Measuring real-ear signal-to-noise ratio: application to directional hearing aids
Measuring real-ear signal-to-noise ratio: application to directional hearing aids
Due to individual characteristics such as head size, earmould type, and earmould venting, the directional benefit that an individual will obtain from a hearing aid cannot be predicted from average data. It is therefore desirable to measure real ear directional benefit. This paper demonstrates a method to measure real ear hearing aid directivity based on a general approach to measure the broadband output signal-to-noise ratio of a hearing aid. Errors arising from non-linearity were tested in simulation and found to be low for typical hearing aid compression ratios. Next, the efficacy of the method to estimate directional benefit was demonstrated on KEMAR. Finally the variability of directional benefit was explored in real-ears. Significant differences in signal-to-noise ratio between directional and omnidirectional microphone settings were demonstrated at most azimuths. Articulation-Index-weighted directional benefit varied by more than 7 dB across ears at some azimuths. Such individual variation in directional benefit has implications when fitting hearing aids: it should not be assumed that all users will receive similar directional benefit from the same hearing aid.
238-246
Bell, Steven L.
91de0801-d2b7-44ba-8e8e-523e672aed8a
Creeke, Sarah A.
b6c292e8-3134-4993-ae9c-8bdea391e87e
March 2010
Bell, Steven L.
91de0801-d2b7-44ba-8e8e-523e672aed8a
Creeke, Sarah A.
b6c292e8-3134-4993-ae9c-8bdea391e87e
Bell, Steven L., Creeke, Sarah A. and Lutman, Mark E.
(2010)
Measuring real-ear signal-to-noise ratio: application to directional hearing aids.
International Journal of Audiology, 49 (3), .
(doi:10.3109/14992020903280146).
Abstract
Due to individual characteristics such as head size, earmould type, and earmould venting, the directional benefit that an individual will obtain from a hearing aid cannot be predicted from average data. It is therefore desirable to measure real ear directional benefit. This paper demonstrates a method to measure real ear hearing aid directivity based on a general approach to measure the broadband output signal-to-noise ratio of a hearing aid. Errors arising from non-linearity were tested in simulation and found to be low for typical hearing aid compression ratios. Next, the efficacy of the method to estimate directional benefit was demonstrated on KEMAR. Finally the variability of directional benefit was explored in real-ears. Significant differences in signal-to-noise ratio between directional and omnidirectional microphone settings were demonstrated at most azimuths. Articulation-Index-weighted directional benefit varied by more than 7 dB across ears at some azimuths. Such individual variation in directional benefit has implications when fitting hearing aids: it should not be assumed that all users will receive similar directional benefit from the same hearing aid.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: March 2010
Organisations:
Human Sciences Group
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 145237
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/145237
PURE UUID: a480f787-9c31-4056-b071-a64a476932d6
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 16 Apr 2010 14:14
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 00:50
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Sarah A. Creeke
Author:
Mark E. Lutman
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics