SELF-FITTING OF A HEARING DEVICE

摘要

Disclosed herein are systems and methods enabling hearing aid fitting by a non-expert consumer at home. The method in one embodiment involves delivering a sequence of test audio signals corresponding to natural sound segments to a non-acoustic input of a programmable hearing device in-situ, while allowing the consumer to adjust fitting parameters based perceptual assessment of hearing device output. The sound segments define a fitting soundscape representing a practical range of sounds within the normal human auditory range, with each sound segment corresponding to one or more fitting parameters of the programmable hearing device. The consumer is instructed to listen to the output of the in-situ hearing device and adjust controls related to corresponding fitting parameters. In one embodiment, the fitting system comprises a personal computer and a handheld device providing calibrated test audio signals and a programming interface. The systems and methods disclosed herein allow home dispensing of hearing devices without requiring specialized instruments or clinical settings.

主权项

1. A method of hearing device fitting for a consumer, the method comprising:
generating an output from a programmable hearing device in-situ, wherein the output is based, at least in part, on a sequence of test audio signals corresponding to predetermined suprathreshold loudness levels, wherein the test audio signals correspond to multiple test sound segments within a fitting soundscape in an audible range of human hearing, and wherein the output is further based, at least in part on fitting parameters programmed into the programmable hearing device; and adjusting a plurality of the fitting parameters based, at least in part, on the consumer's assessment of the output, wherein adjustments comprise a first adjustment made to one or more fitting parameters corresponding to a relatively loud level sound segment and a second adjustment made to one or more fitting parameters corresponding to a relatively soft level sound segment.