Computerized Hearing Grading System Using Suprathreshold Stimuli
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hearing evaluation methods are impractical and inaccessible for non-experts, requiring specialized equipment and clinical settings, and existing automated methods are inaccurate due to calibration challenges and lack sensitivity in determining hearing aid candidacy according to WHO guidelines.
Innovation Solution
A computerized hearing grading system using a computing device and a test device with an audio signal generator that administers suprathreshold test stimuli at nonuniform step levels, allowing self-administration or administration by a lay person in non-clinical settings, with calibrated earphones and noise sensing to provide accurate hearing ability scores and hearing aid indications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If standard audiometric evaluation methods are used, then measurement precision of hearing threshold is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a copy of the standard audiometric test signal (pure tone signals at specific frequencies and intensities) but delivers it through a consumer transducer (smartphone speaker or earphone) instead of clinical equipment. The test signals are copied from the ANSI S3.6 standard and adapted for consumer electronics delivery, maintaining the essential acoustic characteristics while eliminating the need for expensive clinical instrumentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, durable clinical audiometers and sound booths with inexpensive, readily available consumer electronics (smartphones, tablets, or personal computers with speakers or earphones). These consumer devices are treated as sufficient substitutes for the expensive clinical equipment, dramatically reducing cost while maintaining adequate measurement capability for hearing aid candidacy determination.
2Measurement precision
If standard audiometric testing in sound booths is used, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for lay people
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-administration of the hearing test by the consumer themselves or by a lay person without requiring trained audiologists or specialized facilities. The automated software guides the user through the test procedure, automatically presents test signals, records responses, and generates the hearing aid candidacy determination, making the service self-performable without expert intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the consumer to travel to a clinical setting with specialized equipment and trained professionals, the patent inverts the approach by bringing the hearing test capability to the consumer's existing environment (home, office, or retail store) using their existing consumer electronics devices. The test environment comes to the user rather than the user going to the test environment.
3Measurement precision
If standard audiogram testing is used, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to time-consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential elements needed for determining hearing aid candidacy from the complete standard audiogram procedure. Instead of testing across the full frequency range (125-8000 Hz) and intensity range (-10 to 110 dB HL) with 5 dB increments, the method extracts and tests only at the specific frequencies (500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz) and intensity levels (15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85 dB HL) relevant for WHO grading and hearing aid candidacy determination, significantly reducing test time while maintaining diagnostic accuracy for the intended purpose.
4Measurement precision
If audiogram test reports are generated, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to technical complexity for consumers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the complex audiogram data (hearing sensitivity across multiple frequencies and intensities) into a simplified parameter - the WHO grade of hearing impairment (grades 0-4) and hearing aid candidacy determination (yes/no). This parameter transformation converts difficult-to-interpret audiometric data into actionable, easy-to-understand results that directly indicate whether hearing aids are recommended, making the results accessible to consumers without requiring audiological expertise.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of systems and methods for rapidly grading the hearing of a user in accordance with WHO guidelines are disclosed. One example includes a personal computer and a test device configured to produce calibrated acoustic output at suprathreshold levels presented at an audiometric frequency range from 500 to 4000 Hz. The consumer's minimal response levels are registered, and a hearing ability score is presented to indicate a hearing grade and hearing aid candidacy. The hearing ability score may be representative of a classification of the WHO grading of hearing impairment. Systems and methods disclosed herein, with considerations for room noise present in the consumer's environment, allow for rapid hearing profiling, using a standard personal computer and minimal low-cost hardware, thus particularly suited for self-testing outside clinical environments such as at home, office, or retail store settings.