Development and evaluation of a tablet-based diagnostic audiometer.
Title | Development and evaluation of a tablet-based diagnostic audiometer. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2019 |
Authors | Thoidis, I., Vrysis L., Markou K., & Papanikolaou G. |
Journal | Int J Audiol |
Volume | 58 |
Issue | 8 |
Pagination | 476-483 |
Date Published | 2019 08 |
ISSN | 1708-8186 |
Keywords | Acoustic Stimulation, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Audiometry, Pure-Tone, Auditory Threshold, Bone Conduction, Case-Control Studies, Computers, Handheld, Female, Hearing, Hearing Disorders, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mobile Applications, Predictive Value of Tests, Reproducibility of Results, Severity of Illness Index, Software Design, Young Adult |
Abstract | To develop and evaluate a software application capable of conducting Pure-Tone Audiometry tests in clinical practice. We designed and developed a mobile software application for iPad devices that performs Pure-Tone Audiometry according to ANSI and IEC standards. The application is proposed to be operated by a trained audiologist inside a sound booth. No extra equipment is required. Hence, it updates the procedure by showing the versatility of the proposed system. Particularly, it provides manual and automated measurement, including air- and bone-conduction audiometry. Twenty-nine participants-patients of Papageorgiou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece were tested, with all degrees of hearing sensitivity. Manual air- and bone-conduction Pure-Tone Audiometry was conducted inside a sound booth. Participants were tested with conventional audiometry and the audiometric application, in order to validate the tablet-based audiometer for measuring hearing thresholds. The majority (90.9%) of air-conduction estimated hearing thresholds and (90.8%) of air-bone gaps were within 5 dB, compared to results obtained by conventional audiometry. Thus, threshold differences were not significant. The proposed audiometer is a reliable and valid tool for hearing assessment. Owing to certain limitations, mobile devices can provide a feasible substitute for conventional audiometry in clinical practice. |
DOI | 10.1080/14992027.2019.1600204 |
Alternate Journal | Int J Audiol |
PubMed ID | 30987489 |