DSL prescriptive targets for bone conduction devices: adaptation and comparison to clinical fittings

To develop an algorithm that prescribes targets for bone conduction frequency response shape, compression, and output limiting, along with a clinical method that ensures accurate transforms between assessment and verification stages of the clinical workflow.

Technical report of target generation and validation.

We recruited 39 adult users of unilateral percutaneous bone conduction hearing aids with a range of unilateral, bilateral, mixed and conductive hearing losses across the sample.

The initial algorithm over-prescribed output compared to the user's own settings in the low frequencies, but provided a good match to user settings in the high frequencies. Corrections to the targets were derived and implemented as a low-frequency cut aimed at improving acceptance of the wearer's own voice during device use.

The DSL-BCD prescriptive algorithm is compatible with verification of devices and fine-tuning to target for percutaneous bone conduction hearing devices that can be coupled to a skull simulator. Further study is needed to investigate the appropriateness of this prescriptive algorithm for other input levels, and for other clinical populations including those with single-sided deafness, bilateral devices, children and users of transcutaneous bone conduction hearing aids.