title: Signal delivery/real ear measurement system for hearing aid selection and fitting.
abstract: This report describes a signal delivery/real ear measurement system for application in the hearing aid selection and fitting process. This signal delivery/real ear measurement system provides a means for quantifying a listener's auditory characteristics (e.g., thresholds, loudness discomfort levels) in a manner that is compatible with electroacoustic measures of hearing aid performance. The signal delivery/real ear measurement system consists of a button-type hearing aid receiver coupled to the listener's personal earmold, and a probe tube microphone system to measure the signal level within the occluded ear canal. This signal delivery/real ear measurement system was used to measure detection thresholds and loudness discomfort levels in severe/profoundly hearing-impaired school-age children, with results indicating good test-retest reliability in behavioral responses. The findings presented in this report relate to the intersession electroacoustic variability associated with this instrumentation. In addition, the potential application of this or a similar system for measuring real ear to 2-cc coupler difference values is illustrated and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communicative Disorders, Elborn College, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Zelisko
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Seewald
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gagné
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D001299:Audiometry; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male