Types And Functions Of An Audiometer

By Alyssa McCall


An audiometer is an instrument used to measure the hearing loss of an individual. The hearing loss of an individual needs to be determined in order for one to receive the right type of medication for their problem. These devices consist of a hardware that could be connected to headphones and are usually under the control of a standard PC. There are software devices as well as hardware ones.

There is a software device called the Screening PC Based hearing loss measurement device. It is controlled by the standard computer. This type of instrument can usually be purchased by any person with the aim of checking their hearing loss. Their disadvantage is that their accuracy is poor as they do not have a standard for calibration. Some among this type can be found on hand driven devices that are windows driven.

The next example is the Clinical PC Based devices which are quite expensive compared to the Screening PC Based devices, which is a software device. This type of device are way more accurate and efficient than the other software devices. These devices are mainly used by professionals in hospitals, research communities and also audiometric centres. Their calibrations is also way better and accurate than hardware devices.

There is a variety of hearing instruments offered by the market, each unique in its own way. One of them is the Astera instrument, which is a clinical one. It is PC based. Another PC based one is then Aurical hearing devices. In its clinical process, it is actually accurate and is run by batteries as well. The mid mate hearing device are not PC based but are stand alone devices. Air, bone and speech are the main features used in 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.

The devices calibration should be checked time after time so as to ensure that the stimulus level is the same as that shown on the display. Acoustical checking of the audiometer is mainly practised by countries as the US. The American Standards Specification for Audiometers is the one that sets the method to be used in dong this.

For one to quantify their hearing loss, the audiometer they are using have to be very accurate for it to produce reliable measurements. If the device has complications with its calibration, it means that the measurements found are wrong and therefore the frequency set for the correction would be wrong.

To conclude, we have seen that an audiometer is an instrument of medical check up that could be used both in hospitals or domestically by anyone who needs to check their hearing loss. A variety of audiometers are available just as stated above. One of then most essential things about the audiometers is their calibration.




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