Remote microphone performance in exercise environments: an effectiveness-implementation study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing remote microphones in group exercise environments.

This study used a modified effectiveness-implementation hybrid design, with an electroacoustic assessment of hearing aid remote microphones using manikins as simulated talkers and listeners. Test conditions were at varying distances, azimuths, and reverberation levels in exercise environments. The listener manikins were programmed to simulate mild-to-moderate sloping audiograms and were fitted with three brands of premium receiver-in-the-canal style hearing aids, including their proprietary remote microphones (both low- and high-technology levels). Recordings of these conditions were compared to the reference recordings using the Hearing Aid Speech Perception Index.

This was a manikin-based research study, therefore, human subjects were not recruited.

Remote microphones produced higher speech perception scores than hearing aids alone regardless of reverberation levels, hearing loss, or the distances and azimuths relative to the simulated talker. Remote microphones were shown to be feasible to implement in exercise environments.

Remote microphone technology may be beneficial to exercisers with hearing loss in exercise environments, however, this area remains highly understudied. Future behavioural assessments of remote microphones in environments with individuals with hearing loss are discussed.