A Wireless Audiometric Headset that Integrates Hearing Testing, Education, and Personalized Hearing Protection Fitting

集听力测试、教育和个性化听力保护验配于一体的无线测听耳机

• 批准号: 10367463
• 负责人: ODILE H CLAVIER
• 金额: $ 36.11万
• 依托单位: CREARE, LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2022-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10367463
• 关键词: Wireless; Audiometric; Headset; Integrates; Hearing

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Although the solution to occupational noise-induced hearing loss seems easy—train and provide hearing protectors to employees in high noise environments—hearing loss continues to be one of the most common work-related illnesses. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, about 17% of all workers are exposed to hazardous noise (about 22 million workers). Yet, despite the implementation of industrial hearing conservation programs following OSHA’s 1983 Hearing Conservation Amendment, the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss decreased less than 1% over the last 30 years (1981–2010). Like most other personal protective equipment, hearing protection, especially earplugs, must be used properly to do their job. Proper use of earplugs requires two steps: (1) training proper insertion of earplugs, and (2) testing after self-insertion of the earplug to ensure the training was effective (and to reinforce training over time). Research has shown that providing actual feedback on how well individuals don their hearing protectors has a significant impact on their ability to reliably achieve adequate protection. This technique is referred to as “fit-testing.” Although systems have been developed to perform “fit-testing,” they require a trained administrator to perform the measurement. Creare, in collaboration with its clinical and research partners, proposes to develop a mobile low-cost fit testing device, with integrated audiometer, to help noise-exposed workers confirm they are adequately protected and lower their daily exposure. Such an approach has the potential for high impact at very low cost because it requires minimal effort on the part of the employers and workers to greatly improve the existing hearing conservation programs.

项目概要/摘要 尽管职业噪声引起的听力损失的解决方案似乎很简单——训练和提供听力 高噪音环境中员工的保护者——听力损失仍然是最常见的问题之一 根据国家职业安全与健康研究所的数据，大约有 17% 是与工作相关的疾病。 然而，尽管实施了以下措施，但仍有约 2200 万名工人暴露在有害噪音中。 遵循 OSHA 1983 年听力保护修正案的工业听力保护计划 过去 30 年（1981 年至 2010 年），噪声性听力损失的患病率下降了不到 1%。 大多数其他个人防护设备，听力保护，尤其是耳塞，必须正确使用才能做到 他们的工作是正确使用耳塞需要两个步骤：(1) 训练如何正确插入耳塞，(2) 进行测试。 自行插入耳塞后，以确保训练有效（并随着时间的推移加强训练）。 研究表明，提供有关个人听力保护器佩戴情况的实际反馈可以提高听力保护效果。 对其可靠地实现充分保护的能力产生重大影响该技术被称为 “适合性测试”。尽管已经开发了系统来执行“适合性测试”，但它们需要经过培训的管理员 来执行测量。 Creare 与其临床和研究合作伙伴合作，提议开发一种移动低成本适合性测试 带有集成听力计的设备，可帮助暴露于噪音的工人确认他们受到充分保护并 降低他们的日常暴露量，这种方法有可能以极低的成本产生巨大的影响，因为它 只需雇主和工人付出最小的努力即可大大改善现有的听力 保护计划。