Audiometer Modification and Pulse-Tone Technic for Pure-Tone Threshold Determination

摘要

The ears of twenty-five people having normal hearing were tested by a single-descent pulse-count procedure of threshold determination. Pulse trains were produced by a modified telephone dial which keyed a manual audiometer. Six frequencies were tested. Results were compared with thresholds obtained using a fixed-frequency instrument of the Bekesy type. No significant differences were found between threshold measures made by the two methods. Test-retest by the pulse-count procedure indicated that reliability compared favorably with that of other threshold measures. The test is recommended for use in clinical audiometry, particularly where assurance is needed that the subject hears at least at a given level. Among examples of its uses are testing candidates for flight training, and bone-conduction testing to predict results of middle ear surgery. (Author)