Utilizing True Wireless Stereo Earbuds in Automated Pure-Tone Audiometry

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• True wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds are increasingly prevalent.
• Existing automated audiometry apps often require specialized earphones.
• Accessibility to hearing testing is limited by the need for specific equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the accuracy of automated pure-tone audiometry using commercially available TWS earbuds (Honor FlyPods).
• To develop and report a procedure for creating an automated audiometer on portable devices.
• To assess the feasibility and precision of TWS earbuds for hearing threshold measurements.

Main Methods:

• Developed an automated pure-tone audiometer application for TWS earbuds.
• Calibrated the TWS earbuds using electroacoustic measurements and corrected reference equivalent threshold sound pressure levels.
• Compared the developed system with a clinical audiometer on 20 hearing-impaired participants.

Main Results:

• The average signed deviation between TWS and clinical audiometers was 3.1 dB, and the absolute deviation was 6.7 dB.
• The system achieved an 81% accuracy rate in identifying the presence or absence of hearing loss.
• Demonstrated the feasibility of using TWS earbuds for automated air-conduction audiometry.

Conclusions:

• Automated pure-tone audiometry using TWS earbuds is a viable approach.
• The developed calibration framework enables accurate hearing level estimation.
• This technology offers a more accessible solution for hearing screening.