ORCID Profile
0000-0002-2920-1047
Current Organisations
Technische Universiteit Delft
,
The Behavioural Insights Team
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Publisher: Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.3766/JAAA.26.1.2
Abstract: Background: A reliable and valid method for the automatic in situ measurement of hearing thresholds is a prerequisite for the feasibility of a self-fitting hearing aid, whether such a device becomes an automated component of an audiological management program or is fitted by the user independently of a clinician. Issues that must be addressed before implementation of the procedure into a self-fitting hearing aid include the role of real-ear-to-dial difference correction factors in ensuring accurate results and the ability of potential users to successfully self-direct the procedure. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of an automatic audiometry algorithm that is fully implemented in a wearable hearing aid, to determine to what extent reliability and validity are affected when the procedure is self-directed by the user, and to investigate contributors to a successful outcome. Research Design: Design was a two-phase correlational study. Study S le: A total of 60 adults with mild to moderately severe hearing loss participated in both studies: 20 in Study 1 and 40 in Study 2. Twenty-seven participants in Study 2 attended with a partner. Participants in both phases were selected for inclusion if their thresholds were within the output limitations of the test device. Data Collection and Analysis: In both phases, participants performed automatic audiometry through a receiver-in-canal, behind-the-ear hearing aid coupled to an open dome. In Study 1, the experimenter directed the task. In Study 2, participants followed a set of written, illustrated instructions to perform automatic audiometry independently of the experimenter, with optional assistance from a lay partner. Standardized measures of hearing aid self-efficacy, locus of control, cognitive function, health literacy, and manual dexterity were administered. Statistical analysis examined the repeatability of automatic audiometry the match between automatically and manually measured thresholds and contributors to successful, independent completion of the automatic audiometry procedure. Results: When the procedure was directed by an audiologist, automatic audiometry yielded reliable and valid thresholds. Reliability and validity were negatively affected when the procedure was self-directed by the user, but the results were still clinically acceptable: test-retest correspondence was 10 dB or lower in 97% of cases, and 91% of automatic thresholds were within 10 dB of their manual counterparts. However, only 58% of participants were able to achieve a complete audiogram in both ears. Cognitive function significantly influenced accurate and independent performance of the automatic audiometry procedure accuracy was further affected by locus of control and level of education. Several characteristics of the automatic audiometry algorithm played an additional role in the outcome. Conclusions: Average transducer- and coupling-specific correction factors are sufficient for a self-directed in situ audiometry procedure to yield clinically reliable and valid hearing thresholds. Before implementation in a self-fitting hearing aid, however, the algorithm and test instructions should be refined in an effort to increase the proportion of users who are able to achieve complete audiometric results. Further evaluation of the procedure, particularly among populations likely to form the primary audience of a self-fitting hearing aid, should be undertaken.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 28-03-2018
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1080/14992020500190144
Abstract: This study questions the basic assumption that prescriptive methods for nonlinear, wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) hearing aids should restore overall loudness to normal. Fifteen normal-hearing listeners and twenty-four hearing-impaired listeners (with mild to moderate hearing loss, twelve with and twelve without hearing aid experience) participated in laboratory tests. The participants first watched and listened to video sequences and rated how loud and how interesting the situations were. For the hearing-impaired participants, gain was applied according to the NAL-NL1 prescription. Despite the fact that the NAL-NL1 prescription led to less than normal overall calculated loudness, according to the loudness model of Moore and Glasberg (1997), the hearing-impaired participants rated loudness higher than the normal-hearing participants. The participants then adjusted a volume control to preferred overall loudness. Both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired participants preferred less than normal overall calculated loudness. The results from the two groups of hearing-impaired listeners did not differ significantly.
Publisher: Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Date: 11-2013
DOI: 10.3766/JAAA.24.10.7
Abstract: Background: Large variations in perceptual directional microphone benefit, which far exceed the variation expected from physical performance measures of directional microphones, have been reported in the literature. The cause for the in idual variation has not been systematically investigated. Purpose: To determine the factors that are responsible for the in idual variation in reported perceptual directional benefit. Research Design: A correlational study. Physical performance measures of the directional microphones obtained after they had been fitted to in iduals, cognitive abilities of in iduals, and measurement errors were related to perceptual directional benefit scores. Study S le: Fifty-nine hearing-impaired adults with varied degrees of hearing loss participated in the study. Data Collection and Analysis: All participants were bilaterally fitted with a Motion behind-the-ear device (500 M, 501 SX, or 501 P) from Siemens according to the National Acoustic Laboratories' non-linear prescription, version two (NAL-NL2). Using the Bamford-Kowal-Bench (BKB) sentences, the perceptual directional benefit was obtained as the difference in speech reception threshold measured in babble noise (SRTn) with the devices in directional (fixed hypercardioid) and in omnidirectional mode. The SRTn measurements were repeated three times with each microphone mode. Physical performance measures of the directional microphone included the angle of the microphone ports to loudspeaker axis, the frequency range dominated by lified sound, the in situ signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the in situ three-dimensional, articulation-index weighted directivity index (3D AI-DI). The cognitive tests included auditory selective attention, speed of processing, and working memory. Intraparticipant variation on the repeated SRTn's and the interparticipant variation on the average SRTn were used to determine the effect of measurement error. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effect of other factors. Results: Measurement errors explained 52% of the variation in perceptual directional microphone benefit (95% confidence interval [CI]: 34–78%), while another 37% of variation was explained primarily by the physical performance of the directional microphones after they were fitted to in iduals. The most contributing factor was the in situ 3D AI-DI measured across the low frequencies. Conclusions: Repeated SRTn measurements are needed to obtain a reliable indication of the perceptual directional benefit in an in idual. Further, to obtain optimum benefit from directional microphones, the effectiveness of the microphones should be maximized across the low frequencies.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2011
Abstract: A self-fitting hearing aid, designed to be assembled and programmed without audiological or computer support, could bring lification to millions of people in developing countries, who remain unaided due to the lack of a local, professional, audiological infrastructure. The ability to assemble and insert a hearing aid is fundamental to the successful use of a self-fitting device. In this study, the management of such tasks was investigated. Eighty older, urban-dwelling, hearing-impaired adults in a developed country were asked to follow a set of written, illustrated instructions to assemble two slim-fit behind-the-ear hearing aids. Participants were allowed to access assistance with the task from an accompanying partner. A range of personal and audiometric variables was measured through the use of structured questionnaires and standardized tests of health literacy, cognitive function, and manual dexterity. The results showed that 99% of participants were able to complete the hearing aid assembly task, either on their own or with assistance. Health literacy, or the ability to read and understand health-related text, and gender most strongly influenced participants’ ability to complete the assembly task independently and accurately. Higher levels of health literacy were associated with an increased likelihood of independent and successful task completion. Male participants were more likely to complete the task on their own, while female participants were more likely to assemble the device without errors. The results of this study will inform future work regarding development of educational material for the self-fitting hearing aid as well as candidacy for such a device.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 06-2019
Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
Date: 23-10-2017
DOI: 10.5194/ISPRS-ANNALS-IV-4-W5-1-2017
Abstract: Abstract. Geographic information and building information modelling both model buildings and infrastructure, but the way in which they are modelled is usually complimentary and BIM-GIS integration is widely considered as a way forward for both domains. For one, more detailed BIM data can feed more general GIS data and GIS data can provide the context that is necessary to BIM data. While previous studies have focused on the theoretical aspects of such an integration at a schema level, in this paper we focus on explaining the geometric and topological issues we have found while trying to develop software to realise such an integration in practice and at a data level. In our preliminary results, which are presented here, we have found that many issues for such an integration remain: handling the geometric and topological problems in BIM models, dealing with bad georeferencing and figuring out the best way to convert data between IFC and CityGML are all open issues.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 28-10-2017
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2017.1390268
Abstract: To evaluate the capacity of a self-management assessment tool to identify unmet hearing health care (HHC) needs to determine whether such an assessment yields novel and clinically useful information. Hearing loss self-management (HLSM) was assessed with the Partners in Health scale and the Cue and Response interview from the Flinders Chronic Condition Management Program™. The results of the scale and the interview were compared to determine the extent to which they each contributed to the assessment of HLSM. Thirty older adults who currently receive HHC. The two assessment tools were useful in identifying the specific domains in which participants lacked good HLSM skills. While participants tended to have a high level of knowledge about hearing loss and technology-based interventions, many reported the presence of unmet psychosocial needs with no clear plan for addressing them. There was considerable variation in terms of the extent to which their audiologists facilitated shared decision-making. The results suggest that HLSM has the potential to play an important role in audiological rehabilitation. A HLSM assessment tool that more precisely matches the unique needs of people with hearing loss should be developed, along with interventions to meet those needs.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2016
Abstract: A self-contained, self-fitting hearing aid (SFHA) is a device that enables the user to perform both threshold measurements leading to a prescribed hearing aid setting and fine-tuning, without the need for audiological support or access to other equipment. The SFHA has been proposed as a potential solution to address unmet hearing health care in developing countries and remote locations in the developed world and is considered a means to lower cost and increase uptake of hearing aids in developed countries. This article reviews the status of the SFHA and the evidence for its feasibility and challenges and predicts where it is heading. Devices that can be considered partly or fully self-fitting without audiological support were identified in the direct-to-consumer market. None of these devices are considered self-contained as they require access to other hardware such as a proprietary interface, computer, smartphone, or tablet for manipulation. While there is evidence that self-administered fitting processes can provide valid and reliable results, their success relies on user-friendly device designs and interfaces and easy-to-interpret instructions. Until these issues have been sufficiently addressed, optional assistance with the self-fitting process and on-going use of SFHAs is recommended. Affordability and a sustainable delivery system remain additional challenges for the SFHA in developing countries. Future predictions include a growth in self-fitting products, with most future SFHAs consisting of earpieces that connect wirelessly with a smartphone and providers offering assistance through a telehealth infrastructure, and the integration of SFHAs into the traditional hearing health-care model.
Publisher: Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Date: 02-2019
Abstract: Hearing health care is biomedically focused, device-centered, and clinician-led. There is emerging evidence that these characteristics—all of which are hallmarks of a health care system designed to address acute, rather than chronic, conditions—may contribute to low rates of help-seeking and hearing rehabilitation uptake among adults with hearing loss. In this review, we introduce audiologists to the Chronic Care Model, an organizational framework that describes best-practice clinical care for chronic conditions, and suggest that it may be a viable model for hearing health care to adopt. We further introduce the concept of chronic condition self-management, a key component of chronic care that refers to the knowledge and skills patients use to manage the effects of a chronic condition on all aspects of daily life. Drawing on the chronic condition evidence base, we demonstrate a link between the provision of effective self-management support and improved clinical outcomes and discuss validated methods with which clinicians can support the acquisition and application of self-management skills in their patients. We examine the extent to which elements of chronic condition self-management have been integrated into clinical practice in audiology and suggest directions for further research in this area.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-11-2011
Abstract: A self-fitting hearing aid is a personal lification device that is designed to be assembled, programmed, and fine-tuned by the user, without the need for additional equipment or professional support. A written description of the device was presented to 80 older adults with a hearing impairment, all of whom were residents of an urban area in a developed country. In response to a structured questionnaire, the majority of participants reported that the self-fitting hearing aid concept was a good idea (83%), would be of personal benefit (60%), and could be managed independently by the user (90%). Overall, half of the participant group agreed with all three statements. Two were uncertain about the concept, but none of the participants rejected it outright. There were no significant differences between the opinions of participants with previous hearing aid experience and those without. Participant responses to open-ended questions revealed that the main benefits of a self-fitting hearing aid were thought to be the ability to self-adjust the device’s settings (reported by 33% of participants) and increased convenience (20% of participants). The main drawback, mentioned by 25% of participants, was a preference for professional guidance through the fitting process. These results suggest that the self-fitting hearing aid may present as an alternative product in developed countries for those users who prefer to be in control of the fitting process.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2018
Publisher: Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.3766/JAAA.15076
Abstract: Background: Hearing aids and personal sound lification products that are designed to be self-fitted by the user at home are becoming increasingly available in the online marketplace. While these devices are often marketed as a low-cost alternative to traditional hearing health-care, little is known about people’s ability to successfully use and manage them. Previous research into the in idual components of a simulated self-fitting procedure has been undertaken, but no study has evaluated performance of the procedure as a whole using a commercial product. Purpose: To evaluate the ability of a group of adults with a hearing loss to set up a pair of commercially available self-fitting hearing aids for their own use and to investigate factors associated with a successful outcome. Research Design: An interventional study that used regression analysis to identify potential contributors to the outcome. Study S le: Forty adults with mild to moderately severe hearing loss participated in the study: 20 current hearing aid users (the “experienced” group) and 20 with no previous lification experience (the “new” group). Twenty-four participants attended with partners, who were present to offer assistance with the study task as needed. Data Collection and Analysis: Participants followed a set of written, illustrated instructions to perform a multistep self-fitting procedure with a commercially available self-fitting hearing aid, with optional assistance from a lay partner. Standardized measures of cognitive function, health literacy, locus of control, hearing aid self-efficacy, and manual dexterity were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to examine the proportion of participants in each group who successfully performed the self-fitting procedure, factors that predicted successful completion of the task, and the contributions of partners to the outcome. Results: Fifty-five percent of participants were able to successfully perform the self-fitting procedure. Although the same success rate was observed for both experienced and new participants, the majority of the errors relating to the hearing test and the fine-tuning tasks were made by the experienced participants, while all of the errors associated with physically customizing the hearing aids and most of the insertion errors were made by the new participants. Although the majority of partners assisted in the self-fitting task, their contributions did not significantly influence the outcome. Further, no characteristic or combination of characteristics reliably predicted which participants would be successful at the self-fitting task. Conclusions: Although the majority of participants were able to complete the self-fitting task without error, the provision of knowledgeable support by trained personnel, rather than a fellow layperson, would most certainly increase the proportion of users who are able to achieve success. Refinements to the instructions and the physical design of the hearing aid may also serve to improve the success rate. Further evaluation of the range of self-fitting hearing aids that are now on the market should be undertaken.
Publisher: Acoustical Society of America (ASA)
Date: 09-2008
DOI: 10.1121/1.2951500
Abstract: Self-adjustments of variable hearing aid parameters are essential for trainable hearing aids to provide customized lification for different listening environments. Prompted by a finding of Dreschler et al. [Ear Hear. 29, 214–227 (2008)], this study investigates the effect of the base line (starting) response on self-adjustments of gain in different frequency bands. In a laboratory test, 24 hearing-impaired listeners adjusted the bass, treble, and overall gain to reach their preferred responses from two different base line responses for 12 different listening situations. The adjustments were repeated five times using the preferred response after each adjustment as base line response for the next adjustment. Half of the listeners further compared three different response shapes, within the range of preferred responses, pairwise ten times for preferential and perceptual discrimination. The results revealed that base line response biases were more pronounced at low frequencies and for listeners with a flat hearing loss configuration. While 83% of listeners reliably discriminated between the average selected biased responses, only 25% demonstrated reliable preferences for one response over the other. Listeners who showed preferential discrimination ability were those who were less biased by the base line response. The clinical implication is that self-adjustments should begin from an appropriately prescribed starting response.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 03-10-2018
DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000663
Abstract: Self-fitting hearing aids have the potential to increase the accessibility of hearing health care. The aims of this study were to (1) identify factors that are associated with the ability to successfully set up a pair of commercially available self-fitting hearing aids 2) identify factors that are associated with the need for knowledgeable, personalized support in performing the self-fitting procedure and (3) evaluate performance of the in idual steps in the self-fitting procedure. Sixty adults with hearing loss between the ages of 51 and 85 took part in the study. Half of the participants were current users of bilateral hearing aids the other half had no previous hearing aid experience. At the first appointment, participants underwent assessments of health locus of control, hearing aid self-efficacy, cognitive status, problem-solving skills, demographic characteristics, and hearing thresholds. At the second appointment, participants followed a set of computer-based instructions accompanied by video clips to self-fit the hearing aids. The self-fitting procedure required participants to customize the physical fit of the hearing aids, insert the hearing aids into the ear, perform self-directed in situ audiometry, and adjust the resultant settings according to their preference. Participants had access to support with the self-fitting procedure from a trained clinical assistant (CA) at all times. Forty-one (68%) of the participants achieved a successful self-fitting. Participants who self-fit successfully were significantly more likely than those who were unsuccessful to have had previous experience with hearing aids and to own a mobile device (when controlling for four potential covariates). Of the 41 successful self-fitters, 15 (37%) performed the procedure independently and 26 (63%) sought support from the CA. The successful self-fitters who sought CA support were more likely than those who self-fit independently to have a health locus of control that is externally oriented toward powerful others. Success rates on the in idual steps in the self-fitting procedure were relatively high. No one step was more problematic than any other, nor was there a systematic tendency for particular participants to make more errors than others. Steps that required use of the hearing aids in conjunction with the self-fitting app on the participant’s mobile device had the highest rates of support use. The findings of this study suggest that nonaudiologic factors should be considered when selecting suitable candidates for the self-fitting hearing aids evaluated in this study. Although computer-based instructions and video clips were shown to improve self-fitting skill acquisition relative to past studies in which printed instruction booklets were used, the majority of people are still likely to require access to support from trained personnel while carrying out the self-fitting procedure, especially when this requires the use of an app.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 06-2010
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 02-2011
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1080/14992020500190177
Abstract: In a laboratory study, we found that normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners preferred less than normal overall calculated loudness (according to a loudness model of Moore & Glasberg, 1997). The current study verified those results using a research hearing aid. Fifteen hearing-impaired and eight normal-hearing participants used the hearing aid in the field and adjusted a volume control to give preferred loudness. The hearing aid logged the preferred volume control setting and the calculated loudness at that setting. The hearing-impaired participants preferred, in median, loudness levels of -14 phon re normal for input levels from 50 to 89 dB SPL. The normal-hearing participants preferred close to normal overall loudness. In subsequent laboratory tests, using the same hearing aid, both hearing-impaired and normal-hearing listeners preferred less than normal overall calculated loudness, and larger reductions for higher input levels In summary, the hearing-impaired listeners preferred less than normal overall calculated loudness, whereas the results for the normal-hearing listeners were inconclusive.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 2014
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1080/14992020600920804
Abstract: This study examined the effect that signal processing strategies used in modern hearing aids, such as multi-channel WDRC, noise reduction, and directional microphones have on interaural difference cues and horizontal localization performance relative to linear, time-invariant lification. Twelve participants were bilaterally fitted with BTE devices. Horizontal localization testing using a 360 degrees loudspeaker array and broadband pulsed pink noise was performed two weeks, and two months, post-fitting. The effect of noise reduction was measured with a constant noise present at 80 degrees azimuth. Data were analysed independently in the left/right and front/back dimension and showed that of the three signal processing strategies, directional microphones had the most significant effect on horizontal localization performance and over time. Specifically, a cardioid microphone could decrease front/back errors over time, whereas left/right errors increased when different microphones were fitted to left and right ears. Front/back confusions were generally prominent. Objective measurements of interaural differences on KEMAR explained significant shifts in left/right errors. In conclusion, there is scope for improving the sense of localization in hearing aid users.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 04-2008
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-06-2018
DOI: 10.20944/PREPRINTS201806.0488.V1
Abstract: It is widely acknowledged that the integration of BIM and GIS data is a crucial step forward for future 3D city modelling, but most of the research conducted so far has covered only the semantic aspects of GIS-BIM integration. We present here the results of the GeoBIM project, in which we tackled three integration problems focussing instead on aspects involving geometry processing: (i) the automated processing of complex architectural IFC models, (ii) the integration of existing GIS subsoil data in BIM, and (iii) the georeferencing of BIM models for their use in GIS software. All the problems have been studied using real world models and existing datasets made and used by practitioners in the Netherlands. For each problem, we expose in detail the issues we faced, our proposed solutions, and our recommendations for a more successful integration.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 02-2007
Publisher: American Speech Language Hearing Association
Date: 16-12-2019
Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine how hearing aid candidates perceive user-driven and app-controlled hearing aids and the effect these concepts have on traditional hearing health care delivery. Eleven adults (3 women, 8 men), recruited among 60 participants who had completed a research study evaluating an app-controlled, self-fitting hearing aid for 12 weeks, participated in a semistructured interview. Participants were over 55 years of age and had varied experience with hearing aids and smartphones. A template analysis was applied to data. Five themes emerged from the interviews: (a) prerequisites to the successful implementation of user-driven and app-controlled technologies, (b) benefits and advantages of user-driven and app-controlled technologies, (c) barriers to the acceptance and use of user-driven and app-controlled technologies, (d) beliefs that age is a significant factor in how well people will adopt new technology, and (e) consequences that flow from the adoption of user-driven and app-controlled technologies. Specifically, suggested benefits of the technology included fostering empowerment and providing cheaper and more discrete options, while challenges included lack of technological self-efficacy among older adults. Training and support were emphasized as necessary for successful adaptation and were suggested to be a focus of audiologic services in the future. User perceptions of user-driven and app-controlled hearing technologies challenge the audiologic profession to provide adequate support and training for use of the technology and manufacturers to make the technology more accessible to older people.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-03-2013
DOI: 10.3109/14992027.2013.773407
Abstract: The purpose of the study was twofold: (1) to assess the ability of hearing-impaired adults in the developing world to independently and accurately assemble a pair of hearing aids by following instructions that were written and illustrated according to best-practice health literacy principles and (2) to determine which factors influence independent and accurate task completion. Correlational study. Forty South African and 40 Chinese adults with a hearing loss and their partners. The participant group included 42 females and 38 males ranging in age from 32 to 92 years. Ninety-five percent of South African and 60% of Chinese participants completed the assembly task, either on their own or with assistance from their partners. Better health literacy, younger age, and a more prestigious occupation were significantly associated with independent task completion for the South African and Chinese participants. Task accuracy was significantly linked to higher levels of cognitive function among South African participants, while a paucity of valid data prevented an analysis of accuracy from being conducted with the Chinese data. In iduals of erse backgrounds can manage the self-fitting hearing-aid assembly task as long as health literacy levels and cultural differences are considered.
Publisher: American Speech Language Hearing Association
Date: 10-06-2019
Abstract: Hearing loss self-management refers to the knowledge and skills people use to manage the effects of hearing loss on all aspects of their daily lives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between self-reported hearing loss self-management and hearing aid benefit and satisfaction. Thirty-seven adults with hearing loss, all of whom were current users of bilateral hearing aids, participated in this observational study. The participants completed self-report inventories probing their hearing loss self-management and hearing aid benefit and satisfaction. Correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationship between in idual domains of hearing loss self-management and hearing aid benefit and satisfaction. Participants who reported better self-management of the effects of their hearing loss on their emotional well-being and social participation were more likely to report less aided listening difficulty in noisy and reverberant environments and greater satisfaction with the effect of their hearing aids on their self-image. Participants who reported better self-management in the areas of adhering to treatment, participating in shared decision making, accessing services and resources, attending appointments, and monitoring for changes in their hearing and functional status were more likely to report greater satisfaction with the sound quality and performance of their hearing aids. Study findings highlight the potential for using information about a patient's hearing loss self-management in different domains as part of clinical decision making and management planning.
Publisher: American Speech Language Hearing Association
Date: 18-09-2020
DOI: 10.1044/2020_AJA-19-00068
Abstract: Innovations in user-driven hearing technology and services have placed greater control in the hands of the patient. While these advances could address issues of hearing health care accessibility, their success rests on the assumption that patients possess sufficient technological competence to self-manage these products and services successfully. The purpose of this tutorial is to highlight the importance of focusing on usability, rather than just performance outcomes, during the design, development, and evaluation of user-driven hearing technology and services. This tutorial explores human–technology interaction and usability and discusses practical methods for applying these concepts in hearing health care research and development. Two case studies illustrate how usability can inform the design and development of interactive educational materials for patients and the evaluation of a commercially available mHealth app. In order to derive benefit from innovations in hearing health care, products and services must be intuitively usable in addition to being accessible and affordable. The discipline of human–technology interaction provides a relevant and useful framework to guide future research and development efforts in user-driven hearing health care.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2011
Abstract: The need for reliable access to hearing health care services is growing globally, particularly in developing countries and in remotely located, underserved regions in many parts of the developed world. In iduals with hearing loss in these areas are at a significant disadvantage due to the scarcity of local hearing health care professionals and the high cost of hearing aids. Current approaches to making hearing rehabilitation services more readily available to underserved populations include teleaudiology and the provision of lification devices outside of the traditional provider-client relationship. Both strategies require access to such resources as dedicated equipment and/or specially trained staff. Another possible strategy is a self-fitting hearing aid, a personal lification device that is equipped with an onboard tone generator to enable user-controlled, automated, in situ audiometry an onboard prescription to determine the initial hearing aid settings and a trainable algorithm to enable user-controlled fine-tuning. The device is thus assembled, fitted, and managed by the user without the need for audiological or computer support. This article details the self-fitting concept and its potential application in both developing and developed countries. Potential advantages and disadvantages of such a device are discussed, and considerations for further investigations into the concept are presented. Overall, the concept is considered technologically viable with the main challenges anticipated to be development of clear, simple user instructions and a delivery model that ensures reliable supplies of instant-fit ear tips and batteries.
Location: Mexico
No related grants have been discovered for Elizabeth Convery.