Skip to main content
Article
Automated Smartphone Audiometry: A Preliminary Validation of a Bone-Conduction Threshold Test App
Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology
  • Nicholas A. Dewyer, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
  • Patpong Jiradejvong, University of California, San Francisco
  • David S. Lee, University of California, San Francisco
  • Jacquelyn D. Kemmer, University of California, San Francisco
  • Jennifer Henderson-Sabes, University of California, San Francisco
  • Charles J. Limb, University of California, San Francisco
Department
Audiology
Abstract

Objective: To develop and validate an automated smartphone app that determines bone-conduction pure-tone thresholds. Methods: A novel app, called EarBone, was developed as an automated test to determine best-cochlea pure-tone bone-conduction thresholds using a smartphone driving a professional-grade bone oscillator. Adult, English-speaking patients who were undergoing audiometric assessment by audiologists at an academic health system as part of their prescribed care were invited to use the EarBone app. Best-ear bone-conduction thresholds determined by the app and the gold standard audiologist were compared. Results: Forty subjects with varied hearing thresholds were tested. Sixty-one percent of app-determined thresholds were within 5 dB of audiologist-determined thresholds, and 79% were within 10 dB. Nearly all subjects required assistance with placing the bone oscillator on their mastoid. Conclusion: Best-cochlea bone-conduction thresholds determined by the EarBone automated smartphone audiometry app approximate those determined by an audiologist. This serves as a proof of concept for automated smartphone-based bone-conduction threshold testing. Further improvements, such as the addition of contralateral ear masking, are needed to make the app clinically useful.

Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2019
DOI
10.1177/0003489419828770
Citation Information
Nicholas A. Dewyer, Patpong Jiradejvong, David S. Lee, Jacquelyn D. Kemmer, et al.. "Automated Smartphone Audiometry: A Preliminary Validation of a Bone-Conduction Threshold Test App" Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology Vol. 128 Iss. 6 (2019) p. 508 - 515 ISSN: 0003-4894
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jennifer-henderson-sabes/33/