The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level
Objectives Two main digital signal processing technologies inside the modern hearing aid to provide the best conditions for hearing aid users are directionality (DIR) and digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithms. There are various possible settings for these algorithms. The present study evaluates t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
2018-12-01
|
| Series: | Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.e-ceo.org/upload/pdf/ceo-2018-00052.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818507725391265792 |
|---|---|
| author | Roghayeh Ahmadi Hamid Jalilvand Mohammad Ebrahim Mahdavi Fatemeh Ahmadi Ali Reza Akbarzade Baghban |
| author_facet | Roghayeh Ahmadi Hamid Jalilvand Mohammad Ebrahim Mahdavi Fatemeh Ahmadi Ali Reza Akbarzade Baghban |
| author_sort | Roghayeh Ahmadi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives Two main digital signal processing technologies inside the modern hearing aid to provide the best conditions for hearing aid users are directionality (DIR) and digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithms. There are various possible settings for these algorithms. The present study evaluates the effects of various DIR and DNR conditions (both separately and in combination) on listening comfort among hearing aid users. Methods In 18 participants who received hearing aid fitting services from the Rehabilitation School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences regularly, we applied acceptable noise level (ANL) as our subjective measure of listening comfort. We evaluated both of these under six different hearing aid conditions: omnidirectional-baseline, omnidirectional-broadband DNR, omnidirectional-multichannel DNR, directional, directional-broadband DNR, and directional-multichannel DNR. Results The ANL results ranged from −3 dB to 14 dB in all conditions. The results show, among all conditions, both the omnidirectional-baseline condition and the omnidirectional-broadband DNR condition are the worst conditions for listening in noise. The DIR always reduces the amount of noise that patients received during testing. The DNR algorithm does not improve listening in noise significantly when compared with the DIR algorithms. Although both DNR and DIR algorithms yielded a lower ANL, the DIR algorithm was more effective than the DNR. Conclusion The DIR and DNR technologies provide listening comfort in the presence of noise. Thus, user benefit depends on how the digital signal processing settings inside the hearing aid are adjusted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:22:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e3d32fe3735461b825883b60f800eb4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1976-8710 2005-0720 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T22:22:01Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e3d32fe3735461b825883b60f800eb42022-12-22T01:31:17ZengKorean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck SurgeryClinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology1976-87102005-07202018-12-0111426727410.21053/ceo.2018.00052580The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise LevelRoghayeh Ahmadi0Hamid Jalilvand1Mohammad Ebrahim Mahdavi2Fatemeh Ahmadi3Ali Reza Akbarzade Baghban4 Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran School of Economic, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranObjectives Two main digital signal processing technologies inside the modern hearing aid to provide the best conditions for hearing aid users are directionality (DIR) and digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithms. There are various possible settings for these algorithms. The present study evaluates the effects of various DIR and DNR conditions (both separately and in combination) on listening comfort among hearing aid users. Methods In 18 participants who received hearing aid fitting services from the Rehabilitation School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences regularly, we applied acceptable noise level (ANL) as our subjective measure of listening comfort. We evaluated both of these under six different hearing aid conditions: omnidirectional-baseline, omnidirectional-broadband DNR, omnidirectional-multichannel DNR, directional, directional-broadband DNR, and directional-multichannel DNR. Results The ANL results ranged from −3 dB to 14 dB in all conditions. The results show, among all conditions, both the omnidirectional-baseline condition and the omnidirectional-broadband DNR condition are the worst conditions for listening in noise. The DIR always reduces the amount of noise that patients received during testing. The DNR algorithm does not improve listening in noise significantly when compared with the DIR algorithms. Although both DNR and DIR algorithms yielded a lower ANL, the DIR algorithm was more effective than the DNR. Conclusion The DIR and DNR technologies provide listening comfort in the presence of noise. Thus, user benefit depends on how the digital signal processing settings inside the hearing aid are adjusted.http://www.e-ceo.org/upload/pdf/ceo-2018-00052.pdfDirectional Hearing AidHearing AidsAcceptable Noise LevelHearing LossDigital Noise Reduction |
| spellingShingle | Roghayeh Ahmadi Hamid Jalilvand Mohammad Ebrahim Mahdavi Fatemeh Ahmadi Ali Reza Akbarzade Baghban The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Directional Hearing Aid Hearing Aids Acceptable Noise Level Hearing Loss Digital Noise Reduction |
| title | The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level |
| title_full | The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level |
| title_short | The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level |
| title_sort | effects of hearing aid digital noise reduction and directionality on acceptable noise level |
| topic | Directional Hearing Aid Hearing Aids Acceptable Noise Level Hearing Loss Digital Noise Reduction |
| url | http://www.e-ceo.org/upload/pdf/ceo-2018-00052.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT roghayehahmadi theeffectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT hamidjalilvand theeffectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT mohammadebrahimmahdavi theeffectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT fatemehahmadi theeffectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT alirezaakbarzadebaghban theeffectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT roghayehahmadi effectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT hamidjalilvand effectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT mohammadebrahimmahdavi effectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT fatemehahmadi effectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel AT alirezaakbarzadebaghban effectsofhearingaiddigitalnoisereductionanddirectionalityonacceptablenoiselevel |