Application of Percentile Analysis in Verification of Hearing Aid Using International Speech Test Signal (ISTS): Review Article

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Student Researcyh Committee. MSc Student in Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistance Professor of Audiology, Member of Audiology Deptartment, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 MSc Student of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background and Aims: Modern hearing aids are often nonlinear and they have dynamic features such as noise reduction and feedback cancellation. Thus, these hearing aids will react to speech differently compared with sinusoidal and none modulated stimulants. Speech is the most important stimulus encountered by hearing aid wearers. For this reason, the use of static stimulus such as pure tone sweeps and non-modulated noises in the assessment and verification of hearing aids is not appropriate. The purpose of the present article was to introduce the new method of Percentile Analysis in verification of hearing aid using International Speech Test Signal (ISTS) to reduce the differences between clinical, improve fine tuning of hearing aids, prevent annoyance caused by loud portion of speech, and not hearing the soft portion of speech.
Materials and Methods: We searched the subject of hearing aids verification in Google scholar, Proquest, Pubmed, and Sciencedirect databases among the studies published between 1990-2017 using the following keywords: Verification, Speech Mapping, International Speech Test Signal, and Percentile analysis. A total of 40 papers were found among which 32 were selected. The Application of Percentile Analysis in Verification of Hearing Aid Using International Speech Test Signal (ISTS) was reviewed based on these original articles and three related text books.
Conclusion: ISTS is known as a common speech stimulus. Because this stimulus has all the features of a live speech, it can be used in audiology clinics as a common stimulus for assessment and verification of hearing aids. Therefore, the time and spectral characteristics of speech stimulus will be stable between audiology clinics. In this case, we can use Percentile Analysis to obtain dynamic range of the input and output sounds of hearing aids, gain, and amount of hearing aid compression from one clinic to another. Also, because speech is a dynamic stimulus, Percentile Analysis will allow us to fit the gain and compression features of hearing aid in a successful way. Therefore, that loud portion of speech does not exceed from uncomfortable loudness levels and the soft portion of speech will be above hearing thresholds.

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References

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The Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
Volume 7, Issue 1
March and April 2018
Pages 274-283

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History

  • Receive Date: 30 March 2017
  • Revise Date: 25 July 2017
  • Accept Date: 19 August 2017
  • First Publish Date: 21 March 2018

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