 0.3, 0.5) composite were investigated. It is found that the sample withx=0 is single phase; the samples withx=0.3 and 0.5 present three phase composite structure of the manganese oxide and Ag. With the increasing of Ag content, the grain size of the samples increases and the grain boundaries transition from fully faceted to partially faceted. The permittivity of spectrum (10 MHz - 1 GHz) and the theoretical simulation reveal that the plasma frequencyfpincrease with Ag content, due to the increasing of free electron concentration, which is further supported by the enhancement of conductivity. While for the permeability (μr'), theμr'decrease with the increasing of Ag content at low frequency range (f< 20 MHz), while at the relative high frequency range (f> 300 MHz), theμr'increased with Ag content. Therefore, the introduction of elemental Ag resulted in a higherμr'at the relative high frequency range.


2007 ◽  
Vol 280-283 ◽  
pp. 919-924
Author(s):  
M.S. Jogad ◽  
V.K. Shrikhande ◽  
A.H. Dyama ◽  
L.A. Udachan ◽  
Govind P. Kothiyal

AC and DC conductivities have been measured by using the real (e¢) and imaginary (e¢¢) parts of the dielectric constant data of glass and glass-ceramics (GC) at different temperatures in the rage 297-642K and in the frequency range 100 Hz to 10 MHz. Using Anderson –Stuart model, we have calculated the activation energy, which is observed to be lower than that of the DC conductivity. The analysis for glass/glass-ceramics indicates that the conductivity variation with frequency exhibits an initial linear region followed by nonlinear region with a maximum in the high-frequency region. The observed frequency dependence of ionic conductivity has been analyzed within the extended Anderson–Stuart model considering both the electrostatic and elastic strain terms. In glass/glassceramic the calculations based on the Anderson-Stuart model agree with the experimental observations in the low frequency region but at higher frequencies there is departure from measured data.


Geophysics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 1201-1210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duff C. Stewart ◽  
Walter L. Anderson ◽  
Thomas P. Grover ◽  
Victor F. Labson

A new instrument designed for frequency‐domain sounding in the depth range 0–10 m uses short coil spacings of 5 m or less and a frequency range of 300 kHz to 30 MHz. In this frequency range, both conduction currents (controlled by electrical conductivity) and displacement currents (controlled by dielectric permittivity) are important. Several surface electromagnetic survey systems commonly used (generally with frequencies less than 60 kHz) are unsuitable for detailed investigation of the upper 5 m of the earth or, as with ground‐penetrating radar, are most effective in relatively resistive environments. Most computer programs written for interpretation of data acquired with the low‐frequency systems neglect displacement currents, and are thus unsuited for accurate high‐frequency modeling and interpretation. New forward and inverse computer programs are described that include displacement currents in layered‐earth models. The computer programs and this new instrument are used to evaluate the effectiveness of shallow high‐frequency soundings based on measurement of the tilt angle and the ellipticity of magnetic fields. Forward model studies indicate that the influence of dielectric permittivity provides the ability to resolve thin layers, especially if the instrument frequency range can be extended to 50 MHz. Field tests of the instrument and the inversion program demonstrate the potential for detailed shallow mapping wherein both the resistivity and the dielectric permittivity of layers are determined. Although data collection and inversion are much slower than for low‐frequency methods, additional information is obtained inasmuch as there usually is a permittivity contrast as well as a resistivity contrast at boundaries between different materials. Determination of dielectric permittivity is particularly important for hazardous waste site characterization because the presence of some contaminants may have little effect on observed resistivity but a large effect on observed permittivity.


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