Types And Functions Of An Audiometer

By Alyssa McCall


Instruments used to determine the hearing capability of persons is called an audiometer. Determination of the hearing capability of a person is essential so that one may get the right medication. These instruments are usually under the control of a standard PC and one of their components is a hardware that can be connected to headphones. We have both software hearing devices and the hardware based ones.

An example of the software AM is the Screening PC Based AM that only uses a standard computer. This can be owned and run by anyone in their homes to check their hearing. Their accuracy however is not very good because they lack a standard for calibration. Some of these screening PC based devices can be found on a hand held device that is windows driven.

Clinical PC Based devices are the next examples, and they are comparatively more expensive than the Screening PC Based hearing devices, a software based device. Their efficiency is much better that that of the software device that we know of. They are used in hospitals, research centres and audiometric centres by the professional doctors. The accuracy of their calibrators is also good compared to the hardware devices.

There rare different types of hearing devices with different modifications in the market. The clinical Astera one is an example and it is PC based. The PC based Auricle one is another example. It uses batteries I its operation and has proved to be extra accurate. We also have the Midimate audiometers that are stand alone in other words they are not PC based. The audiometric process uses air, bone and speech.

We have hybrid devices such as the Itera II which are both PC based and stand alone. It is easy for one to carry out their test session using this instrument. Another hybrid device is the Xeta device ant the other modification is that it is easily portable. They are fast, their flexibility is also great and their efficiency is also very great. The Micro mate audiometer is also hybrid but its uniqueness comes in in the test session that is easy and keeps contact of the patient.

It is very vital to regularly check the audiometers calibration so as to be sure that the level show on the calibration is in line with that of the actual stimulus. The US for instance usually do their calibration of then audiometers acoustically. This is made successful since they have the American Standard Specification for Audiometers that sets the conditions.

Accuracy of then calibration of a device is then most essential measure for one to consider if they want accurate audiometer results. Had the calibration of the audiometer been having complications, then then individual would have then absolutely wrong frequency as a corrective measure.

It is thus clear that an audiometer is a clinical instrument but individuals could own them if they are cautious about their hearing loss. There are different audiometers as are listed above. Their calibration is an essential instrument for their performance.




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