title: The calibration of a prototype occluded ear simulator designed for neonatal hearing assessment applications.
abstract: An innovative family of ear simulators has been conceived for the calibration and traceability of audiometric equipment. Each device within the family has been designed for a particular key age group, covering neonates through to adults. The age-specific ear simulators are intended to improve the quality of hearing assessment measurements for all test subject age groups, and will be proposed as the next generation of standardised ear simulators for audiometric applications. The family of ear simulators shares a common design and modeling approach, and the first prototype devices for neonatal applications have been manufactured. The objectives of this study were to develop calibration methods, verify conformance to the design goals, demonstrate that the device is capable of being calibrated reliably, and show that its performance is ultimately suitable for international standardisation and eventual adoption into clinical practices. Four national measurement institutes took part in a round-robin calibration comparison and an analysis of the results showed that these objectives were achieved.
authors: National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, United Kingdom.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Barham
authors: Brüel and Kjær Sound and Vibration Measurement A/S, Skodsborgvej 307, 2850 Nærum, Denmark.
authors: Erling S
authors: ES
authors: Olsen
authors: Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d'Essais, 29 Rue Roger Hennequin, 78190 Trappes, France.
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Danish Metrology Institute, Matematiktorvet 307, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngyby, Denmark.
authors: Salvador
authors: S
authors: Barrera-Figueroa
authors: Ulusal Metroloji Enstitüsü, Gebze Yerleşkesi, 41470, Turkey.
authors: Enver
authors: E
authors: Sadikoğlu
authors: Ulusal Metroloji Enstitüsü, Gebze Yerleşkesi, 41470, Turkey.
authors: Baki
authors: B
authors: Karaböce
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001299:Audiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002138:Calibration; D004867:Equipment Design; D006309:Hearing; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*