Models, Functions And Design Of An Audiometer

By Alyssa McCall


Instruments used to determine the hearing capability of persons is called an audiometer. Determination of the hearing capability of a person is essential so that one may get the right medication. These instruments are usually under the control of a standard PC and one of their components is a hardware that can be connected to headphones. We have both software hearing devices and the hardware based ones.

An example of the software AM is the Screening PC Based AM that only uses a standard computer. This can be owned and run by anyone in their homes to check their hearing. Their accuracy however is not very good because they lack a standard for calibration. Some of these screening PC based devices can be found on a hand held device that is windows driven.

Clinical PC Based devices are the next examples, and they are comparatively more expensive than the Screening PC Based hearing devices, a software based device. Their efficiency is much better that that of the software device that we know of. They are used in hospitals, research centres and audiometric centres by the professional doctors. The accuracy of their calibrators is also good compared to the hardware devices.

The market offers a variety of hearing sensors each with their own unique modification. These include the Astera hearing sensor that is clinical. This type of hearing sensor is PC based. Another one is the Aurical hearing sensor that are also PC based. It is very accurate with the clinical process and uses batteries. There are also Midimate hearing sensor that are stand alone meaning they are not PC based. It s uses air, bone and speech for the audiometric process.

The other one is the Itera II devices. They are hybrid which means that they are bot PC based and stand alone. The whole diagnostic process is done by these machines. Using it in the test session is very simple. The Xeta devices are a different type that have easy portability and are hybrid too. They are referred to as fast, flexible and efficient. Micro mate device is another type that is hybrid and simple for then test to be done and helps the patient to keep in contact.

It is very vital to regularly check the audiometers calibration so as to be sure that the level show on the calibration is in line with that of the actual stimulus. The US for instance usually do their calibration of then audiometers acoustically. This is made successful since they have the American Standard Specification for Audiometers that sets the conditions.

Accuracy of then calibration of a device is then most essential measure for one to consider if they want accurate audiometer results. Had the calibration of the audiometer been having complications, then then individual would have then absolutely wrong frequency as a corrective measure.

It is thus clear that an audiometer is a clinical instrument but individuals could own them if they are cautious about their hearing loss. There are different audiometers as are listed above. Their calibration is an essential instrument for their performance.




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