Evaluation of Remote Categorical Loudness Scaling

Purpose: The aims of this study were to (a) demonstrate the feasibility of administering categorical loudness scaling (CLS) tests in a remote setting, (b) assess the reliability of remote compared with laboratory CLS results, and (c) provide preliminary evidence of the validity of remote CLS testing. Method: CLS data from 21 adult participants collected in a home setting were compared to CLS data collected in a laboratory setting from previous studies. Five participants took part in studies in both settings. Precalibrated equipment was delivered to participants who performed headphone output level checks and measured ambient noise levels. After a practice run, CLS measurements were collected for two runs at 1 and 4 kHz. Results: Mean headphone output levels were within 1.5 dB of the target calibration level. Mean ambient noise levels were below the target level. Within-run variability was similar between the two settings, but across-run bias was smaller for data collected in the laboratory setting compared with the remote setting. Systematic differences in CLS functions were not observed for the five individuals who participated in both settings. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that precise stimulus levels can be delivered and background noise levels can be controlled in a home environment. Across-run bias for remote CLS was larger than for in-laboratory CLS, indicating that further work is needed to improve the reliability of CLS data collected in remote settings. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.17131856

In situ Hearing Tests for the Purpose of a Self-Fit Hearing Aid

This study investigated the potential and limitations of a self-fit hearing aid. This can be used in the “developing” world or in countries with large distances between the hearing-impaired subjects and the professional. It contains an on-board tone generator for in situ user-controlled, automated audiometry, and other tests for hearing aid fitting. Twenty subjects with mild hearing losses were involved. In situ audiometry showed a test-retest reliability (SD <3.7 dB) that compared well with the precision of diagnostic audiometry using headphones. There was good correspondence (SD <5.2 dB) with traditional pure-tone audiometry. In situ loudness scaling yielded important information about suprathreshold perception, which will have an added value for the selection of compression and the selection of maximum power output to be allowed in hearing aids.

Loudness Scaling Test Based on Categorical Perception

The main goal of this research study is focused on creating a method for loudness scaling based on categorical perception. Its main features, such as: way of testing, calibration procedure for securing reliable results, employing natural test stimuli, etc., are described in the paper and assessed against a procedure that uses 1/2-octave bands of noise (LGOB) for the loudness growth estimation. The Mann-Whitney U-test is employed to check whether the proposed method is statistically equivalent to LGOB. It is shown that loudness functions obtained in both methods are similar in the statistical context. Moreover, the band-filtered musical instrument signals are experienced as more pleasant than the narrow-band noise stimuli and the proposed test is performed in a shorter time. The method proposed may be incorporated into fitting hearing strategies or used for checking individual loudness growth functions and adapting them to the comfort level settings while listening to music.

Evaluation of Extended-Wear Hearing Technology for Children with Hearing Loss

Background: Research shows that many older children and teenagers who have mild to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss do not use their hearing instruments during all waking hours. A variety of reasons may contribute toward this problem, including concerns about cosmetics associated with hearing aid use and the inconvenience of daily maintenance associated with hearing instruments. Extended-wear hearing instruments are inserted into the wearer’s ear canal by an audiologist and are essentially invisible to outside observers. Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits and limitations associated with use of extended-wear hearing instruments in a group of children with hearing loss. Research Design: A two-way repeated measures design was used to examine performance differences obtained with the participants’ daily-wear hearing instruments versus that obtained with extended-wear hearing instruments. Study Sample: Sixteen children, ages 10–17 yr old, with sensorineural hearing loss ranging from mild to moderately severe. Data Collection and Analysis: Probe microphone measures were completed to evaluate the aided output of device. Behavioral test measures included word recognition in quiet, sentence recognition in noise, aided warble-tone thresholds, and psychophysical loudness scaling. Questionnaires were also administered to evaluate subjective performance with each hearing technology. Results: Data logging suggested that many participants were not using their daily-wear hearing instruments during all waking hours (mean use was less than 6 h/day). Real ear probe microphone measurements indicated that a closer fit to the Desired Sensation Level Version 5 prescriptive targets was achieved with the children’s daily-wear instruments when compared to the extended-wear instruments. There was no statistically significant difference in monosyllabic word recognition at 50 or 60 dBA obtained with the two hearing technologies. Sentence recognition in noise obtained with use of the extended-wear devices was, however, significantly better than what was obtained with the daily-wear hearing aids. Aided warble-tone thresholds indicated significantly better audibility for low-level sounds with use of the daily-wear hearing technology, but loudness scaling results produced mixed results. Specifically, the participants generally reported greater loudness perception with use of their daily-wear hearing aids at 2000 Hz, but use of the extended-wear hearing technology provided greater loudness perception at 4000 Hz. Finally, the participants reported higher levels of subjective performance with use of the extended-wear hearing instruments. Conclusions: Although some measures suggested that daily-wear hearing instruments provided better audibility than the extended-wear hearing devices, word recognition in quiet was similar with use of the two technologies, and sentence recognition in noise was better with the extended-wear hearing technology. In addition, the participants in this study reported better subjective benefit associated with the use of extended-wear hearing technology. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that extended-wear hearing technology is a viable option for older children and teenagers with mild to moderately severe hearing loss.