The purpose of this study was to obtain normal hearing thresholds for an ER-3A insert earphone as a contribution for future standardization and for comparison with previous studies and interim ANSI and ISO insert earphone reference equivalent threshold sound pressure levels (RETSPLs). Hearing thresholds were obtained on each ear of 48 normal-hearing subjects from 125 to 8000 Hz using ER-3A and ...

In three experiments, participants performed two tasks concurrently during driving. In the peripheral detection task, they responded manually to visual stimuli delivered through a LED placed on the internal rear mirror; in the conversation task, they were engaged in a conversation with a passenger, or through earphone-operated, loudspeaker-operated, or hand-held cell phones. Results showed that...

Walker, Dillon, and Byrne (1984) suggested reference equivalent threshold sound pressure levels (RETSPLs) for warble tones with specific modulation parameter values audited from a test position at the critical distance in a semireverberant sound field. This study evaluated these RETSPLs in two typical audiometric rooms and with typically encountered FM tones. Thresholds were measured under earp...

This investigation was conducted to assess the extent to which hearing aid-processed signals present an acoustic signal to the subject which has a frequency response equivalent to that which the hearing aid itself would have provided. The frequency response of a hearing aid receiver which was coupled directly to the ear canal ("aided" condition) was compared with the frequency response of the s...

Clinical reports regarding the use of the ALGO2 neonatal automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) screening device have been concerned only with issues of sensitivity and specificity. This study was undertaken to evaluate how couplers and their placement affect the ALGO2 click spectral properties. Although not recommended by the manufacturer, substituting less expensive, uncalibrated couple...

In this paper, we examine how covering one or both external ears affects sound localization on the horizontal plane. In our experiments, we cover subjects’ pinnae and external auditory canals with headphones, earphones and earplugs, and conduct a sound localization test. The results indicate that front-back confusion rates increase when covering both external ears with open-air headphones, and ...

We propose novel ways of interactions using biosignals. We developed a prototype earphone with three kinds of biosignal sensors: pulse wave, electromyogram (EMG) and acceleration sensors. Using this sensor system, we implemented three new applications automatic music selection, tactile and visual communication and automatic metadata annotation. We also present results of preliminary subjective ...