University of Wisconsin Researcher Develops OTC Hearing Aid
Yi Hu, an associate professor of electrical engineering at UWM, has designed a prototype device that, when paired with a smartphone app, approximates the audiologist experience.
Yi Hu, an associate professor of electrical engineering at UWM, has designed a prototype device that, when paired with a smartphone app, approximates the audiologist experience.
Using 2-cc coupler measures, MPO values for different programmed settings were compared for the premier hearing aid products from six major manufacturers. Large differences were observed, and these differences were not directly associated with the product’s OSPL90. In general, at least for the sample audiogram used, it appears that the MPO is limited by the gain setting and the aggressiveness of the wide dynamic range compression (WDRC), often restricting useable headroom.
Based on the audiograms of over 28,000 adults, this study shows that commercially-available hearing aids programmed according to parameters typical of those used for individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing loss yield output and gain levels that are well within the recommended limits (110 dB SPL output and 25 dB gain) specified by a recent Consensus Paper issued by the four national professional organizations representing hearing healthcare providers.
Based on three simple terms—volume, clarity, and brain energy—the tool is a conversation guide that uses a playful visual with familiar icons to illustrate how hearing loss affects a person. The tool allows the professional to note what the patient hears, what they struggle with, and their most important communication situations.
Read MoreAudiologist Dennis Van Vliet says smart, time-saving approaches to patient care must be efficient and not sacrifice the elements of good practice, but we shouldn’t doggedly stick to a prescribed routine that calls for rote completion of procedures when they yield little of the information needed to manage patients’ needs.
Read MoreMead Killion, PhD, provides his perspective on the audiograms used in two studies that look at the suitability of personal sound amplification products (PSAPS) for people with hearing loss in various delivery models.
Read MoreThe four webinars cover a wide range of topics such as gaze stabilization in VNG, oVEMP, integration of diagnostic and functional testing when seeing dizzy patients, and hearing aid selection.
Read MoreTrue listening involves more than just repeating words. Might there be useful ways to think about quantifying listening effort by taking advantage of a considerable body of research on the auditory event-related potential (AERP)? In this article, Dr James Jerger explores two different ways to think about clinical speech audiometry relative to assessing total listening effort: 1) Altering the task from repetition to decision, and 2) Evaluating the response evoked by the decision via an AERP paradigm.
Read MoreTo continue ensuring accurate results when testing is performed outside a traditional sound booth, version 5.0 adds patent-pending Response and Environment Adaptive Control Technology (REACT) to the system.
Read MoreHow often have we looked into the faces of our clients and their families as we describe the audiogram in fine detail only to find anxious, blank, or confused faces staring back at us?
Read MoreA problem arises if we don’t stop to think about the spectrum of individual differences that are out there in the tapestry of our patient population.
Read MoreEven though the benefits of hearing aids are widely known in our field, the fact is that there is not a plethora of high-level scientific evidence proving the efficacy of hearing aids.
Read MoreIn the future it seems likely that PTA will remain a useful tool, even if it ceases to be the “gold-standard” hearing test.
Read MoreSmartMove Cloud allows access to audiometric data using an internet connection. Password-secure audiogram and test subject data are stored securely in a HIPAA-compliant system.
Read MoreIt is now possible to import/export data from/to your Noah, directly from the iPad, which will help seamlessly sync your Otohub Products with your Noah database, according to Otohub.
Read MoreThe bottom line is that benefit with a hearing instrument can and should be measured, assessed, adjusted, and documented to achieve maximum performance capabilities for all patients.
Read MoreAileen P. Wertz, MD, of the University of Michigan Health System, and colleagues examined the feasibility and outcomes of a partnership between Hope Clinic for indigent patients and the University of Michigan Health System in providing hearing aids.
Read MoreCompulink Business Systems, Inc.—a Thousand Oaks, California-based software company—announced that it will demonstrate the latest enhancements to its Audiology Advantage™ system at AudiologyNOW! 2017 this week.
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