Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for automated testing of a patient's hearing. The automated hearing test allows the patient to quickly and accurately test his own hearing. The patient is instructed and prompted for inputs and responses as needed. The patient and/or operator can select one or several tests to be performed, including air and bone conduction testing with masking, speech reception threshold, speech discrimination, tympanogram, acoustic reflex, and otoacoustic emissions testing. Stenger screening is automatically performed for some patients based on the difference in pure tone frequency air conduction thresholds. Multiple languages are supported. Data obtained from one test may be used for another test or another iteration of the same test to calculate masking levels. The automatic hearing test also detects and compensates for ambient noise in the test results. If a contingency occurs, the automated hearing test is configured to page the operator for assistance.

Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for automated testing of a patient's hearing. The automated hearing test allows the patient to quickly and accurately test his own hearing. The patient is instructed and prompted for inputs and responses as needed. The patient and/or operator can select one or several tests to be performed, including air and bone conduction testing with masking, speech reception threshold, speech discrimination, tympanogram, acoustic reflex, and otoacoustic emissions testing. Stenger screening is automatically performed for some patients based on the difference in pure tone frequency air conduction thresholds. Multiple languages are supported. Data obtained from one test may be used for another test or another iteration of the same test to calculate masking levels. The automatic hearing test also detects and compensates for ambient noise in the test results. If a contingency occurs, the automated hearing test is configured to page the operator for assistance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for evaluation of hearing loss is disclosed. The apparatus and method use evoked Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) to determine if the subject is able to hear repeatedly administered click stimuli. In order to optimize evaluation, the present invention uses normative data to accurately weight the auditory responses, so that evaluation will be possible in different or changing noise conditions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for evaluation of hearing loss is disclosed. The apparatus and method use evoked Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) to determine if the subject is able to hear repeatedly administered click stimuli. In order to optimize evaluation, the present invention uses normative data to accurately weight the auditory responses, so that evaluation will be possible in different or changing noise conditions.

Abstract: A method of calculating a single number summarizing the performance of a device for transmitting, amplifying, or reproducing acoustic speech signals. The number can be used for evaluation and comparison of characteristics of devices for conveying speech, for instance to choose a hearing aid prescription. In the method, for each device of a plurality of acoustic devices, intelligibility measurements are obtained for speech signals transmitted from or reproduced by the device under multiple of listening conditions, and a weighted sum of the device's intelligibility measurements is formed. From among the plurality of devices, the one device best overall suited to the plurality of listening conditions is chosen by comparing the weighted sums and selecting the device with the largest corresponding weighted sum.

Abstract: Auditory tone burst signals are supplied to the ear of a human subject and the electroencephalographic responses are monitored, filtered, and provided to a sampler which samples the polarity of the EEG signal at predetermined times after the auditory signal has been applied. The existence of an expected response waveform of a definite shape and frequency in an individual who responds to the sounds causes a statistical shift of the ratio of sample polarities matching the expected polarity with respect to the total number of trials. The number of matched response polarities and the number of trials are counted and can be compared after the test is completed. A decision can be made as to whether a subject is responding by selecting a statistical confidence limit which allows the hypothesis that a subject is not responding to the auditory signal to be rejected if the ratio of responses to trials falls above the selected confidence limit.