Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2022 Jan;33(1):6-13. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1728778. Epub 2021 May 25.
Up to 80% of audiograms could be automated which would allow more time for provision of specialty services. Ideally, automated audiometers would provide accurate results for listeners with impaired hearing as well as normal hearing. Additionally, accurate results should be provided both in controlled environments like a sound-attenuating room but also in test environments that may support greater application when sound-attenuating rooms are unavailable. Otokiosk is an iOS-based system that has been available for clinical use, but there are not yet any published validation studies using this product.
The purpose of this project was to complete a validation study on the OtoKiosk automated audiometry system in quiet and in low-level noise, for listeners with normal hearing and for listeners with impaired hearing.
Pure tone air conduction thresholds were obtained for each participant for three randomized conditions: standard audiometry, automated testing in quiet, and automated testing in noise. Noise, when present, was 35 dBA overall and was designed to emulate an empty medical exam room.
Participants consisted of 11 adults with hearing loss and 15 adults with normal hearing recruited from the local area.
Thresholds were measured at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz using the Otokiosk system that incorporates a modified Hughson-Westlake method. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and also by a linear mixed-effects model to compare thresholds obtained in each condition.
Across condition and participant group 73.6% of thresholds measured with OtoKiosk were within ± 5 dB of the conventionally measured thresholds; 92.8% were within ± 10 dB. On average, differences between tests were small. Pairwise comparisons revealed thresholds were ∼3.5-4 dB better with conventional audiometry than with the mobile application in quiet and in noise. Noise did not affect thresholds measured with OtoKiosk.
The OtoKiosk automated hearing test measured pure tone air conduction thresholds from 500 to 4,000 Hz at slightly higher thresholds than conventional audiometry, but less than the smallest typical 5 dB clinical step-size. Our results suggest OtoKiosk is a reasonable solution for sound booths and exam rooms with low-level background noise.
多达 80%的听力图可以实现自动化，这将为提供专业服务腾出更多时间。理想情况下，自动化听力计应该为听力受损和听力正常的听众提供准确的结果。此外，在隔音室等受控环境中以及在可能支持在无法使用隔音室时更广泛应用的测试环境中，都应该提供准确的结果。Otokiosk 是一个基于 iOS 的系统，已经可以临床使用，但目前还没有使用该产品的验证研究发表。
本项目的目的是在安静环境和低水平噪声环境中，对听力正常和听力受损的听众，对 Otokiosk 自动听力计系统进行验证研究。
为每位参与者的三种随机条件获得纯音气导阈值：标准听力测试、安静环境下的自动测试和噪声环境下的自动测试。噪声为 35 分贝，旨在模拟空的医疗检查室。
参与者包括从当地招募的 11 名听力损失成年人和 15 名听力正常成年人。
使用 Otokiosk 系统在 500、1000、2000 和 4000 Hz 处测量阈值，该系统采用了改良的 Hughson-Westlake 方法。使用描述性统计和线性混合效应模型来分析结果，以比较每种条件下获得的阈值。
在条件和参与者组中，使用 Otokiosk 测量的 73.6%的阈值在±5 分贝以内与传统测量的阈值一致；92.8%的阈值在±10 分贝以内。平均而言，测试之间的差异很小。成对比较显示，在安静环境和噪声环境中，常规听力测试比移动应用程序的阈值高约 3.5-4 分贝。噪声对使用 Otokiosk 测量的阈值没有影响。
Otokiosk 自动听力测试测量了 500 至 4000 Hz 的纯音气导阈值，其阈值略高于传统听力测试，但小于典型的 5 分贝临床步长。我们的结果表明，Otokiosk 是在背景噪声较低的隔音室和检查室中进行听力测试的合理解决方案。
