20Q: A Perfect Storm for Auditory Brain Training

This article uses an engaging Q & A format to provide an overview of auditory brain training with examples from the clEAR program, as well as a rationale for offering such a program for adults with hearing loss in an audiology practice.

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20Q: A Perfect Storm for Auditory Brain Training

This article uses an engaging Q & A format to provide an overview of auditory brain training with examples from the clEAR program, as well as a rationale for offering such a program for adults with hearing loss in an audiology practice.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2CwtzF6
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Performance evaluation of a novel piezoelectric subcutaneous bone conduction device

Publication date: Available online 6 October 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Ivo Dobrev, Jae Hoon Sim, Flurin Pfiffner, Alexander M. Huber, Christof Röösli

Abstract

Objectives

Evaluation of the transfer function efficiency of a newly-developed piezo-electric actuator for active subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid.

Methods

The experiments were conducted on four Thiel embalmed whole head cadaver specimens. A novel actuator based on piezo-electric transduction (PZTA), part of a subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid device, was sequentially implanted on three locations: 1) Immediately posterior to pinna; 2) 50-60mm posterior to pinna, approximately the same distance as between the BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid) location and the ear canal, but the same horizontal level as location 1; 3) the traditional BAHA location. Using a single point 3-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) system, three types of motion measurements were performed at the cochlear promontory for each stimulation location: 1) ipsilateral side, 2) contralateral side, 3) measurements 1 and 2 were repeated after mastoidectomy on the ipsilateral side.

Results

On average, stimulation at locations 1 and 2 show a trend for higher promontory motion relative to location 3 (BAHA location) above 1 kHz. Stimulation at location 1 had an average improvement of 1 to 6 dB at 2-4 kHz, and 1 to 18 dB at 6-8kHz. The spatial composition of the motion showed significant contributions from both in-plane and out-of-plane (along ear canal) motion components, with in-plane components being dominant at mid and high frequencies for locations 2 and 3. Stimulation at locations 1 and 3 produced similar transcranial attenuation at mid frequencies (0.6-4kHz), with a potential trend of higher attenuation (seen in 3 or the 4 samples) for location 1 at higher frequencies (>4kHz). The mastoidectomy affected negatively mostly the high frequencies (6-8 kHz) for stimulation at location 1, with no significant change for location 3.

Conclusion

The sound transfer function efficacy of a novel subcutaneous bone conduction device has been quantified, and the influence of stimulation location and mastoidectomy have been analyzed based on promontory motion in Thiel-preserved cadaver heads.

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Performance evaluation of a novel piezoelectric subcutaneous bone conduction device

Publication date: Available online 6 October 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Ivo Dobrev, Jae Hoon Sim, Flurin Pfiffner, Alexander M. Huber, Christof Röösli

Abstract

Objectives

Evaluation of the transfer function efficiency of a newly-developed piezo-electric actuator for active subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid.

Methods

The experiments were conducted on four Thiel embalmed whole head cadaver specimens. A novel actuator based on piezo-electric transduction (PZTA), part of a subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid device, was sequentially implanted on three locations: 1) Immediately posterior to pinna; 2) 50-60mm posterior to pinna, approximately the same distance as between the BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid) location and the ear canal, but the same horizontal level as location 1; 3) the traditional BAHA location. Using a single point 3-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) system, three types of motion measurements were performed at the cochlear promontory for each stimulation location: 1) ipsilateral side, 2) contralateral side, 3) measurements 1 and 2 were repeated after mastoidectomy on the ipsilateral side.

Results

On average, stimulation at locations 1 and 2 show a trend for higher promontory motion relative to location 3 (BAHA location) above 1 kHz. Stimulation at location 1 had an average improvement of 1 to 6 dB at 2-4 kHz, and 1 to 18 dB at 6-8kHz. The spatial composition of the motion showed significant contributions from both in-plane and out-of-plane (along ear canal) motion components, with in-plane components being dominant at mid and high frequencies for locations 2 and 3. Stimulation at locations 1 and 3 produced similar transcranial attenuation at mid frequencies (0.6-4kHz), with a potential trend of higher attenuation (seen in 3 or the 4 samples) for location 1 at higher frequencies (>4kHz). The mastoidectomy affected negatively mostly the high frequencies (6-8 kHz) for stimulation at location 1, with no significant change for location 3.

Conclusion

The sound transfer function efficacy of a novel subcutaneous bone conduction device has been quantified, and the influence of stimulation location and mastoidectomy have been analyzed based on promontory motion in Thiel-preserved cadaver heads.

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Performance evaluation of a novel piezoelectric subcutaneous bone conduction device

Publication date: Available online 6 October 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Ivo Dobrev, Jae Hoon Sim, Flurin Pfiffner, Alexander M. Huber, Christof Röösli

Abstract

Objectives

Evaluation of the transfer function efficiency of a newly-developed piezo-electric actuator for active subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid.

Methods

The experiments were conducted on four Thiel embalmed whole head cadaver specimens. A novel actuator based on piezo-electric transduction (PZTA), part of a subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid device, was sequentially implanted on three locations: 1) Immediately posterior to pinna; 2) 50-60mm posterior to pinna, approximately the same distance as between the BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid) location and the ear canal, but the same horizontal level as location 1; 3) the traditional BAHA location. Using a single point 3-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) system, three types of motion measurements were performed at the cochlear promontory for each stimulation location: 1) ipsilateral side, 2) contralateral side, 3) measurements 1 and 2 were repeated after mastoidectomy on the ipsilateral side.

Results

On average, stimulation at locations 1 and 2 show a trend for higher promontory motion relative to location 3 (BAHA location) above 1 kHz. Stimulation at location 1 had an average improvement of 1 to 6 dB at 2-4 kHz, and 1 to 18 dB at 6-8kHz. The spatial composition of the motion showed significant contributions from both in-plane and out-of-plane (along ear canal) motion components, with in-plane components being dominant at mid and high frequencies for locations 2 and 3. Stimulation at locations 1 and 3 produced similar transcranial attenuation at mid frequencies (0.6-4kHz), with a potential trend of higher attenuation (seen in 3 or the 4 samples) for location 1 at higher frequencies (>4kHz). The mastoidectomy affected negatively mostly the high frequencies (6-8 kHz) for stimulation at location 1, with no significant change for location 3.

Conclusion

The sound transfer function efficacy of a novel subcutaneous bone conduction device has been quantified, and the influence of stimulation location and mastoidectomy have been analyzed based on promontory motion in Thiel-preserved cadaver heads.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2NpX4JD
via IFTTT

Performance evaluation of a novel piezoelectric subcutaneous bone conduction device

Publication date: Available online 6 October 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Ivo Dobrev, Jae Hoon Sim, Flurin Pfiffner, Alexander M. Huber, Christof Röösli

Abstract

Objectives

Evaluation of the transfer function efficiency of a newly-developed piezo-electric actuator for active subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid.

Methods

The experiments were conducted on four Thiel embalmed whole head cadaver specimens. A novel actuator based on piezo-electric transduction (PZTA), part of a subcutaneous bone conduction hearing aid device, was sequentially implanted on three locations: 1) Immediately posterior to pinna; 2) 50-60mm posterior to pinna, approximately the same distance as between the BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid) location and the ear canal, but the same horizontal level as location 1; 3) the traditional BAHA location. Using a single point 3-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) system, three types of motion measurements were performed at the cochlear promontory for each stimulation location: 1) ipsilateral side, 2) contralateral side, 3) measurements 1 and 2 were repeated after mastoidectomy on the ipsilateral side.

Results

On average, stimulation at locations 1 and 2 show a trend for higher promontory motion relative to location 3 (BAHA location) above 1 kHz. Stimulation at location 1 had an average improvement of 1 to 6 dB at 2-4 kHz, and 1 to 18 dB at 6-8kHz. The spatial composition of the motion showed significant contributions from both in-plane and out-of-plane (along ear canal) motion components, with in-plane components being dominant at mid and high frequencies for locations 2 and 3. Stimulation at locations 1 and 3 produced similar transcranial attenuation at mid frequencies (0.6-4kHz), with a potential trend of higher attenuation (seen in 3 or the 4 samples) for location 1 at higher frequencies (>4kHz). The mastoidectomy affected negatively mostly the high frequencies (6-8 kHz) for stimulation at location 1, with no significant change for location 3.

Conclusion

The sound transfer function efficacy of a novel subcutaneous bone conduction device has been quantified, and the influence of stimulation location and mastoidectomy have been analyzed based on promontory motion in Thiel-preserved cadaver heads.

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Characteristics, behaviours and readiness of persons seeking hearing healthcare online.

Related Articles

Characteristics, behaviours and readiness of persons seeking hearing healthcare online.

Int J Audiol. 2018 Oct 05;:1-9

Authors: Ratanjee-Vanmali H, Swanepoel W, Laplante-Lévesque A

Abstract
This study describes characteristics, behaviours and readiness of people who are interested in seeking hearing healthcare (HHC) online. A non-profit clinic was established from which services through a virtual clinic are offered. Most of the patient-audiologist interactions are conducted online. We used online means to invite individuals to take a free online digit-in-noise (DIN) test. Upon failing the test, individuals reported their readiness to seek HHC by using two tools: the line and the staging algorithm. Individuals ≥18 years of age, within the greater Durban area, South Africa, were eligible to participate in the study. A total of 462 individuals completed the online DIN test during the first 3 months. Of those, 58.66% (271/462) failed the test and 11.04% (51/462) submitted their details for further contact from the clinic audiologist. Five individuals proceeded to a comprehensive hearing evaluation and hearing aid trial: all those individuals showed readiness to seek further HHC on the measurement tools. These individuals have reported knowing of their hearing challenges prior to taking the test and have waited for a period of between 5 and 16 years before seeking HHC. A significant association between age and DIN test result was found. This explorative study is the first clinic to utilise digital tools across the entire patient journey in combination with face-to-face interactions in providing HHC. Internet-connected devices provide an opportunity for individuals to seek HHC and for providers to offer initial services to detect, counsel and support persons through the initial engagement process of seeking HHC. This may open up new audiology patient pathways through online hearing screening, assessment of readiness to seek further HHC and enhancement of service delivery using hybrid services by combining online and face-to-face modes of synchronous and asynchronous communication.

PMID: 30289050 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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