Audiometer

Audiometer obtains threshold and uncomfortable levels in dB HL by generating pure tone signals through the patient's hearing aid(s), also known as In-situ Audiometry. Audiometer is used during the initial fit to assist you in more accurately programming the device(s). Any In-situ adjustments can be applied to a Best Fit or Target Match. If applied, the word 'In-situ' appears above the response graph to indicate In-situ data is being used to calculate the targets when viewing the frequency response curve. Audiometer is available on all products that support In-situ Audiometry.

Audiometer is available during a live fitting or simulation. If an audiogram is stored in the hearing aid(s) or an audiogram exists for the patient in NOAH or ProHear, it automatically defaults. If there's a conflict between the audiogram in the hearing aid and NOAH or ProHear, the audiogram selected to use during the current session automatically defaults. Common sounds and/or speech spectrum overlays can be displayed over the audiogram to illustrate the sounds heard.

In-situ frequency points can be added, changed, or deleted, and the response curve can be reset back to the original audiogram at any time.

1. Connect and select the desired hearing aid(s) to obtain threshold and uncomfortable levels via Get Started.

   Note:  In a live fitting, the hearing aid(s) must be in the patient's ear(s).

2. Click Quick Connect or Session Connect.

   Note:  If Audiometer is selected for the default fitting view via General Preferences, the Audiometer screen automatically displays. Continue at step 5.

3. Click Fitting from the Left Navigation Menu.

4. Click Audiometer.

   Note:  The hearing aid(s) is automatically muted. Audiometer is a monaural function and by default, starts on the right ear in a binaural fitting. Click to adjust the left ear first if desired. The purple shaded region represents the testing range for the hearing aid. The size of the purple shaded region will vary based on the hearing aid's matrix. A green O or X indicates the current point selected on the graph. The audiometer symbols, which are stored in the database or hearing aid, are displayed on the disabled graph and greyed out.

5. Check Display Common Sounds to display common sound images on the audiogram and/or check Display Speech Spectrum to display a gray shaded region representing conversational speech if desired.

6. Clickto talk to the patient if desired.

   Note:  This button is only enabled during a live fitting. The hearing aid's microphone(s) is unmuted and all Audiometer functions are disabled except overlays.

7. Talk to the patient.

8. Clickwhen done talking to the patient.

   Note:  This button is only enabled if talk to the patient was selected in step 6 during a live fitting. The hearing aid's microphone(s) is muted and all Audiometer functions are enabled.

9. Click on the audiometric symbol to test or click , , , or to navigate to the point to test by increasing or decreasing the intensity and/or frequency.

   Note:  Audiometer automatically defaults to threshold testing. To bypass and test UCLs, continue at step 13.

   Note:  Testing is only allowed within the purple shaded region. If the intensity or frequency is outside the purple shaded region, the affected navigational button(s) is disabled.

10. Check or uncheck Pulsed to present a pulsed or steady tone.

    Note:  This checkbox is only available during a live fitting. If checked, a minimum of 3 pure tone signals will be presented for 256 milliseconds each with 192 milliseconds of silence between tones. If unchecked, 1 pure tone signal will be presented for a minimum of 256 milliseconds. The default is Pulsed.

11. Click and hold or press and hold the Spacebar for the desired length of presentation time and the frame around the response graph will flash red or blue until the button or Spacebar is released.

    Note:  This button is only enabled during a live fitting.

    Tip:  Right click on the point and click Present Tone. The minimum tone duration will be presented.

12. Repeat steps 9-11.

    Note:  Once In-situ thresholds are obtained, additional red O's or blue X's appear on the graph.

    Tip:  To delete a point, right click on the point and click Delete Point. To delete the In-situ audiogram, click Reset or right click on the graph and click Reset Curve.

13. Click the UCL radio button to obtain uncomfortable levels if desired.

    Note:  A green u indicates the current point selected on the graph.

14. Repeat steps 6-12.

    Note:  Once In-situ UCLs are obtained, additional red u's or blue u's appear on the graph.

15. Click to adjust the left ear if applicable and repeat steps 6-14.

    Note:  Click to adjust the right ear if the left ear was adjusted first.

16. Click Best Fit In-situ to update targets and apply a new best fit or click Update Targets In-situ to update targets only and a dialog box appears asking which hearing aids to update if adjustments were made to both devices.

    Note:  These buttons are only enabled if an In-situ adjustment was made during a live fitting. If only one hearing aid was adjusted, the dialog box does not appear and the update is automatically applied.

    Note:  If the hearing aid(s) has not been updated and a different Inspire screen is selected, a message to apply a best fit to the hearing aid(s) displays. If only one hearing aid was adjusted, click Yes to update or click No to cancel the update. If both hearing aids were adjusted, continue at step 17.

17. To update only the right or left hearing aid, uncheck Right or Left.

    Note:  If the hearing aids were not updated and a different Inspire screen was selected, to update only the right or left hearing aid, uncheck Best Fit Right or Best Fit Left.

18. Click OK to update the selected hearing aid(s).

    Tip:  Click Cancel to cancel the update.

    Note:  If the hearing aids were not updated and a different Inspire screen was selected, click Yes to update the selected hearing aid(s) or click No to cancel the update.

    Note:  If the hearing aid(s) was not updated and a different Inspire screen was selected, all In-situ adjustments are retained, therefore, if this screen is accessed later during the same fitting session, the hearing aid(s) can still be updated if desired.