Introduction to the 7000 Hearing Aid

Test System

By: Kristina FryeFrye Electronics, Inc.

Outline Real-ear Measurements

Entering an Audiogram Real-ear SPL measurements Visible Speech Insertion Gain

Coupler Measurements ANSI Coupler Multicurve Advanced Coupler: Enhanced DSP, Attack &

Release, I/O, Battery Current

Open Fit Hearing Aids Some Open Fit hearing aids interfere with the

reference microphone measurements outside the ear.

Disable the Reference Microphone in the local menu to perform real-ear on these hearing aids.

Noise Reduction on analyzer may interfere with anti-feedback phase shifting technology. Turn OFF noise red (comp)

Real-ear targets may prescribe low frequency amplification unsuitable for open fit hearing aids.

Real-Ear Navigation Screen

F1 — Audiogram Entry

F3 — Insertion Gain

F4 — Real-ear SPL

Use the function keys to enter a screen

F5 — Visible Speech

Entering an audiogram

F1 — Select ear

F2 — Select HTL/UCL/Bone

F3 — Predict UCLs

Real-Ear SPL only

Adjust amplitude

Adjust frequency

Real-ear NOAH ModuleUse the NOAH Module to easily import NOAH audiogram

Right-click to send audiogram

Real-Ear SPL screen Check low inputs are above thresholds Check average inputs meet target Check loud inputs are below UCLs Auto-adjusting REUR shows amplification

benefit at all levels Gives overall look at hearing aid fitting

Real-ear SPL Test Screen

UCLs

HTLs

Low, Mid, & High Targets

NAL-NL1 Target SettingsPress MENU from Real-ear SPL screen to open local menu

Channels: 1-18

Aid Limit = Output limiting

Ref. Position = Leveling conditions

Real-ear NOAH ModuleUse NOAH Module to send target settings

Reference Mic

Step 1: SetupSpeaker should be 12-18 inches from patient at 45 degree angle

Probe Mic

Step 2: Level

LEVEL

Step 3: Unaided (optional)

F2: Select Curve F4: Source Type

Source Level

REUR

Step 4: Aided @ 50 dB SPL

F2: Select Curve F4: Source Type

Source Level

REAR @ 50 dB

Notice the REUR automatically adjusts to the selected REAR

Step 5: Aided @ 65 dB SPL

REAR @ 65 dB

Step 6: REAR @ 80 dB SPL

REAR @ 80 dB

Step 7: REAR @ 90 dB with Burst

REAR @ 90 dB

NOAH Real-ear ModuleUse Get Curves to grab existing results from FONIX 7000

Using Real-ear Module Automatically uses latest NOAH audiogram Send audiogram and target to analyzer to

measure with analyzer controls. Use Get Curves to grab tests results

Or perform measurements using Windows controls

Audiometric Info tabConfirm NOAH Audiogram has been imported

Target SettingsCheck the target settings are correct

Test Setup

Select Test Type

Level Sound Field SpeakerSelect Curve to

Measure

Click Start

Real-ear SPL in NOAH Real-ear Module

Select SPL & Real-ear

Select curve to test

Level sound field

Start Test

REUR in NOAH ModuleTest automatically advances to CRV 1: REAR @ 50 dB SPL

Put hearing aid on patient

Click Start

REAR in NOAH ModuleTest automatically advances to CRV 2: REAR @ 65 dB SPL

Click Start to measure Curve 2

Turn off other targets if desired by deselecting target boxes

Completed Real-ear SPL Test

Fully Automatic Test

Run only selected curves

Fully Automatic TestSelect the curves you want to measure

Select “Run Measurements Automatically”

Click Start

Visible Speech Use live speech signal Real-time response (during test) Average response Minimum and maximum response per

frequency for the length of the test HTLs UCLs SII Reference microphone All on one graph in dB SPL

Visible Speech: Before Test

UCLs

HTLs

Targets

Visible Speech: Test Results

Max boundary

Avg Response

Min boundary

HTLs

UCLs

Speech Intelligibility Index

RMS Info gives important info about test

RMS Info in Visible Speech Max = RMS of the maximum curve Min = RMS of minimum curve Avg = RMS of average curve Ref = RMS of reference microphone (input)

Visible Speech without Max/Min

Press MENU to open local menu. Adjust Min/Max setting.

Visible Speech in Real-ear NOAH

Set test to Real-ear SPL

Set Input Type to Visible Speech

Click Start

Visible Speech only available in CRV 1 and CRV 2

Min/Max boundaries plus real-time curve

Insertion Gain features Unaided measurement Up to 4 aided measurements Gives up to 4 insertion gain measurements Operation similar to coupler screen

Insertion Gain screen

F1 — Select ear F2 — Select curveF5 — Select source type

Select amplitude

Insertion Gain

Target

Unaided

Aided

Unaided Measurement

Peak at 3 kHz

Negative response at 6 kHz shows

probe tube could probably be

inserted more deeplyF2 - REUR 1 F5 - DigSpeech

Amplitude

Aided/IG measurements

F2 — REAR 2

IG Target

IG curve

Multiple Aided/IG measures

Testing DirectionalityDirectional Advantage

CRV 2 — Forward response

CRV 1 — Reverse response

Gain with Real-ear NOAHGain = Probe mic inside ear – Ref mic outside ear

Insertion Gain with NOAHREIG = REAG – REUG. If REUG not measured, average curve used.

Coupler Measurements

ANSI, Coupler Multicurve, Enhanced DSP, Battery, Attack

& Release, I/O

Basic Coupler Measurements

ANSI 03 — F4Coupler Multicurve — F1

ANSI 03 Settings

Choose ear

Aid type

Frequencies Telecoil

ANSI 03 ResultsOSPL90

Response curve

Max

OSPL90-HFA

Distortion

FOG

TelecoilEIN

Battery current

Telecoil I/O curves

Attack & Release

Troubleshooter ANSI

Coupler Multicurve Features

Realistic frequency response measurements

Variety of signal types: Composite, Digital Speech, Pure-tone sweeps

Display 10 different curves simultaneously

Switch back and forth between gain and output. All curves translated.

Coupler Screen Operation

Choose Ear

Select Curve Source Type

Amplitude

Example

50 dB

60 dB

70 dB

80 dB

Troubleshooter Coupler Multicurve

Testing Digital Aids Digital Speech Type of Composite signal Modulated to allow testing of noise

reducing digital aids Used with ANSI or ICRA speech spectra

Example of digital aid test

Digital Speech

Composite

Testing Open Fit Hearing Aids The Open Fit Coupler was designed to

Provide a realistic response for open fit hearing aids.

Provide an easy mechanism for attaching an open fit hearing aid to a coupler

The Open Fit Coupler is a non-standard sized coupler not designed to test to manufacturing specifications

Attaching the Open Fit Coupler

CRV 1 = Open Fit CouplerCRV 2 = HA-1CRV 3 = HA-2 w/attachmentCRV 4 = KEMAR

Testing Directionality Use chamber design to perform “forward”

and “reverse” measurements to obtain directional advantage

Chamber speaker mounted at 45 degree angle, pointing towards left side of chamber

Forward/Reverse Positioning

Forward positioning with hearing aid pointed towards sound chamber speaker

Reverse positioning with hearing aid pointed away from sound chamber speaker

Directional Advantage

Forward measurement

Reverse measurement

6 dB RMS Difference

Coupler Automation Set up own test sequence Select signal type for each curve Select signal amplitude for each curve Add any desired pauses in test sequence Save and auto load test sequence

Programming Auto Mode

F6 — Program Mode

Help window w/instruction

s

F5 — Source TypeAmplitude

START

STOP

Advance to next curve without pause

Advance to next curve with pause

Example of Auto Test

Digital Speech @ 50, 65, 80 dB

Pure-tone sweep @ 90 dB

F6 — Fully Automatic mode

Saving and Loading Settings

Automatically load saved curve group and put analyzer in Auto Mode

Troubleshooter ProfilerGreat for baseline testing… save time!

Advanced Coupler Battery Current [F1] Coupler I/O [F2] Attack & Release [F3] Enhanced DSP [F4]

Function key operations available in the Advanced Coupler Navigation Screen

Battery Current Screen Measure Battery Current as a function of

frequency Measure Battery Current as a function of

amplitude Estimate battery life of hearing aid

Coupler I/O Test Results

Frequency

Test Results

F5: Source Type

Attack & Release Test Screen Visual time graph of Attack and Release

tests Scale graphs independently to zoom in on

results Use Composite or Pure-tone Choose any frequency from 200-8000 Hz

in 100 Hz intervals Customize amplitudes used in tests

Attack & Release Results

Frequency

F5: Source type

F6 & F7: Change graph scales

Enhanced DSP Designed to measure the "group delay" of a

DSP aid. In other words, the actual digital processing time of a hearing aid. 0 ms for analog aids 1-12 ms for DSP Great way to check if aid is analog or DSP

Also tests the "phase" of a hearing aid. This is useful for binaural fittings. Are the aids working together?

Technical Details: Group Delay

An impulse signal is delivered to the hearing aid. The time of the maximum peak of the response is considered the group delay. The 7000 system delay is subtracted from this value to obtain the final measurement.

Technical Details: Phase

One pulse of a 1000 Hz cosine signal is delivered to the aid. This signal is 1 msec long. The first 20 msec of the aid's response to the signal is displayed in graphical format.

ExampleGroup Delay Phase