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Using Objective Metrics to Measure Hearing Aid Performance.
James M Kates1, Kathryn H Arehart1, Melinda C Anderson2
1University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Ear and Hearing
|March 20, 2018
Summary
New metrics, the hearing aid speech perception index (HASPI) and hearing aid speech quality index (HASQI), effectively measure commercial hearing aid performance, revealing differences across manufacturers and settings.
Area of Science:
- Audiology and Hearing Science
- Signal Processing
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Standardized hearing aid measurements assess basic function but lack predictive power for real-world outcomes.
- Objective metrics are needed to evaluate complex signal processing interactions and individual hearing loss.
- The hearing aid speech perception index (HASPI) and hearing aid speech quality index (HASQI) offer potential solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the feasibility of applying HASPI and HASQI metrics to commercial hearing aids.
- To illustrate the expected range of values obtained using these novel metrics.
- To identify implementation challenges for HASPI and HASQI compared to conventional measurements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized HASPI and HASQI to analyze commercial hearing aids from multiple manufacturers.
- Incorporated an auditory model accounting for peripheral hearing loss.
- Varied signal-to-noise ratios, presentation levels, and processing configurations (linear to nonlinear).
Main Results:
- HASPI and HASQI detected statistically significant performance differences between hearing aid devices and processing strategies.
- Both metrics captured audibility and nonlinear distortion, identifying conditions with high predicted intelligibility but low speech quality.
- Manufacturer and degree of processing significantly impacted HASPI and HASQI results; hearing loss affected HASPI.
Conclusions:
- HASPI and HASQI provide a comprehensive assessment of hearing aid performance, including interactions missed by traditional methods.
- Significant variations were observed across manufacturers, processing settings, and hearing loss adjustments.
- Further research is required to establish clinical relevance and define target values for successful hearing aid fittings.
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