Smartphone-based Hearing Screening in Noisy Environments

Overview

Journal Sensors (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Biotechnology

Date 2014 Jun 14

PMID 24926692

Citations 9

Authors

Youngmin Na

Hyo Sung Joo

Hyejin Yang

Soojin Kang

Sung Hwa Hong

Jihwan Woo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

It is important and recommended to detect hearing loss as soon as possible. If it is found early, proper treatment may help improve hearing and reduce the negative consequences of hearing loss. In this study, we developed smartphone-based hearing screening methods that can ubiquitously test hearing. However, environmental noise generally results in the loss of ear sensitivity, which causes a hearing threshold shift (HTS). To overcome this limitation in the hearing screening location, we developed a correction algorithm to reduce the HTS effect. A built-in microphone and headphone were calibrated to provide the standard units of measure. The HTSs in the presence of either white or babble noise were systematically investigated to determine the mean HTS as a function of noise level. When the hearing screening application runs, the smartphone automatically measures the environmental noise and provides the HTS value to correct the hearing threshold. A comparison to pure tone audiometry shows that this hearing screening method in the presence of noise could closely estimate the hearing threshold. We expect that the proposed ubiquitous hearing test method could be used as a simple hearing screening tool and could alert the user if they suffer from hearing loss.

Citing Articles

The Hearing Test App for Android Devices: Distinctive Features of Pure-Tone Audiometry Performed on Mobile Devices.

Masalski M Med Devices (Auckl). 2024; 17:151-163.

PMID: 38659994 PMC: 11041974. DOI: 10.2147/MDER.S454359.

A study on the IOS application "uHear" as a screening tool for hearing loss in Bangkok.

Bunnag K, Kaewsalubsri W, Junthong S, Kulthaveesup A Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2023; 8(1):253-261.

PMID: 36846435 PMC: 9948572. DOI: 10.1002/lio2.996.

Software Application toward Accessible Hearing Care Assessment: Gap in Noise Test.

Alhussaini K, Saleh S, Aleid A, Alkhalaf S, Badghaish R, Altinawi A J Healthc Eng. 2022; 2022:1112598.

PMID: 35529544 PMC: 9076313. DOI: 10.1155/2022/1112598.

Utilizing True Wireless Stereo Earbuds in Automated Pure-Tone Audiometry.

Guo Z, Yu G, Zhou H, Wang X, Lu Y, Meng Q Trends Hear. 2021; 25:23312165211057367.

PMID: 34796771 PMC: 8606721. DOI: 10.1177/23312165211057367.

Worldwide Prevalence of Hearing Loss Among Smartphone Users: Cross-Sectional Study Using a Mobile-Based App.

Masalski M, Morawski K J Med Internet Res. 2020; 22(7):e17238.

PMID: 32706700 PMC: 7413293. DOI: 10.2196/17238.

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