Use of a humanoid robot for auditory psychophysical testing.

Tasks in psychophysical tests can at times be repetitive and cause individuals to lose engagement during the test. To facilitate engagement, we propose the use of a humanoid NAO robot, named Sam, as an alternative interface for conducting psychophysical tests. Specifically, we aim to evaluate the performance of Sam as an auditory testing interface, given its potential limitations and technical differences, in comparison to the current laptop interface. We examine the results and durations of two voice perception tests, voice cue sensitivity and voice gender categorisation, obtained from both the conventionally used laptop interface and Sam. Both tests investigate the perception and use of two speaker-specific voice cues, fundamental frequency (F0) and vocal tract length (VTL), important for characterising voice gender. Responses are logged on the laptop using a connected mouse, and on Sam using the tactile sensors. Comparison of test results from both interfaces shows functional similarity between the interfaces and replicates findings from previous studies with similar tests. Comparison of test durations shows longer testing times with Sam, primarily due to longer processing times in comparison to the laptop, as well as other design limitations due to the implementation of the test on the robot. Despite the inherent constraints of the NAO robot, such as in sound quality, relatively long processing and testing times, and different methods of response logging, the NAO interface appears to facilitate collecting similar data to the current laptop interface, confirming its potential as an alternative psychophysical test interface for auditory perception tests.

"That imperfect instrument": Galton's whistle, Bierce's damned thing, and the phenomenon of superior nonhuman sensory range.

When the Galton whistle was introduced in the 1870s, it was the first demonstration many had encountered of the phenomenon that nonhumans sometimes exceed humans in sensory range, for example perceiving ultraviolet light and ultrasonic signals. While some empirical research had explored this possibility beforehand, this area of perceptual research progressed slowly. A horror short story by Ambrose Bierce in 1893, "The Damned Thing," used the concept of superior nonhuman sensory range as a twist ending, seemingly anticipating scientific discoveries to come or at least understanding the implications of the early findings well in advance of the field. This article analyzes Bierce's possible sources, with Bierce representing the general educated nonscientist and providing insights into the spread of this concept into public and scientific awareness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Teacher Prescreening for Hearing Loss in the Developing World.

The goal of this prospective cohort study was to characterize the ability of teachers to identify schoolchildren at risk of hearing loss in order to maximize hearing screening efficiency in low-resource settings. At 4 semirural schools in Malindi, Kenya, preselected schoolchildren perceived as hearing impaired were compared to children thought to have normal hearing using portable audiometry. Eight of 127 children (54% male) failed hearing screening, all of who were identified by schoolteachers as having a high risk of hearing loss. Thus, for every 5 children prescreened by schoolteachers, an average of 1 child would be identified as having hearing loss. Overall, teacher prescreening had a 100% hearing loss identification rate and a 20% referral rate. In conclusion, in resource-limited settings, where universal hearing screening is challenging, teachers can effectively identify children with hearing loss for early intervention.

Comprehensive Community Screening of Otological Patients by Trained Technicians Using a Telemedicine Device: An Efficient and Cost-Effective Way to Triage Patients With Ear Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To emphasize the benefits of tele-otology in community screening of patients with ear diseases. METHODS: A retrospective study of all patients screened and treated under the Shruti tele-otology program between 2013 and 2019 was conducted. It involved screening, diagnosis, medical management, surgical intervention, and rehabilitation using hearing aid. The study focused on underprivileged and underserved community of rural and urban slums across 12 states of India. The study was conducted using a telemedicine device called ENTraview, that is, a camera-enabled android phone integrated with an otoscope and audiometry screening. RESULT: A total of 810 746 people were screened, and incidence of various ear diseases was recorded. Ear problems were found in 265 615 (33%) patients, of which 151 067 (57%) had impacted wax, 46 792(18%) had chronic suppurative otitis media, 27 875 (10%) had diminished hearing, 12 729 (5%) had acute otitis media and acute suppurative otitis media (ASOM), and 27 152 (10%) had problems of foreign body, otomycosis, and so on. Of the total 265 615 referred patients, 20 986 (8%) reported for treatment and received treatment at a significantly reduced cost through Shruti program partners. The conversion rate of nonsurgical and surgical procedure was also compared, and it was found that, while 9% of the patients opted for nonsurgical treatment, only 3% opted for surgery in the intervention group giving a significant P value of .00001. CONCLUSION: The potential for telemedicine to reduce inequalities in health care is immense but remains underutilized. Shruti has largely been able to bridge this gap as it is an innovative, fast, and effective programs that address the ear ailment in the community.

Smartphone-Based Applications to Detect Hearing Loss: A Review of Current Technology.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a widely prevalent yet manageable condition that has been linked to neurocognitive and psychiatric comorbidities. Multiple barriers hinder older individuals from being diagnosed with ARHL through pure-tone audiometry. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the closure of many outpatient audiology and otolaryngology offices. Smartphone-based hearing assessment apps may overcome these challenges by enabling patients to remotely self-administer their own hearing examination. The objective of this review is to provide an up-to-date overview of current mobile health applications (apps) that claim to assess hearing. DESIGN: Narrative review. MEASUREMENTS: The Apple App Store and Google Play Store were queried for apps that claim to assess hearing. Relevant apps were downloaded and used to conduct a mock hearing assessment. Names of included apps were searched on four literature databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL) to determine which apps had been validated against gold standard methods. RESULTS: App store searches identified 44 unique apps. Apps differed with respect to the type of test offered (e.g., hearing threshold test), cost, strategies to reduce ambient noise, test output (quantitative vs qualitative results), and options to export results. Validation studies were identified for seven apps. CONCLUSION: Given their low cost and relative accessibility, smartphone-based hearing apps may facilitate screening for ARHL, particularly in the setting of limitations on in-person medical care due to COVID-19. However, app features vary widely, few apps have been validated, and user-centered designs for older adults are largely lacking. Further research and validation efforts are necessary to determine whether smartphone-based hearing assessments are a feasible and accurate screening tool for ARHL. Key Points Age-related hearing loss is a prevalent yet undertreated condition among older adults. Why Does this Paper Matter? Smartphone-based hearing test apps may facilitate remote screening for hearing loss, but limitations surrounding app validation, usability, equipment calibration, and data security should be addressed.

Development and validation of an iPad-based Japanese language monosyllable speech perception test (iCI2004 monosyllable).

BACKGROUND: Speech perception tests are commonly used as indices reflecting hearing ability in daily life. In Japan, the CI-2004 test, first developed in 2004, is widely used as standard, but it was not validated against a large number of normal hearing controls and hearing loss patients. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the present study was to develop and validate iPad-based software for the Japanese monosyllable speech perception test, 'iCI2004'. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven universities and two medical centers participated in this study. The hearing threshold and Japanese monosyllable speech perception test results of 77 people with normal hearing and 459 people with hearing loss were collected. RESULTS: All participants with normal hearing achieved almost perfect perception results both in quiet and in noise. For cochlear implant users, the average monosyllable speech perception score was 55.1 ± 19.6% in quiet and 40.3 ± 19.2% in noise (SNR + 10dB). CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: We developed iPad-based Japanese monosyllable speech perception test software and validated it by testing a large number of controls and hearing loss patients with cochlear implants or hearing aids. The developed monosyllable speech perception test has a sufficiently large dynamic range for assessing improvement in speech perception in Japanese cochlear implant users.

Portable Automated Rapid Testing (PART) for auditory assessment: Validation in a young adult normal-hearing population.

This study aims to determine the degree to which Portable Automated Rapid Testing (PART), a freely available program running on a tablet computer, is capable of reproducing standard laboratory results. Undergraduate students were assigned to one of three within-subject conditions that examined repeatability of performance on a battery of psychoacoustical tests of temporal fine structure processing, spectro-temporal amplitude modulation, and targets in competition. The repeatability condition examined test/retest with the same system, the headphones condition examined the effects of varying headphones (passive and active noise-attenuating), and the noise condition examined repeatability in the presence of recorded cafeteria noise. In general, performance on the test battery showed high repeatability, even across manipulated conditions, and was similar to that reported in the literature. These data serve as validation that suprathreshold psychoacoustical tests can be made accessible to run on consumer-grade hardware and perform in less controlled settings. This dataset also provides a distribution of thresholds that can be used as a normative baseline against which auditory dysfunction can be identified in future work.

Development of a Smartphone-Based Digits-in-Noise Test in Korean: a Hearing Screening Tool for Speech Perception in Noise.

BACKGROUND: The digits-in-noise (DiN) test is a speech-in-noise test to measure speech recognition threshold in noise adaptively. Herein, we aimed to develop the Korean version of the DiN test to provide a useful hearing screening tool for clinical as well as research purposes. METHOD: Spoken monosyllabic digits from 0 to 9 were recorded by a female speaker. The test list was constructed such that each digit was placed in three different positions. An optimization procedure was conducted to equate the audibility of each digit. After the optimization, the smartphone application for the Korean DiN (K-DiN) test was developed. For the adaptive measurement procedure, 180 new DiN triplets separated into six lists of 30 were created. Mean speech recognition threshold values for each list and session were measured to examine the test-retest and training effects of the test materials. In addition, speech recognition threshold values measured by different devices were compared to determine whether the speech recognition threshold levels differed. RESULTS: Optimization results showed that the mean speech recognition threshold and slope were ?11.55 dB signal-to-noise ratio and 10.21%/dB, respectively, which are comparable to levels shown in different-language versions of the DiN test. The results of the test-retest and training effects revealed no significant differences among the test sessions and lists. Additionally, the mean speech recognition threshold values measured by four different devices were not different, indicating the reliability of the test materials. CONCLUSION: We believe this study is the first to attempt to develop a K-DiN test. Our results indicate that this test can be used as a potentially reliable hearing screening tool.

Sudden deafness and tuning fork tests: towards optimal utilisation.

The tuning fork tests have been under attack since their first use in clinical examination. However, the tuning fork is small and fits into every white coat, and tuning fork tests for hearing are easy, accurate and inexpensive. They should be used in patients with an acute unilateral hearing loss if an electric audiometer is not available. After more than 100 years, the tuning fork is not obsolete; tuning fork tests are very useful if used correctly and for the appropriate indication.

Analysis of probe fitting stimulus properties on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions.

Objective: The objectives of the current study are first, to evaluate the subjective evaluation of probe fitting stimulus properties, and second, to analyse the effects of different probe fittings on transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) response and noise amplitudes in subjects.Design: The Q methodology was used to sort 48 probe fittings differing in stimulus properties in seven categories from totally unacceptable to certainly acceptable. Further, TEOAE response and noise amplitudes were measured in one baseline condition with optimal probe fitting and eight experimental conditions with less than optimal probe fittings.Study sample: The probe fittings were ranked by 18 participants, while the repeated measures design was performed in 34 ear.Results: First, it was found that only 19.61% of all distributions of the probe fittings by the participants had a mutual correlation of at least 70.00%. Almost 60% of the variance of distributions was explained by 83.33% of the participants, although most probe fittings significantly differed from other fittings based on spectral broadness. Second, significant differences in TEOAE response and especially noise amplitudes between conditions were found. Further, TEOAE response and noise amplitudes between the baseline and experimental conditions were significantly different depending on ringing and spectral flatness of the stimulus.Conclusion: A substantial amount of subjectivity during TEOAE measurements is involved with regard to the evaluation of probe fitting stimulus properties. TEOAE response but especially noise amplitudes are influenced by varying stimulus parameters which stresses the importance of inspecting these parameters prior to or during EOAE measurements. Although more research is needed, some guidelines regarding these parameters are given which could improve the accuracy of TEOAEs in practice.

Agreement on the use of sensory screening techniques by nurses for older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care: a mixed-methods consensus approach.

OBJECTIVE: Based on two scoping reviews and two environmental scans, this study aimed at reaching consensus on the most suitable sensory screening tools for use by nurses working in long-term care homes, for the purpose of developing and validating a toolkit. SETTING: A mixed-methods consensus study was conducted through two rounds of virtual electronic suitability rankings, followed by one online discussion group to resolve remaining disagreements. PARTICIPANTS: A 12-member convenience panel of specialists from three countries with expertise in sensory and cognitive ageing provided the ranking data, of whom four participated in the online discussion. OUTCOME MEASURES: As part of a larger mixed-methods project, the consensus was used to rank 22 vision and 20 hearing screening tests for suitability, based on 10 categories from the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology questionnaire. Panellists were asked to score each test by category, and their responses were converted to z-scores, pooled and ranked. Outliers in assessment distribution were then returned to the individual team members to adjust scoring towards consensus. RESULTS: In order of ranking, the top 4 vision screening tests were hand motion, counting fingers, confrontation visual fields and the HOT-V chart, whereas the top 4 hearing screening tests were the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, the Whisper Test, the Measure of Severity of Hearing Loss and the Hyperacusis Questionnaire, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The final selection of vision screening tests relied on observable visual behaviours, such as visibility of tasks within the central or peripheral visual field, whereas three of the four hearing tests relied on subjective report. Next, feasibility will be tested by nurses using these tools in a long-term care setting with persons with various levels of cognitive impairment.

Diagnóstico del desorden del procesamiento auditivo central / Diagnosis of central auditory processing disorder

CONTEXTO CLÍNICO: Una alteración en el lenguaje se refiere a un impedimento en la capacidad de recibir, enviar, processar y comprender conceptos o sistemas de símbolos verbales, no verbales y gráficos. El desarrollo normal de la comunicación requiere la interacción de un mecanismo intacto con un entorno favorable. Dentro de los componentes responsables de este mecanismo se incluyen la sensibilidad auditiva, percepción, inteligencia, integridad estructural, habilidad motora y estabilidad emocional. Los desórdenes del procesamiento auditivo central (DPAC) se definen como un déficit en el procesamiento de la información relacionada en forma específica a la modalidad auditiva, este déficit puede verse exacerbado en ambientes en donde las condiciones acústicas son desfavorables. Estos déficits pueden estar asociados a dificultades auditivas, de comprensión del habla, desarrollo del lenguaje y aprendizaje. Un DPAC es resultado de una disfunción en el procesamiento de la información auditiva pudiendo o no coexistir con una disfunción global que afecte el desempeño a través de otras modalidades (por ejemplo: déficit de atención, déficit en la representación del lenguaje, entre otros). La prevalencia de este desorden varía levemente según diferentes investigadores, los datos más recientes señalan este rango entre 2% y 3% de los niños a una razón de 2:1 entre hombre y mujeres. TECNOLOGÍA: El profesional a cargo debe seleccionar la batería de pruebas adecuadas para el diagnóstico de DPAC. La selección de éstas debe basarse en los hallazgos de la historia del caso, la evaluación interdisciplinaria (por ejemplo, los resultados del lenguaje y las evaluaciones cognitivas) y la evaluación audiológica periférica. La batería de pruebas se puede usar para diagnosticar una alteración en uno o más processos neurofisiológicos que ocurren cuando las señales auditivas viajan a través del SNAC. La identificación de déficits específicos en los SNAC puede llevar a recomendaciones específicas y planes de tratamiento. OBJETIVO: El objetivo del presente informe es evaluar la evidencia disponible acerca de la capacidad diagnóstica y los aspectos relacionados a las políticas de cobertura del uso de las pruebas diagnósticas en el desorden del procesamiento auditivo central. MÉTODOS: Se realizó una búsqueda en las principales bases de datos bibliográficas, en buscadores genéricos de internet, y financiadores de salud. Se priorizó la inclusión de revisiones sistemáticas (RS), ensayos clínicos controlados aleatorizados (ECAs), evaluaciones de tecnologías sanitarias (ETS), evaluaciones económicas, guías de práctica clínica (GPC) y políticas de cobertura de diferentes sistemas de salud. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron una RS, siete GPC y siete informes de políticas de cobertura sobre pruebas diagnósticas para el desorden del procesamiento auditivo central. CONCLUSIONES: Evidencia de baja calidad sugiere que las pruebas diagnósticas utilizadas actualmente en el desorden del procesamiento auditivo central (DPAC) podrían ser de utilidad para su abordaje diagnóstico. No se hallaron estudios que evalúen la precisión diagnóstica de un conjunto de pruebas en pacientes con sospecha de DPAC. Las guías de práctica clínica (GPC) relevadas expresan que no existe un patrón de oro para realizar el diagnóstico de DPAC, por lo tanto, la selección de las distintas pruebas debería ajustarse a las características y condiciones del paciente. Las mismas GPC recomiendan el uso de una batería de pruebas (de comportamiento o electrofisiológicas) para el abordaje diagnóstico del DPAC, debido a que en su conjunto mejorarían la precisión diagnóstica. Una GPC intersociedades de Europa recomienda una batería determinada de pruebas para iniciar el abordaje diagnóstico, constituído por la prueba de dígitos dicóticos, las de patrones de frecuencia y de duración, Gaps-In-Noise (GIN), prueba de habla en ruido, diferencia de umbrales binaurales enmascarados, y la prueba de inteligibilidad del habla pediátrica. Los financiadores públicos de salud que han sido relevados no contemplan la cobertura de las pruebas para el diagnóstico de DPAC. Dentro de los financiadores privados de salud de los Estados Unidos, dos no brindan cobertura ya que la consideran en fase experimental, mientras que otros dos otorgan cobertura para el abordaje diagnóstico del DPAC, y en esos casos, la batería de pruebas será seleccionada según criterio del profesional tratante.

Compensated active noise cancellation earphone for audiometric screening tests in noisy environments.

Objective: This study investigated hearing screening tests by using a custom-designed compensated hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) earphone and compared it with TDH39 and Audiocups audiometric earphones under conditions of quiet, 45 dB HL masking narrowband, wideband speech-shaped, and white noise. Design: The hearing screening tests were conducted to characterise the shifts of screening results under noisy conditions, and real-ear attenuations at thresholds were assessed to quantify real-ear noise reduction performance. Study sample: Twenty-four normal-hearing adults, aged 20-25 years, participated in this study. Results: The ANC earphone exhibited significantly lower/better mean screening results than those of the TDH39 earphone at 250 and 500 Hz and those of the Audiocups earphone at 250 Hz under conditions of narrowband, speech-shaped, and white noise. Compared with the TDH39 earphone at 250 and 500 Hz, applying a hybrid ANC earphone reduced the shifts in screening results by 14.2 and 12.3 dB, respectively, under the narrowband noise condition. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the compensated hybrid ANC earphone provided lower shifts of screening results than the TDH39 and Audiocups earphones and that it was capable of screening at 250 and 500 Hz from 20 dB HL under 45 dB HL masking narrowband and wideband noise.

Can smartphone vibration provide a valid alternative to tuning forks for use on the ENT ward round?

BACKGROUND: All patients undergoing tympanomastoid surgery should be assessed post-operatively for a 'dead ear'; however, tuning forks are frequently inaccessible. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that smartphone-based vibration applications provide equivalent accuracy to tuning forks when performing Weber's test. METHODS: Data were collected on lay participants with no underlying hearing loss. Earplugs were used to simulate conductive hearing loss. Both the right and left ears were tested with the iBrateMe vibration application on an iPhone and using a 512 Hz tuning fork. RESULTS: Occluding the left ear, the tuning fork lateralised to the left in 18 out of 20 cases. In 20 out of 20 cases, sound lateralised to the left with the iPhone (chi-square test, p = 0.147). Occluding the right ear, the tuning fork lateralised to the right in 19 out of 20 cases. In 19 out of 20 cases, sound lateralised to the right with the iPhone (chi-square test, p > 0.999). CONCLUSION: Smartphone-based vibration applications represent a viable, more accessible alternative to tuning forks when assessing for conductive hearing loss. They can therefore be utilised on the ward round, in patients following tympanomastoid surgery, for example.

Prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss in newborns in a hospital from a developing country / Prevalencia de hipoacusia neurosensorial del recién nacido: hospital en un país en vía de desarrollo

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nonsyndromic congenital sensorineural hearing loss at the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia, and to describe the risk factors associated with this condition. Materials and Methods A prospective, observational cross-sectional study with bivariate analysis was conducted. A three-phase process using the Otoacoustic Emissions test screened all live newborns between June 2013 and June 2014. Negative cases were confirmed by Automated Auditory Brainstem Response test. Results A total of 962 newborns were screened with Otoacoustic Emissions test bilaterally: 401 males (46.36%), 464 females (53.64%). The mean weight was 2 798.10 g (95%CI: 2 766.51 - 2 839.76). The mean height was 48.60 cm (95%CI: 48.38 - 48.79). The mean age was 16.24 days (95%CI: 15.47 - 17.01). The mean maternal age was 27.37 years (95%CI: 26.76 - 27.98). There was a family history of hearing loss in 9.48% of the cases (n=90), and a family history of genetic diseases in 100 cases (10.56%). There were 14 cases of TORCH infections (1.45%), 375 admissions to the NICU (39.06%), 160 cases of neonatal jaundice (20.1%), and 79 cases of postpartum infections (8.21%). One live newborn presented with microtia. Conclusions The prevalence of congenital sensorineural hearing loss was 0.31% in both ears, and 0.11% in one ear. Currently, Colombia lacks a public universal newborn hearing screening program, and its future implementation faces great challenges.(AU)

RESUMEN Objetivos Este estudio busca determinar la prevalencia de la hipoacusia neurosensorial congénita no sindrómica en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio de Bogotá, Colombia, y describir sus factores de riesgo. Materiales y Métodos Estudio observacional, transversal y prospectivo con análisis bivariado. Todos los nacidos vivos entre junio de 2013 y junio de 2014 fueron tamizados con Emisiones Otoacusticas. Los casos negativos fueron confirmados con Potenciales Evocados Auditivos de Tronco Cerebral. Resultados Un total de 962 neonatos fueron tamizados de forma bilateral con Emisiones Otoacústicas: 401 de sexo masculino (46,36%) y 464 de sexo femenino (53,64%). El peso promedio fue de 2 798,10 g (IC95%: 2 766,51 - 2 839,76). La talla promedio fue de 48.60 cm (IC95%: 48,38 - 48,79). La edad promedio fue de 16,24 días (IC95%: 15,47 -17,01). La edad materna promedio fue de 27,37 años (IC95%: 26,76 - 27,98). Se encontró historia familiar de hipoacusia en 9.48% de los casos (n=90) e historia familiar de enfermedades genéticas en 100 casos (10,56%). Hubo 14 casos de infecciones por TORCH (1,45%), 375 admisiones a la UCI Neonatal (39,06%), 160 casos de ictericia neonatal (20,1%) y 79 casos de infecciones postnatales (8,21%). Un nacido vivo presentó microtia. Conclusiones Se encontró una prevalencia de hipoacusia neurosensorial congénita del 0,31% en ambos oídos y de 0,11% en un oído. Actualmente Colombia carece de un programa nacional de tamización de hipoacusia neonatal, y su futura implementación conlleva grandes retos.(AU)

Tablet-Based Hearing Test Among Child Clinical Populations: Performance and Preference.

Background and Introduction: Tablet-based automated audiometry applications are a recent alternative method to perform pure-tone hearing testing. Children, in particular, might benefit from such apps because of the game-like interface. However, how children perceive this alternative approach has not been well studied. This study examined children's preference of hearing test and a relationship between their test preference and hearing test results. Materials and Methods: Forty children 6-12 years of age completed a pure-tone hearing test in both the tablet-based automated (tablet) method and the conventional method. Hearing thresholds were measured at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 kHz in each ear. An exit interview was conducted to obtain each child's test preference. Results: We found that 59% of the children preferred the tablet method when compared to the conventional method. Preference to the tablet method was stronger in the younger children (6 years) than older children (7-12 years). The linear regression analyses suggest that test preference does not affect the hearing test results in the conventional method, but does negatively affect the results in the tablet method. In addition, poor performance was found among children with a clinical diagnosis, in particular, in the tablet method. Discussion: These results suggest that hearing thresholds may be overestimated in children, especially those with clinical diagnosis such as attention or behavioral issues in the tablet method. Future work is needed to determine which clinical populations have potential benefit from a tablet method. Conclusions: Children's test preference is not a good index of hearing test accuracy.

Headphone Evaluation for App-Based Automated Mobile Hearing Screening

Abstract Introduction With the need for hearing screenings increasing across multiple populations, a need for automated options has been identified. This research seeks to evaluate the hardware requirements for automated hearing screenings using a mobile application. Objective Evaluation of headphone hardware for use with an app-based mobile screening application. Methods For the purposes of this study, hEAR, a Bekesy-based mobile application designed by the research team, was compared with pure tone audiometric tests administered by an audiologist. Both hEAR and the audiologist's test used 7 frequencies (125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz) adopting four different sets of commercially available headphones. The frequencies were regarded as the independent variable, whereas the sound pressure level (in decibels) was the dependent variable. Thirty participants from a university in Texas were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups, whose only difference was the order in which the tests were performed. Data were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation model at α = 0.05. Results Findings showed that, when used to collect data with the mobile app, both the Pioneer HDJ-2000 (Pioneer, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan) (p> 0.05) and the Sennheiser HD280 Pro (Sennheiser, Wedemark, Hanover, Germany) (p> 0.05) headphones presented results that were not statistically different from the audiologist's data across all test frequencies. Analyses indicated that both headphones had decreased detection probability at 4kHz and 8kHz, but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion Data indicate that a mobile application, when paired with appropriate headphones, is capable of reproducing audiologist-quality data.

Effects of CyberKnife therapy for vestibular schwannoma on hearing: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of CyberKnife stereotactic radiotherapy for the treatment of vestibular schwannoma on hearing, as evaluated by audiological tests. METHODS: Patients with vestibular schwannoma were evaluated before and after CyberKnife radiosurgery. Evaluation included pure tone thresholds, speech discrimination scores, auditory brainstem responses and radiological signs. RESULTS: The study comprised 26 patients diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma and subsequently treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery. The mean follow-up time was 16.4 months. The mean post-treatment hearing preservation rate was 69.23 per cent. There was no significant relationship between hearing loss after treatment and patient age, radiation dosage during treatment, or size of tumour. With regard to auditory brainstem responses, patients with hearing loss following treatment had a significantly higher inter-peak latency between waves I-III than patients with preserved hearing. CONCLUSION: Stereotactic CyberKnife radiosurgery is an excellent alternative treatment modality for patients with vestibular schwannoma, and results in acceptable preservation of hearing. Residual hearing following CyberKnife therapy is not significantly affected by factors such as age, size of tumour or dosage of treatment.

Accuracy of Smartphone Self-Hearing Test Applications Across Frequencies and Earphone Styles in Adults.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate smartphone-based self-hearing test applications (apps) for accuracy in threshold assessment and validity in screening for hearing loss across frequencies and earphone transducer styles. METHOD: Twenty-two adult participants (10 = normal hearing; 12 = sensorineural hearing loss; n = 44 ears) underwent conventional audiometry and performed 6 self-administered hearing tests using two iPhone-based apps (App 1 = uHear [Version 2.0.2, Unitron]; App 2 = uHearingTest [Version 1.0.3, WooFu Tech, LLC.]) each with 3 different transducers (earbud earphones, supra-aural headphones, circumaural headphones). Hearing sensitivity results using the smartphone apps across frequencies and transducers were compared with conventional audiometry. RESULTS: Differences in accuracy were revealed between the hearing test apps across frequencies and earphone styles. The uHear app using the iPhone standard EarPod earbud earphones was accurate to conventional thresholds (p > .002 with Bonferroni correction) at 1000, 2000, 4000, and 6000 Hz and found valid (81%-100% sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) for screening mild or greater hearing loss (> 25 dB HL) at 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 6000 Hz. The uHearingTest app was accurate in threshold assessment and determined valid for screening mild or greater hearing loss (> 25 dB HL) using supra-aural headphones at 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz. CONCLUSIONS: Self-hearing test apps can be accurate in hearing threshold assessment and screening for mild or greater hearing loss (> 25 dB HL) when using appropriate transducers. To ensure accuracy, manufacturers should specify earphone model instructions to users of smartphone-based self-hearing test apps.